By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 December 2025 at 10:14 am
County nearly shut out from $463 million in funding from Regional Economic Development Council
Photo by Tom Rivers: Several anglers fish near the dam in Lyndonville on Oct. 28, 2021. Many Chinook salmon were jumping up in Johnson Creek. The area draws many visiting fishermen during the fall tributary season.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $463 million in funding around the state on Dec. 23 in grants approved through the Regional Economic Development Councils plus the new Advancing Collaboration for High-impact Initiatives for Economic Visions & Expansion competition — or ACHIEVE Competition.
Orleans County is in the Finger Lakes REDC and was approved for an $86,250 grant to develop Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs for the towns of Kendall, Carlton, Yates and Village of Lyndonville. Those municipalities will work with the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council to complete draft Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs for each municipality.
“The LWRPs will revitalize waterfronts along Lake Ontario, Oak Orchard Creek, Johnson Creek, Marsh Creek and Bald Eagle Creek,” according to the announcement from the state. “Issues to be addressed include revitalization, erosion, transportation and water quality.”
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, which serves both Genesee and Orleans, was approved for a $75,000 grant to market cultural festivals in the two counties. The grant will go towards “a strategic, multi-platform marketing campaign and tourism app integration, aimed at increasing regional visitation and economic impact.”
Close to Orleans County, Brightly Farms LLC in Hamlin was approved for $316,860 towards a new cold storage for the short-term preservation of crops from October through March.
“This building retrofit will be designed to be carbon neutral, with no usage of fossil fuels via all-electric equipment,” according to the grant announcement. “There will be a 154 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar photovoltaic system to offset the building’s energy usage. An improved building envelope and energy control for lighting and climate will allow Brightly Farm to maximize energy efficiency and eliminate wasted energy.”
The Village of Barker in eastern Niagara County was approved for $1.5 million to replace the existing undersized and deteriorating storm sewer infrastructure.
Becker Farms in Gasport, Niagara County, was approved for $100,000 to launch a strategic tourism marketing campaign to promote its eco-lodging, agritourism experiences, and year-round events driving visitation, job creation, and regional economic growth in rural Niagara County. The project highlights sustainable agriculture, experiential travel, and community revitalization in Western New York, according to the grant announcement.
Foodlink in Rochester, which serves Orleans and nine other counties, was approved for a $440,000 grant. Foodlink will undertake renovations to include a cafeteria/auditorium with event seating to host community and partner engagement events including trainings and Benefits Navigation work helping individuals enroll and maintain their SNAP and WIC benefits to increase access to healthy food. The project will increase capacity and better position Foodlink to respond more effectively to rising food insecurity in the region, according to the grant award.
Another grant that may be of interest in Orleans County, the Village of Red Creek with population of about 500 in Wayne County, was approved for a $50,000 grant to complete a “Comprehensive Economic Development Plan” to help revitalize and strengthen the village’s downtown core.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the $463 million in funding on Tuesday. Long Island, the Mohawk Valley, New York City and the Southern Tier were chosen as winners of the inaugural $150 million Advancing Collaboration for High-impact Initiatives for Economic Visions & Expansion competition — or ACHIEVE Competition.
Additionally, nearly 400 projects across the state have been awarded over $300 million in funding through the various state agency programs within the annual Regional Council initiative and Consolidated Funding Application, which Hochul said have been redesigned to help catalyze economic growth, jump-start housing growth, and advance regionally designed strategic plans, while addressing state priorities.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2025 at 7:22 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Francis family on Platt Street in Albion for many years has put out many Christmas decorations for the holiday season.
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, you’re going to be disappointed on Thursday.
You won’t see much snow on the ground in Orleans County. Most of what we had from about a week ago has melted.
The high for Christmas will be 37 degrees. That is quite the contrast from three years ago when a blizzard Orleans County on Dec. 23, 2022. That storm claimed the lives of about 50 people in Western New York.
On Friday, we could get some snow, possibly 2 to 4 inches with a high near 27.
The highs then include 32 on Saturday and 41 on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2025 at 10:00 am
203 have now completed program since 2018
Photos by Tom Rivers: Marcy Boyce, office manager for Arc GLOW in Albion, is congratulated for completing the 2025 Leadership Orleans program. She also received citations of commendation from the Orleans County Legislature, and offices of Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. Rob Ortt. From include County legislator Skip Draper, representing Ortt; Jayleen Carney, Hawley’s chief of staff; and Lynne Johnson, County Legislature chairman.
LYNDONVILLE – The eighth class of Leadership Orleans has completing the year-long program, bringing the total grads to 203 since the program started in 2018.
The class met monthly, building leadership skills and gaining knowledge, experiences and connecting with people from many different sectors in the community. The class spent different days focused on agriculture, non-profit organizations, government services, small and larger businesses, law enforcement, tourism, arts and culture, community health and economic development.
The class visited 33 sites around the county and heard from 56 presenters.
The class voted Captain’s Cove in Waterport as their favorite place to visit. They were able to ride on pontoon boats and explore the Oak Orchard River.
Charlie Nesbitt, a retired state assemblyman and helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, was voted as presenter of the year. Nesbitt is on the steering committee for Leadership Orleans and helped to launch the program.
He shared with the class about harrowing rides on the helicopter to save fellow American soldiers and children in Vietnam.
Kelly Kiebala holds a portrait of a child from Vietnam that Charlie Nesbitt was able to transport to safety by helicopter. Nesbitt, left, shared that story with the class when he was a presenter during the year. The class named him “Presenter of the Year” for his inspiring message. Kiebala and Nesbitt are both on the steering committee for Leadership Orleans.
Nesbitt served in Vietnam from May 1968 to May 1969. He awarded the “Distinguished Flying Cross” for his valor on Nov. 14, 1968when he and his crew members were told an American soldier was stranded in enemy territory in the jungles of Laos, across the border from Vietnam.
Another helicopter had been hit with a rocket and crashed. The crew needed to be rescued. Nesbitt flew a helicopter in and got out everyone, except one gunman, John Grimaldi, who was separated from his crew. That day he took the recovered crew members back to safety, and then returned to enemy territory to find Grimaldi.
Nesbitt told the class he is a big believer in Leadership Orleans. He was in a similar program as a young man after the Vietnam War. That program in Rochester “changed the direction in my life,” he said.
He said Leadership Orleans will have an impact on them in their work and family lives.
“If your life is better, all of our lives will be better,” he said during the graduation program on Dec. 11 at the White Birch in Lyndonville.
A new class with 26 members starts in January. Leadership Orleans also offers a “Level Up” program for graduates to continue to hone their leadership skills and build their network.
Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the County Legislature, thanked the class members for investing the time to learn about county and to better equip themselves to be forces for good.
Johnson urged them to keep maintaining the personal relationships they built over the past year.
“Never hesitate to engage with those who share different opinions,” Johnson said. “Welcome the discussion. Often times you will find there are more areas of agreement than you think.”
“Great leaders who build those personal connections will be followed – not because of a title or position – but because they are trusted. And that is true leadership.”
The program receives a stipend from the county, and there are 20 other community sponsors of programs throughout the year. The class members also pay tuition to be in Leadership Orleans.
Kathy Hodgins, chief executive officer of UConnectCare, was named Alumnus of the Year. Hodgins was in the inaugural class of 2018. She started 23 years ago with the agency, formerly known as GCASA. She began as a chemical dependency counselor in 2002 and worked her was up to becoming CEO.
The 27 members of the class representing several sectors in the community, including agriculture, education, human services, government, business and volunteerism
The program aims to build the “citizen capital” of the community, helping develop leaders who are educated on the many facets of the community.
This year’s graduates include:
Trisha Allen, project director for UConnectCare Behavioral Health Services in Albion
Jami Allport, executive director of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern
Tyler Baker, technical resource manager for Lake Ontario Fruit in Albion
Marissa Bell, social scientist for U.S. Department of Energy
Marcy Boyce, office manager for Arc GLOW in Albion
Candace Casey, coordinator of work-based learning at Iroquois Job Corps in Shelby
Aeddon Cayea, deputy director of United Way of Orleans County
Wendy Cruz, manager of Project Salus, a program of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Jodi Fisher, program director for GO Art!
Alishia Foss, resource specialist for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Randy Heslor, production supervisor for The Print Shop in Medina
Tim Ingrassia, operational excellence manager for Baxter Healthcare
Riki Lake, logistics/finance for CHPC in Medina
Ryan Lasal, director of programming for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Becky Manfreda, assistant superintendent of instruction for Albion Central School
Kristine Mostyn, director of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina
Amanda Nash, transportation director for Western New York Energy
Kevin Neureuter Jr., director of IT for Orleans County
Alana Palone, clinic administrator for Orleans Community Health
Jillian Peracciny, public information assistant for Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Abby Smith, literacy director for Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County
Alyssa Thomas, clinic/SPOA coordinator for Orleans County Mental Health Clinic
Quinton VerCruysee, equipment operations manager for Orchard Dale Fruit Company in Carlton
Michael Weller, library assistant at Hoag Library in Albion
Nick Wetherwax, senior director technical solutions at Info Advantage Inc. in Rochester
Bryce Wilson, farmer with Panek Farms in Albion
Corey Winters, director of Orleans County Department of Planning and Development
Nick Wetherwax (left), senior director of Technical Solutions, Info Advantage, Inc., and Riki Lake, Logistics/Finance for CHPC, were picked by the class to be the presenters and reflect on the year’s highlights. Lake won the award for winning the most points throughout the year for different competitions and activities.
Both said they learned so much about Orleans County and felt a strong bond with their classmates.
Wetherwax, 35, said he was particularly impressed visiting many of the local farmers and agricultural businesses to see how they are using technology and adapting.
Michael Weller, a library assistant at Hoag Library, is congratulated for completing the program. He is the seventh Hoag staff member to graduate from Leadership Orleans.
Weller, 36, said the year proved eye-opening. The tour of the ethanol plant in Medina was a highlight.
“It’s so big and so technical,” Weller said about Western New York Energy. “It was really cool to see.”
Jami Allport, executive director of the Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern, said she made strong connections with other class members, resulting in collaborations to serve the community.
She noted how her agency, GOMOC, has teamed with Community Action in some initiatives. She and Ryan Lasal, director of Programming for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, are both in the class. They are also Albion graduates from the same era.
Allport said a tour of the county jail was a strong memory.
Lasal, 40, said he expects many in the class will continue to work together on projects serving the community.
“This has been a great opportunity to parter with other organizations in the county,” Lasal said.
Randy Heslor, production supervisor of the The Print Shop in Medina, was among the graduates.
Kristine Mostyn, director of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina, walks up to accept her certificates for completing Leadership Orleans.
Amanda Nash, commodity & transportation manager for Western New York Energy, completed the year-long Leadership Orleans.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) issued the following statement in response to Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s announcement that she is exiting the race for governor of New York.
“Congresswoman Stefanik has been a powerful and principled voice for New York and our nation, and her decision to step aside from the governor’s race is disappointing to many of us who believed she would bring the bold leadership our state desperately needs, but I completely understand and respect her desire to spend more time with her family” said Hawley. “Like so many of my colleagues, I want to thank her for her years of service and for her willingness to step forward at a critical moment for New York.”
Hawley echoed sentiments expressed by leaders across the state who praised Stefanik for clearly identifying the direction New York has taken under the current administration, a direction defined by rising costs, declining public safety, runaway spending and an increasingly rigid, top-down approach to energy policy that forces an all-electric agenda onto families, businesses, schools and local governments.
Hawley stressed that New York needs a drastic change in executive leadership to stop the bleeding and restore balance, accountability and opportunity.
“That’s why I have full confidence that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is the prescription New York needs,” Hawley said. “He understands how to apply tight fiscal policy by cutting waste, restoring public safety and promoting economic growth without crushing taxpayers. Blakeman has shown what responsible leadership looks like, and I believe he can bring that same discipline and results to the governor’s office.”
“New York is at a crossroads,” Hawley concluded. “We can continue down the same failed path, or we can choose real leadership that puts people, affordability, and freedom first. I remain committed to fighting for that change.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley represents the 139th Assembly District, which includes parts of Erie, Genesee, Monroe, and Orleans counties.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2025 at 9:22 pm
KENDALL – Matt Kludt of Kludt Brothers Farm is back on the leaderboard among the top corn growers in the state.
Kludt finished third in New York with 307.8705 bushels in strip-till, minimum-till, mulch-till, ridge-till non-irrigated class.
Matthew Swede of Piffard was first at 311.2497 bushels, with Ryan Swede of Pavilion second at 309.0837 bushels.
Kludt won the state title three straight from 2014 to 2016.
The National Corn Growers Association has held the yield contest for 61 years. This year there were nearly 7,800 entries from farmers in 47 states. Entrants across 10 production categories had verified yields averaging 269 bushels per acre.
The highest yield for the year came out of Charles City, Virginia – 572.2589 bushels per acre in Class H (strip-till irrigated) for David Hula.
“The Yield Contest is really about finding out what this crop is capable of,” said Ohio grower and NCGA President Jed Bower. “And as corn farmers, we get to show what we’re made of, too. It challenges participants to find innovative ways to succeed and contribute to decades of agronomic data that prove that American farmers are great at what we do.”
The winners will be honored at the Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, from February 25-27.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2025 at 1:37 pm
Provided photo
ALBION – Orleans County Legislator Fred Miller last week presents a proclamation for “National Human Trafficking Prevention Month” to Holli Nenni, left, the commissioner of the Orleans County Department of Social Services; and Cyndi Stumer, the deputy commissioner of the DSS.
The prevention month will be observed in January. The Legislature in a proclamation said that every year, “countless adults and children are exploited by traffickers who prey on vulnerability, leaving lasting scars on victims, families, and communities.”
Combating human trafficking requires a united effort from government agencies, law enforcement, advocacy groups, educators, businesses, faith-based organizations, and all citizens, legislators said.
Legislators urged the community to recognize the signs of trafficking, report suspected cases, and “work together to build a safer, more just world where every individual lives free from exploitation.”
BROCKPORT – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently announced his December mobile office hours at Seymour Library from 10 a.m. to noon on Dec. 29.
As a public servant, being accessible to the public is one of Hawley’s highest priorities. The assemblyman’s staff members will attend the office hours and they will be ready to help any constituent with their needs.
“I want to encourage everyone to visit whenever they wish to. My office is ready to take your calls and help address your needs,” Hawley said.
Seymour Library is located at 161 East Ave. in Brockport.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2025 at 11:59 am
State Sen. Rob Ortt, left, has endorsed Bruce Blakeman, right, for governor. Blakeman is the current Nassau County Executive.
State Sen. Rob Ortt announced his endorsement of Bruce Blakeman for governor.
Ortt, leader of the Republican conference in the State Senate, previously endorsed Elise Stefanik, a congresswoman from northern New York. She stepped back from the race on Friday and announced she won’t be seeking re-election to Congress.
Blakeman is current county executive for Nassau County. He seeks to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul who is seeking re-election in 2026.
“Bruce Blakeman is a proven fighter for everyday New Yorkers,” Ortt said. “He is tough, smart, and fearless in standing up to the radical policies that have made our state less affordable and less safe. Bruce has the proven executive experience needed to defeat Kathy Hochul and show voters what real leadership looks like.
“I am proud to endorse Bruce Blakeman — a common-sense leader who will put New Yorkers first and fight to save our state.”
Blakeman also has the backing of President Donald Trump.
“Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “As Nassau County Executive, he is working tirelessly with the Brave Heroes of ICE, Border Patrol, and Law Enforcement to Keep Our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Safeguard our Community, and Ensure LAW AND ORDER.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2025 at 9:53 am
Provided photos
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature last week presented “Special Recognition Awards” to two people retiring from the Emergency Management Office.
County Legislator Skip Draper, right, presents the awards to Pat Eick, second from right, and Fran Gaylord, center.
Next to them are Justin Niederhofer (left), current EMO director; and Dale Banker, retired EMO director.
On this 16th day of December 2025, we do hereby acknowledge your retirement from Orleans County.
Eick worked 30 years as a secretary at the Emergency Management Office.
“Your outstanding organizational skills proved immeasurable when the county’s north shore was being overwhelmed by high water levels on Lake Ontario, during the Harris Radio System project upgrade, and your efforts to obtain the Fire Safety Trailer,” legislators stated in the award to Eick. “As EMO obtains funding through various grants, your ability to navigate those was impeccable.”
Eick worked with four EMO directors during her tenure.
Fran Gaylord, a past Holley fire chief, worked the past 25 years as a Deputy Fire Coordinator for the county.
“Your efforts were critical in establishing a daytime staffed engine one day a week to cover the east battalion (Engine 372),” legislators stated. “The EMS throughout Orleans County could count on you being at any major or minor incident, going above and beyond augmenting volunteer staffing and operating various apparatuses when needed on scene. Along with taking on the task of coordinating countless training at the battalion and county level.”
(Left) Fran Gaylord accepts his Special Recognition Award from Legislator Skip Draper. (Right) Pat Eick accepts her award for a 30-year career at the Emergency Management Office.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 December 2025 at 8:34 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Retired TV personality Mike Randall, right, and Medina Theater owner Joe Cardone draw winning tickets for free prizes following Randall’s presentation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Friday night at the Medina Theater. (Right) Mike Randall portrayed the roles of characters from A Christmas Carol. He performed to a full house Friday night at Medina Theater.
MEDINA – The Medina Theater was packed Friday night for a performance by Mike Randall, who presented A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
The performance came about when Randall and theater owner Joe Cardone were having lunch. Randall and his wife Kathy had recently moved to Medina and he suggested doing a show to benefit local food pantries and Medina Area Association of Churches. He said that would be his gift to Medina.
Cardone agreed to donate use of the theater, and the rest is history. The show sold out a week in advance.
Jim Hancock, left, representing St. Peter’s Food Pantry, and Donna Poore, who heads the food pantry at The Vine, hold a tote of food items at the Medina Theater, which were donated by theater-goers Friday night. The food pantries shared the collection of food.
Attendees who brought in non-perishable food items or made a cash donation received a ticket for a drawing for various prizes, which included gift certificates, raffle baskets and a grand door prize of a flat screen TV, donated by local attorney Katherine Bogan.
A giant container of food was filled to overflowing and divided between the food pantries at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and The Vine Church. Cash donations were given to MAAC. On Monday afternoon, Cardone and Randall presented a check for $2,230 to Sue Metzo, president of MAAC. Jim Hancock, treasurer of St. Peter’s Food Pantry, and Donna Poore, head of The Vine’s Food Pantry, both attended the presentation and will make arrangements to have the food items delivered to their churches.
“I can’t tell you what this means to us,” Metzo said.
“We especially need donations of groceries at this time of year, when people are running short,” Hancock said. “The amount of food collected was quite amazing. It was nice we could split it with The Vine.”
From left, Joe Cardone, owner of Medina Theater, and Mike Randall give a check for $2,230 to Sue Metzo, president of MAAC. Jim Hancock, treasurer of St. Peter’s food pantry, and Donna Poore, head of The Vine’s food pantry, will share the food items collected.
Friday’s entertainment began with an appearance of Medina High School’s A’Capella Select Choir. Members were appropriately dressed in 1800’s cloaks and hats, as they sang several Christmas songs.
Director Rachel Trillizio shared how thrilled they were to be able to perform for the community.
“We have already had a performance every day this week and have four more to go,” she said.
Randall first began impersonating Dickens’ characters in 2007 and continues to amaze audiences with his talent.
“I did a lot of research and how Dickens portrayed the different characters fascinated me,” Randall said. “I realized he wasn’t actually reading the book, he was performing the characters. I started studying the parts in November 2006, knowing I had my first performance scheduled for December 2007.
The A’Capella Select Choir, dressed in 1800s attire, sings a variety of Christmas songs for a packed house who attended Medina Theater to see Mike Randall’s presentation of A Christmas Carol.
The presentation by Randall on Friday night left the crowd in total amazement.
“It was magnificent,” said Cora Goyette, a newcomer to Medina. “I’m in awe he can remember all of that, and he delivered it so perfectly. We were totally entertained.”
One lady had seen him twice before and said it gets better every time.
Shirley Bright and Le Roy Neeper had also seen Randall’s performance before, but were delighted to see it again.
“And the theater has never looked more beautiful,” Neeper said of the Christmas decorations. “It was a wonderful evening.”
Georgia Thomas said she reads Dickens every Christmas.
“Mike performed it so beautifully,” she said. “All the inflections he used for different characters made them come so alive. I absolutely loved his performance. How fortunate we are to have all that talent in Medina.”
Rachel Trillizio, director of Medina High School’s A’Capella Choir, tells the audience at the Medina Theater how happy they are to sing for the community. The Select Choir entertained Friday night prior to Mike Randall’s performance of A Christmas Carol, which benefited food pantries and MAAC in Medina.
This was the first time Kathy Blackburn had seen Randall and she said he was amazing.
“We couldn’t get over how he knew all those parts,” she said. “He moved from character to character and was able to memorize it all.”
In addition to 212 performances of A Christmas Carol since 2007, Randall has continued to present his critically acclaimed one-man portrayal of Mark Twain Live since 1972. Cardone said after the holidays, he might talk to Randall about doing that show at the Medina Theater.
Randall also performs with puppets, magic, ventriloquism and comedy as Mike Randall and Friends in local schools, libraries, festivals and family events all across Western New York.
Best-known as an on-air personality on WKBW-TV for 40 years, Randall retired in 2023. He was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2017.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2025 at 8:58 pm
Carol Culhane paints ox in honor of county’s bicentennial
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – A statue of an ox is painted to pay homage to early settlers in Orleans County, which this year commemorated its 200th anniversary.
Carol Culhane, a member of the Orleans County Bicentennial Committee, is nearly done with the ox. She has been working on it, on and off, the past three months. It will go in a county building or perhaps be displayed outside. The exact spot is to be determined. Right now it’s in the rec room at her house in Carlton. She has the first coats of paint on two other oxen as well.
The ox body is painted black. Culhane painted the county seal on one side and the bicentennial logo on the other. The seal has a gold color that Culhane also used for the horns and hooves.
The Bicentennial Committee picked an ox as a mascot and symbol for the county’s 200th anniversary. Oxen were critical for the pioneers, pulling wagons and helping to clear forests and plant crops.
Culhane read about many of the early settlers in a book by Arad Thomas in 1871, “Pioneer History of Orleans County.” Thomas interviewed many of the settlers. That book provides first-hand accounts of the tenacity needed to survive in the early 1800s when the settlers often lacked food for themselves and their livestock. Many of the settlers, including their children, died from disease.
Culhane has painted a portrait of a settler from each of the 10 towns and four villages. She included women, whose contributions often weren’t recorded.
Thomas featured some women in his book. But Culhane said Dee Robinson, a retired Gaines historian, wrote about the contributions of many local women in her book, “Historical Amnesia.”
The settlers highlighted by Culhane include:
Nehemiah Ingersoll – Village of Albion
Roswell Burrows – Town of Albion
Lansing Bailey – Town of Barre
Bathshua Brown – Town of Carlton
Elizabeth Johnson – Village of Lyndonville
David Jones – Town of Kendall
Fanny Ferguson – Town of Murray
Phoebe Sprague – Village of Holley
Chauncey Robinson – Town of Clarendon
Elizabeth Gilbert – Town of Gaines
Peter Hoag – Village of Medina
Seymour Murdock – Town of Ridgeway
Matthew Gregory – Town of Shelby
Horace Goold – Town of Yates
Arad Thomas’s book included photos of 12 of the 14 settlers painted by Culhane. She used AI to get a sketch for pioneers, Bathshua Brown and Elizabeth Gilbert. Culhane provided some details about their lives to help create the depictions from AI.
Culhane who like to see a display with information about each of the 14 people featured in portraits.
She marvels at women like Elizabeth Gilbert of Gaines and Bathshua Brown of Carlton. Both became widows and had to forge a new life in Orleans County without a spouse.
They endured the loss of children and faced intense hardships in trying to build new lives in Orleans County.
Brown and her husband moved to Orleans County, traveling by boat in 1804. Elijah Brown did not survive the trip and he was buried in the Brown Cemetery at the Bridges in 1804, the first marked burial in Orleans County. Elijah and Bathshua had 17 children, with 12 living to adulthood.
The Brown family continues to live and farm in Carlton – 221 years after Bathshua and her children moved to the area.
Culhane said the settlers had hard lives, and she wanted to honor their efforts in the early days of the county.
“Look at what they went through,” Culhane said. “All of them had strength and grace and courage to carry on.”
County Historian Catherine Cooper, left, commended Culhane for her vision for the ox and the artwork. Cooper said the ox’s face was particularly striking. Cooper said she would like the ox to prominently displayed by the county.
Culhane has long used her artistic talents to support veterans, Hospice of Orleans County and other causes. She created a bicentennial poster for the county, showing the modern Courthouse Square and an earlier log cabin that existed on the spot before the courthouse was built in 1858.
Culhane painted three horses for Rochester’s Horses on Praade in 2001 and a giraffe for the Animal Scramble in 2003. Culhane sees home those community art projects were fun and encouraged people to explore Rochester and Monroe County.
She thinks the painted oxen can have a similar impact in Orleans County. She has painted the third one. Stacey Kirby Steward painted the first one in 2024 during the Orleans County 4-H Fair. It included an agricultural scene on one side and fair scenes on the other side. That ox is at the fairgrounds.
Melissa Ierlan used decoupage to cover an ox with photos from Clarendon. That ox is at the Clarendon Historical Society.
Culhane has two more to do. Next up will be one with vignettes from Point Breeze and Carlton. She is painting that one for the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association and Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park.
Then she will paint another one with scenes from around the county, some historic and other of the modern day.
The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council approved grants for the upcoming two oxen by Culhane, while the one celebrating the early settlers was funded from the Orleans County Bicentennial Committee.
The Town of Kendall and Town of Carlton also are working on oxen for their towns. Culhane would like to see more added each year to celebrate the community and build a tourism attraction for the county.
“I think it’s a great asset for the county,” she said about the painted oxen.
Culhane said it was an honor to paint the ox for the county, which she said she loves dearly.
Photos and information courtesy of Medina Central School
MEDINA – For several years running, the Medina Teachers’ Association has embraced the spirit of “Movember” by growing mustaches, raising awareness, and generating essential funds for men’s health and mental wellness in Medina.
This November, despite a season filled with other school fundraisers (including the annual Helpful Harvest Food and Essentials Drive supporting MAAC), Medina’s dedicated staff came through once again. The men on staff grew out their mustaches throughout the month, while the entire team rallied with donations, encouragement, and momentum.
Joe Byrne, MTA president, presents a check to Nola Goodrich-Kresse, who accepted on behalf of the Orleans County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
The results were an incredible $1,200 raised for the Orleans County Suicide Prevention Coalition, marking the third consecutive year Medina has surpassed the $1,000 mark.
These generous donations will directly support next year’s Men’s Day Out event in Orleans County, an event that creates a welcoming space for men to come together and to support one another and learn life-saving tools while having fun.
MTA President and 8th-grade Social Studies teacher Joe Byrne shared his gratitude in a message to staff:
“Thank you to everyone who grew a mustache, donated, encouraged others, or helped spread the word. Your generosity and enthusiasm made this year’s campaign truly special. Because of all of you, we’re able to support the Orleans County Suicide Prevention Coalition and continue making a meaningful impact right here in our community. I’m deeply grateful for the kindness, humor, and heart our staff brings to Movember each year. This is a team effort, and once again, you’ve shown what can be accomplished when we come together.”
A special thank-you goes to Nola Goodrich-Kresse, who leads the coalition’s efforts, for her ongoing collaboration.
This annual tradition not only raises critical funds but also fosters camaraderie, humor, and a deeper sense of purpose among our staff, all while making a real difference in Orleans County.
Provided photo: From left include Makayla Davis, Hailey Burdick, Desiree Bieber, Anthony Roman, Violet Borck and Trent Baehr who is standing behind music teacher Mary Kuhn.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Thanks to the generosity of Brenda and Mark Zimmerman, owners of the Gathering Place and Checkered Poppy Antiques and Gifts in Lockport, the Orleans/Niagara BOCES Bell Choir played to a standing room only audience.
The Bell Choir, composed of students from Godfrey Learning Center and the Orleans Learning Center, was conducted by music teacher Mary Kuhn at the Gathering Place on Dec. 18.
The program consisted of holiday classics with students lending their talents and voices to this fun and festive performance. Everyone loved this magical and heartfelt performance!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2025 at 9:51 am
The minimum wage is on the rise again and will go to $16 an hour beginning on Jan. 1 in Orleans County. That is up 50 cents from the current $15.50 an hour.
It continues a trend where the minimum wage has increased from $11.80 in 2020 to $12.50 in 2021, $13.20 in 2022, $14.20 in 2023, $15 in 2024 and $15.50 in 2025.
This will be the last scheduled increase with a set amount. After 2026, any increases will be tied to inflation.
The rate will be $16 an hour for Orleans County and most of upstate. The minimum wage will be $17 per hour for New York City, Long Island and Westchester County.
This charming “Merry Christmas” postcard was mailed to Miss Hattie Ball in Lyndonville in 1903. (Ball-McCombs Card Collection)
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 5, No. 43
Who could better provide a glimpse into life in days gone by other than a County Historian?
Joseph B. Achilles served in that position from 1944-1957. Here are some of his observations about life in Albion in the late 1890s.
Reminiscences of Main Street
“Shopping for the ladies in those days was a comparatively simple matter. You went to Upper Landauer’s, now a grill, where Moritz Landauer sold you Sattinetts, Cassimeres, Velveteens etc., or to Lower Landauer’s where Simon Landauer, his brother, showed you the same patterns in the recently streamlined store, now operated by his grandson. That dignified and friendly competition has no counterpart in the savage merchandising of today, and you did not require a metal name plate and a number to open a charge account, and you did not have to pay before the end of the month either.”
Joseph B. Achilles, Orleans County Historian, 1944-1957
“The residents of “Ruffled Shirt Hill”, as Upper Main Street was called, turned out on Sunday morning in fine equipages, some even ran to part time coachmen and the ladies sported those small black silk parasols to protect complexions that would drive Elizabeth Arden green with envy.
Sunday morning in those days meant church, not a hangover. You dined at the Albion House about 1:30 p.m. and the check was about $.75, not $7.50. Meals like those are definitely a matter of history.
Short drives in the afternoon and a light lunch in the evening closed Sunday for our grandfathers and if the surrey with the fringe on top didn’t get you here or there very quickly, at least the finance company was not interested in it, and you could cross the street in front of it without someone collecting your insurance.
People were born, lived and usually died in their own homes. The maternity ward and the pulmotor* squad and funeral home were still in the future, and a doctor was called when you needed him and not just when you wanted him, and home remedies took care of most of the troubles of those days.
And, if the toll of years or the lack of Sulfa* or Penicillin closed your earthly account, George Brown and the Black Team took you for a quiet ride in the plumed hearse out the Avenue to Mt. Albion for a long rest in the only surroundings that seem to have defied the changes that Time has made in the Albion of those other days.”
*surrey: a four-wheeled open horse-drawn carriage
*pulmotor: an early device for artificial respiration
Who could better provide a glimpse into life in days gone by other than a County Historian?
