Provided photos: The group is shown at the American Legion Butts-Clark Post 204 at 305 North Main St.
Information courtesy of Deborah Berry, VFW Auxiliary Treasurer
MEDINA – The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary members from the VFW Lincoln Post 1483 in Medina as well as members from the community held a Stop 22 Walk to increase the public awareness of veteran suicide.
The members walked 22 minutes along Medina Business District in the village of Medina. An average of 22 veterans die by suicide every day.
A veteran in any type of need or service is encouraged to reach out to our VFW Post 1483 at 216 East Center Street in Medina. Help is also available at the National Veteran Crisis Hotline 1-800-273-8255.
Participants in the walk include VFW 1483 Post members Patrick Little, Louis Chraston, Steve Earle, and Gregg Smith. VFW Aux members Dave and Debbie Berry, Donna Little, Tammy Pogel, Evon Parker, Becky Persons, and Joe Meyer. Community members Jenn Arnold, Kevin Dennis and Joe Fearby.
The walkers are pictured in front of the VFW Post 1483 at 216 East Center St.
Press Release, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee
Sherrie Carter and Louise Mana donated several bags of food to a pantry at Community Action.
ALBION – The Emergency Services Pantry at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee recently received a generous donation from Sherrie Carter and her mother Louise Mana.
The donation included a variety of non-perishable food items that will greatly assist the agency in its ongoing mission to combat food insecurity throughout the community.
As the organization works diligently to ensure pantry shelves remain stocked, this contribution comes at a critical time. With a potential reduction in food stamp benefits anticipated on Nov. 1, the need for community support has never been greater.
Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Inc. extends heartfelt thanks to Sherri Carter and Louise Mana for their generosity and community spirit.
The agency encourages additional donations to help meet the growing needs of local families facing food insecurity. Every contribution—large or small—makes a difference.
For more information or to make a donation, please contact: Community Action of Orleans and Genesee at 585-589-5605 x101 or email kettinger@caoginc.org.
Press Release, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee
ALBION – In the interest of concern and transparency, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is making the community aware that due to ongoing funding uncertainty and the recent government shutdown, the agency is experiencing difficulty providing assistance at a level that matches the increased needs of our community.
Food insecurity in the region is skyrocketing, and the agency is exploring all avenues to ensure that food distributions and pantry services remain available to those who need it most.
However, upcoming challenges such as the loss of SNAP, HEAP heating assistance, rising healthcare costs, and unmanageable housing rental expenses are creating a crisis for families. Resources to assist with rent and utilities are running dry. Some funding streams have been suspended while others have been terminated altogether.
“Despite these setbacks, our team is doing everything possible to distribute the scarce resources we have,” said Renee Hungerford, Executive Director/CEO of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee. “We are deeply concerned about the impact this will have on our neighbors as winter approaches.”
Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is a Medicaid 1115 participant. Medicaid recipients are encouraged to contact the agency for an 1115 screening, which may open alternative avenues of assistance for critical needs such as rent, utility assistance, and other health-related social supports.
How You Can Help
Donations of any size and volunteers are needed. Support at any level can make a real difference during this critical time. The number of families assisted at food distributions is growing at an unprecedented rate, volunteers for these and special holiday distributions are sincerely appreciated.
In addition to donations and volunteering, you can make a powerful impact by reaching out to your elected officials. Urge them to take immediate action to support reopening our government as well as support funding for programs like the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), Weatherization Assistance, and Head Start. These programs are lifelines for families in need, and your voice can help ensure they remain funded and accessible.
Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
Photos and information courtesy of Christopher Martin
BROCKPORT – As the sun rose over the Chick-fil-A in Brockport on Tuesday morning, the newly hired staff made final preparations for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 a.m.
Owner-Operator Aaron Reynolds busily greeted his family, friends and local officials as Brockport firefighters readied the large American flag for posting.
Aaron Reynolds, left, greets the crowd for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Brockport firefighters raised the American flag at the ceremony. A lone trumpet played while firefighters raised the new flag for the first time.
Folks from Chick-fil-A joined the event to thank the Brockport community for welcoming them here. Sweden Supervisor Patricia Hayles took the microphone to thank Reynolds and his family for returning to the area to bring us this new, beautiful structure to this corner.
She also mentioned the 135 jobs he has brought to the community and the increased sales tax revenue that will come back to the town.
The owners and team leaders provided behind the scenes tours of the entire facility. It was a long-awaited event, but the day has come. The store opened today, and the staff has been anxious to greet you and share their chicken specialties with us all.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 October 2025 at 12:19 pm
Hanks family has led the bowling center to several upgrades past 20 years
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Randy Hanks, owner of Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, received a citation from the Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday in honor of his 20 years of owning the bowling alley in Albion, which is also celebrating its 65th anniversary this year.
County Legislator Ed Morgan, right, presented the certificate to Hanks who was joined during the presentation by Corey Winters, the county’s planning director and also an avid bowler.
Legislators commended Hanks for several improvements to the bowling alley in the past 20 years and also a commitment to host events that raise money for PAWS Animal Shelter, a scholarship and other youth sports programs.
Randy Hanks said he enjoys being at the bowling alley with the bowlers and hosting the many special events including birthday parties. He is glad to support the community fundraisers, too.
The Hanks family owns the 18-lane bowling center on Route 98 at 3291 Oak Orchard Rd. The family has tackled numerous improvements to the bowling center during their two decades at the helm, including a new oil machine, synthetic lanes, flooring, carpeting and remodeled bathrooms.
Hanks was named “Proprietor of the Year” in New York state in 2014 by the United States Bowling Congress.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 October 2025 at 11:41 am
ALBION – The case in Orleans County Court against a Medina man accused of arson is currently on hold.
Zachary Natale, 32, allegedly set an apartment on fire on Dec. 17, 2024 at 207 Bates Rd. The fire forced the evacuation of two other residents in a duplex.
Natale has been charged with second-degree arson, second-degree burglary and two counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree.
Natale was deemed incompetent to trial through one examination, and then was deemed fit in another exam.
But Natale’s attorney, assistant public defender Courtney Spiotta, at court this morning convinced Judge Sanford Church to seek a third competency evaluation.
Natale currently is being held in the Orleans County Jail.
In another case, a North Carolina man who was involved in a high-speed chase in Albion pleaded guilty criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree and reckless endangerment in the second degree, both Class A misdemeanors.
Ceu Uk, 22, needed to be extradited from his Charlotte North Carolina. He admitted in court today to driving a vehicle that wasn’t his and doing it without the owner’s consent on May 29, 2023. Uk also admitted to driving in excess of 100 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone, and passing other cars, creating a substantial risk for other people. The car was a 2021 Chrysler 300.
Uk and two of the occupants also fled the vehicle just south of Route 104 on Crandall Road. It then took several hours for police to locate and detain them.
Uk was a given a conditional discharge to obey all laws and seek lawful employment for the next year. If he has any violations, he could spend up to 364 days in the county jail for each charge and also be on probation for up to three years.
Uk is currently working as a Door Dash driver. He has to pay a $175 court surcharge, $50 DNA database fee, and $25 crime victims’ fee.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 October 2025 at 9:23 am
‘This is a game-changer for us’ – SWAT commander Torry Tooley
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Orleans County’s Special Response Team did a demonstration on Tuesday evening at the Tavern on the Ridge, showcasing some of its tools and equipment including this drone.
The team includes nine members from the Sheriff’s Office and seven from the Albion Police Department. The team has several drones, including this one that is used to fly inside a house or other structure. The drone can be used to locate people and provide officers with a layout of the building.
The drone takes off inside the Tavern on the Ridge, looking for a suspect as part of the demonstration for the Orleans County Association of Municipalities, which includes officials from local village, town and the county governments.
Investigator Brian Marsceill of the Sheriff’s Office served as the pilot of the drone, guiding it through the hallway and around the restaurant to locate the suspect.
The Special Response Team moves in to locate the person. It was all part of a demonstration for local officials.
The Special Response Team is run through the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. The team operates on a $300,000 budget which goes to training, equipment and overtime costs.
Investigator Kevin Colonna, left, and Sgt. Torry Tooley show the screen that law enforcement see from one of the drones. Colonna is a certified pilot for the drones. Tooley is the commander of the Special Response Team.
They noted how the drones helped locate someone who stole items and fled from Walmart last week, first on a bike and then by foot.
That person was detected lying down north of Walmart along Gaines Basin Road. Officers were able to quickly find him with the drones.
The team has drones that can spot people at night through the heat detection and spotlights on the drone. Officers can give commands through the drones to people on the ground or in a house, telling them to surrender, stay put or give other commands.
One of the team’s drones can travel as far as 6 miles, and go up to 50 miles an hour.
Officers can get a live feed from the drones through their phones or the computers in their patrol cars.
The drones are very useful in locating suspects, but Tooley said they also can be used for missing people, including vulnerable elderly people or people with autism and disabilities.
Lt. Adam Hazel of the Sheriff’s Office and Sgt. Torry Tooley show the local officials some of the tools for the Special Response Team including body armor, helmets with night lights, vision monoculars to see in the dark, a 40 mm gun that fires non-lethal bullets, door breaching tools (ram and Halogen tool), as well as several of the different drones.
Tooley said the new drones and night vision on the helmets are “a game-changer for us.”
The team is awaiting a Bearcat armored vehicle to be used on scene for some of the calls. That armored vehicle will be able to transport 10-12 people to high-risk situations requiring advanced tactics and coordination.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2025 at 9:50 pm
Chart on monthly SNAP benefits from NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
ALBION – Orleans County has 5,146 residents receiving SNAP benefits that are due to run out in a few days and won’t be refilled until the federal government shutdown is over.
That is a big concern for Holli Nenni, the county’s commissioner of the Department of Social Services.
“I’m scared people will go hungry,” she said. “We’re worried people literally won’t have food.”
In New York, there are 2.9 million SNAP recipients or 14 percent of the population. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program issues monthly electronic benefits through EBT cards that can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores.
The SNAP benefits are for children, elderly and disabled residents, with eligibility and benefit levels based on household size, income and other factors.
The program dates back to the Great Depression in the 1930s, and has never been disrupted due to a budget stalemate. In The past during a budget shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has used emergency funds to continue funding the program, but the USDA said it won’t do that this time.
That has promoted attorneys general and governors from 26 states, including New York, to sue the USDA for suspending SNAP benefits during the federal shutdown.
Attorney General Letitia James said USDA can tap into contingency funds to keep SNAP going during the shutdown.
“Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide,” James said in a news release today. “SNAP is one of our nation’s most effective tools to fight hunger, and the USDA has the money to keep it running. There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline. The federal government must do its job to protect families.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2025 at 3:33 pm
Provided image
ALBION – Mary Jo Whitman of Batavia has created a new welcome sign for Albion that village officials are aiming to have installed on the east side of Albion along Route 31.
The village would like to have the new sign up with a dedication celebration on Nov. 21.
The village received a grant through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) to fund the project.
The sign includes a Santa to highlight Albion as a home for a Santa School that was run by the late Charles W. Howard from 1937 until his death in 1966. The Santa will be mounted on top in the middle of the sign.
Whitman created Albion scenes within the large letters of “ALBION.” Those scenes include a boat on the Erie Canal with a lift bridge, the Civil War memorial tower at Mount Albion Cemetery and the Orleans County Courthouse.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2025 at 2:20 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Nov. 11, 2024, shows Sandy Shaw, retired director of the Community Free Library, and retired Holley Mayor John Kenney, who were both writing messages on Christmas cards to be given to veterans.
HOLLEY – The Community Free Library in Holley will again welcome residents on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, to create Christmas cards for veterans.
The library welcomes people to come in from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to write notes, decorate cards and stuff envelopes. There will be light refreshments available for those who stop by.
All the cards will be delivered by volunteers and staff to local veterans the first week in December, said Amanda Anderson, Community Free Library director.
MIDDLEPORT – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today announced that the Royalton-Hartland Central School District has received a $235,991 federal grant over three years to strengthen school safety and security for more than 1,100 students and 230 staff across the district.
The funding will support upgrades to school safety infrastructure in partnership with the Middleport Police Department, which provides two full-time School Resource Officers for the district.
Over the course of the grant, the district will implement a new reunification program, upgrade mass communication systems, install panic buttons and remote lockdown capabilities, expand camera coverage throughout all school buildings, and integrate a new technology server and advanced security systems. Staff, administrators, and School Resource Officers will be trained on all new equipment, and a long-term sustainability and replacement plan will be established.
“These funds will help Royalton-Hartland enhance student safety, close coverage gaps, and strengthen coordination with local law enforcement,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The safety of our students is a top priority, and I was honored to support this project. I look forward to seeing these improvements implemented to protect students, educators, and staff across the district.”
The district expects these improvements to reduce incidents of bullying, harassment, fighting, and theft; improve response times; increase student and parent confidence in school safety; improve adherence to ADA standards; and eliminate camera blind spots that currently cause concern among students.
“The district is excited about the prospect of this grant and what these upgrades will mean for us over the next three years,” said Superintendent Jill Heck. “Implementing a reunification system, new cameras and emergency alerts system will move us toward our Strategic Plan Goal #1 of improving upon the safety, security and learning spaces for everyone in our district. We are truly grateful for this opportunity.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2025 at 12:33 pm
8 students and bus driver checked out by EMS after incident
ALBION – An elementary student released pepper spray on the morning school bus run, which resulted in eight students and the bus driver to be examined on scene by Mercy Flight EMS.
There wasn’t a fight on the bus that led to the student using the pepper spray, said Sgt. Robert Wagner of the Albion Police Department.
A young student had a key-chained pepper spray and sprayed it on the floor of the bus, he said.
“The vapor from the spray caused some students on the bus to be affected by it,” Wagner said.
The Albion School District sent an update to parents about the situation. The school said a student on bus U (274) deployed pepper spray. EMS personnel were immediately called to the scene, parents were contacted and another bus was sent.
“All eight students and the driver on board were examined by emergency personnel, some of which were experiencing eye irritation and coughing,” the school district said. “Parents were given the option to pick up their children from the scene, and the secondary school bus was able to transport the remaining students to school.”
The district said the incident is being investigated and the next steps will be determined in accordance with our Code of Conduct.
“We thank our transportation department, local law enforcement and EMS for their quick response,” the district stated.
Press Release, Orleans County Veterans Services and Orleans County Health Department
MEDINA – The Orleans County Health Department and the Orleans County Veterans Services/Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Program are hosting a Veteran Health and Benefit Fair.
The event on Monday, November 17, will be from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Medina VFW Post 1483, 216 East Center St.
Veterans and one guest can come to learn about healthcare, benefits, and local community programs. Attendees can meet and talk with representatives from various organizations and veterans service providers. Flu vaccines and blood pressure checks will be available for veterans.
There also will be free snacks and refreshments. The event is funded by the Dwyer Peer-to-Peer Program.
To register, click here or call Orleans County Veterans Services at 585-589-3219.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 October 2025 at 8:56 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The Harlem Wizards brought a highly entertaining brand of basketball to a packed high school gym in Albion on Monday. The Wizards played Albion teachers in a game won by the Wizards, 79-89. The top photo shows Talek “Show Out” Williams pumping up an enthusiastic crowd. About 700 people attended the event.
But much of the fun was in the stands, and games involving audience participation. The Wizards had many slam dunks, no-look passes, long jump shots and other acrobatic moves on the court. But they connected most with the fans through dancing, high fives and other antics.
The Wizards were in town as part of a fundraiser for the Albion boys basketball program.
After the game, the Wizards invited all the kids on the court for some dancing.
Tom O’Donnell, a counselor in the middle school, is introduced as one of the players for the Albion teachers. About 20 people from the school played in the game.
Vinnie Strollo, a physical education teacher at elementary school, reacts after making the first basket in the game to give the teachers the lead.
The teams are on court for the opening tip off. Jeff Radder for the teachers won the tip off and Albion scored the first basket.
The game often stopped for crowd participation. Mark Kuntz of Albion was brought out for a dance challenge.
Caleb Wolfe, 13, was blindfolded and tried to find some of the prizes on the court. The crowd yelled to try to steer him in the right direction.
Jonathan “Top Flight” Hevalow delivered a powerful dunk that amazed the crowd.
Talek “Show Out” Williams signs autographs during halftime.
These Wizards players celebrate with two Albion youth football teams that won the league championship on Saturday.
The crowd was often in a frenzy rooting on the teachers and reacting to some of the dunks from the Wizards.
These Wizards paused the game to give Ashleigh Stornelli, the school’s resource officer, a chance to make an easy shot which she did after getting some advice from Lloyd “Loonatik” Clinton.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2025 at 6:46 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Residents at Northwood Apartments were evacuated after a fire in one of the apartments just before 6 p.m.
The initial call to first responders said multiple people were trapped inside the apartment. When law enforcement responded soon after the call at 5:54 p.m., the people were already outside the apartment, said Lt. Adam Hazel of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement from the Sheriff’s Office and Village of Albion Police then went door to door to evacuate the building. Some of the residents also helped get people out of the building, including some who needed wheelchairs due to mobility issues.
Firefighters from multiple departments responded and are ventilating the one apartment and making sure it is isolated to the one unit. Firefighters said the smokey apartment was caused by a stove fire.
Mercy Flight EMS also is on scene checking people. Some people are being evaluated on scene for smoke inhalation.
ALBION – In the interest of concern and transparency, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is making the community aware that due to ongoing funding uncertainty and the recent government shutdown, the agency is experiencing difficulty providing assistance at a level that matches the increased needs of our community.
