By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 September 2025 at 10:06 am
Board has lacked a quorum since 3 out of 5 members resigned in July
File photo: John Misiti, chairman of the board for the Orleans Economic Development Agency, is shown during an EDA meeting in March.
SHELBY – Gov. Kathy Hochul today has appointed John Misiti to fill a vacancy on the Shelby Town Board. The appointment gives Shelby three board members, which are needed to carry out town business.
Three of the five board members resigned in July, leaving Shelby without a quorum on the board to conduct a Town Board meeting.
Governor Hochul issued this statement: “As a former Town Board member, I know firsthand how our local governments play a critical role in the daily lives of New Yorkers, and it’s absolutely critical for the Town of Shelby to have a functioning Town Board. After significant engagement with local stakeholders, I am appointing John Misiti to the Shelby Town Board to ensure the continuity of government.”
The board hasn’t been able to function for about six weeks following the resignations of Town Supervisor Scott Wengewicz and board members Jeff Schiffer and Stephen Seitz Sr., who is also the deputy town supervisor.
Misiti, a retired sales manager, currently serves as chairman of the Orleans Economic Development Agency. He has been a volunteer on the EDA board for 23 years. Misiti had one other needed criteria to be considered by the governor for the appointment: He is a registered Democrat.
“I’m not looking back, I’m looking forward,” Misiti said. “We got to move forward.”
He will be on the board until Dec. 31. Misiti said he only intends to serve on the Shelby Town Board for about four months with no aspirations of seeking elected office in the future. In his role with the EDA, he said he would recuse himself if there are any votes directly affecting a project in Shelby.
On Jan 1, the board should be at full strength with all five members. Two of the members will likely be Jim Heminway as town supervisor and Larry Waters Sr. as a councilman. They won a Republican primary in June and don’t face any opposition on the ballot on the Nov. 4 general election. Incumbent Eddie Zelazny also won the primary.
The next Town Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday. Misiti will join a board with Linda Limina and Eddie Zelazny. Among the three board members, they are expected to pick an acting town supervisor.
The board will be busy as it tries to put together the town’s budget for 2026.
Zelazny said he supported having Misiti’s name submitted to the governor’s office for consideration. Misiti said it was about a four-week process of a background check and vetting process by Hochul’s team.
“He’s business oriented,” Zelazny said about Misiti. “I’m happy we can get things rolling again.”
The two years of the unexpired term of Schiffer also will be filled in the Nov. 4 election. The Republican Committee backed John Pratt III, a former Town Board member, while the Conservative Party nominated Mark Wambach for that election.
The terms for Wengewicz and Seitz both end Dec. 31. Those can’t be filled with a special election. Because Schiffer has more time on his term after this year that spot can be filled at the Nov. 4 election.
That councilman’s position will be on the ballot as a two-year term, along with the full terms for town supervisor and two other councilman positions.
By Leah Brenner, pediatric nurse practitioner at Orleans Community Health
As the summer days grow shorter and the crisp scent of autumn fills the air, families everywhere are preparing for another exciting school year. Whether you’re a student stepping back into the classroom, a teacher setting up for the months ahead, or a parent adjusting to a new routine, the start of the academic year brings both challenges and opportunities.
By adopting healthy habits early, you can set yourself on a path toward physical wellness, mental resilience, and overall success.
Prioritize Sleep
Rest is essential. Children, teens, and adults should aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night. A consistent bedtime routine helps the body recharge, improves concentration, and boosts overall energy levels for the busy days ahead.
Fuel with Nutrition and Hydration
Begin each morning with a balanced breakfast, try to avoid or limit sugar-filled snacks, and make water your go-to beverage throughout the day. Proper nutrition powers both the body and mind, giving students the focus needed to learn and thrive.
Stay Active
Exercise isn’t just for athletes. Make time for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Fall is the perfect season for family walks, bike rides, or even backyard games—simple ways to stay healthy while spending time together.
Manage Stress Wisely
The start of a school year often brings packed schedules and new responsibilities. Incorporating stress-management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or relaxing hobbies can help keep anxiety in check and create a sense of balance.
Stay Organized and Connected
Maintaining a calendar is a practical way to balance work, school, and personal activities, reducing stress and improving productivity. Equally important are social connections. Spend time with friends, family, or join clubs and organizations to build meaningful relationships that support emotional well-being.
Practice Hygiene and Self-Care
As classrooms and activities bring people together, germs are inevitable. Good hygiene—like handwashing, sanitizing, and covering coughs—helps prevent illness and keeps everyone healthier throughout the season.
Set Realistic Goals and Be Present
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Create realistic goals, avoid overwhelming yourself, and remember it’s okay to ask for help when needed. Limiting unnecessary screen time also helps you stay present in daily activities, making both work and relaxation more fulfilling.
As we move into fall, let’s commit to healthier routines that bring out the best in ourselves and one another. Here’s to a happy, healthy, and successful 2025–2026 school year!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 September 2025 at 8:28 am
Photo courtesy of Marlene Seielstad
ALBION – The Albion Rotary Club on Thursday presented a $5,500 check to the Office for the Aging in Orleans County Aging to support a transportation program for senior citizens.
Rotary Club member Becky Karls, left, presents the ceremonial check to Melissa Blanar, director of the OFA. Karls is an aging service specialist with the OFA. She also serves as the co-director of the golf tournament with Cindy Perry.
This year’s tournament was at Shelridge Country Club in Medina on July 17.
The program at the OFA is for seniors needing transportation to a variety of services, including medical appointments, and trips to the bank, hairdresser or to see a loved one in a nursing home. There aren’t public funds or grants for this program.
For more information about the volunteer program, either as a driver or rider, contact the OFA at (585) 589-3191. Drivers can specify if they only want to do trips within Orleans County.
Photos courtesy of Cornell Botanic Garden: The Robison Herb Garden at the Botanic Gardens is an attraction.
Press Release, Masters Gardeners in Orleans County
KNOWLESVILLE – Join Orleans County Master Gardeners on a bus trip to the Cornell Botanic Gardens in Ithaca.
The trip will be on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The bus will depart at 8 a.m. from the Orleans CCE office, 12690 State Rt 31, in Albion and arrive back at the office around 6 p.m. The $95 cost to the public includes transportation on a charter bus, a guided walking tour of the gardens, lunch, a presentation by Ashley Helmholdt (statewide CCE Master Gardener coordinator), and a guided bus tour of the arboretum.
This is a wonderful opportunity to see the beautifully curated gardens at the Cornell Botanic Garden, as well as to learn more about the Master Gardener program. Guides are trained by the Botanic Garden – the walking tour will feature gardens close to the Nevin Welcome Center, and the bus tour will feature some of the plant collections further out on the property.
The cost includes transportation to and from Ithaca, both guided tours, and lunch catered by Ithaca Bakery. Pre-registration with payment is required by Sept. 9.
Spots are limited and will fill quickly! For more details or to pre-register, please call or email Katie Oakes, Orleans County MG coordinator at 585-798-4265 ext. 125 or klo54@cornell.edu.
A tour guide shows a visitor around at the Botanic Garden.
TextMyGov provides information about the county government, and allows residents to report concerns.
ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson urged residents to take advantage of the TextMyGov system that allows people to quickly reach Orleans County government to report issues and access information.
This is a free service and residents just need to text “Hi” to 585-774-4111 to get started.
“We have been running TextMyGov for a few years now and it has proven to be a great way for people to interact with county government,” Johnson said. “It allows people to skip the phone call and send us a text message to find information and report issues on the go.”
The county’s IT team has been working upgrades and recently rolled out the new and improved system, she said. TextMyGov works through smart technology which identifies keywords in texts to provide immediate assistance and can relay information back to residents to help report an issue.
“Residents can text words like JOBS or DMV to get information or POTHOLE or TRASH to report an issue,” said Johnson. “The response is very quick and the process is very efficient.”
In addition, Johnson said residents can also opt-in to receive county alerts by texting OCCLOSURE to 91896.
“We have implemented these systems to keep residents better informed and help them interact with county services so I hope people will take just a minute to join,” she said.
ALBION – Orleans County is accepting applications for New York State Office of Children and Family Services grant funds related to Youth Development Programming (YDP), Youth Team Sports (YTS) and Youth Sports and Education Funding (YSEF).
Funding for the new program year begins Oct. 1, 2025 and continues through Sept. 30, 2026.
Kelly Kiebala, Orleans County Youth Bureau administrator, said there are separate applications and the required documents for each funding source which can be found on our Youth Bureau website (click here).
“We are hopeful that youth organizations will pursue these funds and encourage proposers that may have never received funding through the Youth Bureau are encouraged to apply,” Kiebala said. “We appreciate the great work our youth organizations do to serve our youth and these funds are available to assist them in their programming.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2025 at 11:59 am
Mohammed Ayash, left, and Bianca Islam both face charges.
ALBION – The owner of D-R Smoke Shop and an employee are both facing felony charges following numerous controlled buys by an undercover agent of the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force
One of the numerous controlled buys was a chocolate bar infused with mushrooms (Psilocin) which is a controlled substance classified as a hallucinogen, said Joe Sacco, supervising investigator for the Task Force.
Mohammed Ayash, 35, of Buffalo is the owner of the business at 139 South Main St. in Albion. He has been charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a class D felony, and one count of criminal nuisance in the first degree, a class E felony.
Bianca Islam, 21, of Medina works at D-R Smoke Shop. She has been charged with one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a class D felony; one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree; and one count of criminal nuisance in the first degree.
Both Ayash and Islam were taken to the Orleans County Jail for processing and issued appearance tickets for Albion Town Court on Sept. 17.
D-R Smoke Shop remains open. Two other smoke shops in Orleans County have recently been shut down for selling unauthorized cannabis products.
The Task Force made the arrests with assistance by the Albion Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department and Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard.
The investigation is ongoing and more charges are pending, the Task Force said in a news release.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2025 at 11:38 am
ALBION – Bail has been set for a man facing manslaughter after his passenger died Tuesday following a high-speed chase that ended when the driver plunged a U-Haul truck into the Erie Canal.
Ryan S. Armstrong
Ryan S. Armstrong, 43, of Brockport has been charged with second-degree manslaughter after his passenger drowned.
Armstrong has a prior felony record. He was being held in the Orleans County Jail pending a bail application hearing this morning.
Judge Sanford Church set bail at $100,000 cash, $200,000 insurance bond or $500,000 partially secured bond at 10 percent. Those were at the levels requested by the District Attorney’s Office.
Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard was represented by first assistant DA Daniel Punch while Armstrong was represented by Public Defender Joanne Best.
Armstrong is next to appear in Murray Town Court on Sept. 24.
He is accused of stealing items from the Walgreens in Brockport at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. He and his passenger were putting merchandise in a U-Haul truck when law enforcement were called.
Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies and Brockport police officers attempted to stop the vehicle once it was on the move but Armstrong refused, leading law enforcement on a pursuit throughout the west side of Monroe County and into Orleans County.
Armstrong eventually drove onto the Erie Canal path in the Town of Murray. The pursuit ultimately ended when he suddenly veered the vehicle into the canal, just east of Bennetts Corners Road.
Monroe deputies observed Armstrong exit the vehicle and swim to the opposite side, where he exited the canal and fled on foot. The passenger also exited the vehicle in an attempt flee. Deputies could see he was struggling to swim and jumped into the canal to rescue the passenger, losing sight of him when he went under in the murky water, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The MCSO Underwater Search and Recovery Team worked with fire companies and the Orleans County Sheriff’s marine patrol to search the canal for the passenger. Following a thorough search of the canal, they were able to recover the male, who had drown.
Armstrong faces the manslaughter charge due his “reckless actions” that led to the death of the passenger, whose name hasn’t been released.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office provides more details on pursuit that ended in Erie Canal in Murray
Photo from Monroe County Sheriff’s Office: A U-Haul truck is pulled from the Erie Canal in Murray on Wednesday.
Press Release, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
BROCKPORT/MURRAY – On Sept. 2 at 6:31 p.m., Brockport Police officers responded to the Walgreens on Lake Road for two males who were stealing merchandise.
Store employees provided a description of the males who were last seen leaving in a U-Haul truck, traveling north on Lake Road. Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies were in the area and assisted Brockport with searching for the vehicle.
A short time later, deputies and Brockport Police officers observed the U-Haul in the village of Brockport and initiated a traffic stop. The driver refused to stop, leading deputies on a pursuit throughout the west side of Monroe County and into Orleans County.
The operator eventually drove onto the Erie Canal path in the Town of Murray, Orleans County. The pursuit ultimately ended when the vehicle suddenly veered into the canal.
Deputies observed the operator exit the vehicle and swim to the opposite side, where he exited the canal and fled on foot. The passenger also exited the vehicle in an attempt flee. Deputies could see he was struggling to swim and jumped into the canal to rescue the passenger, ultimately losing sight of him when he went under in the murky water.
Additional resources were immediately called to the scene to include the Fire Department Water Rescue, MCSO Underwater Search and Recovery Team and EMS.
The MCSO Underwater Search and Recovery Team worked with our fire and EMS partners to search the canal for the passenger. Following a thorough search of the canal, they were able to recover the male, who unfortunately had passed away.
With the assistance of the Monroe County Drone Response Team, MCSO K9 Units, and the Orleans County Drone Team, the operator of the vehicle was eventually located and taken into custody. MCSO Major Crimes investigators identified the driver as repeat offender Ryan Armstrong and are holding him responsible for the death of the passenger.
Ryan S. Armstrong, 43, of Brockport is charged with Manslaughter in the Second Degree (Class C-Felony). Armstrong was arraigned in Orleans County CAP Court and remanded to the Orleans County Jail without bail due to his double predicate felon status.
Along with the extensive rescue and recovery efforts on the night of Sept. 2, crews returned to the scene on Sept. 3, including the MCSO Underwater Search and Recovery Team, the Monroe County Fire Bureau, the Murray Fire Department, and Jim’s Service collaborated to safely remove the U-Haul from the Erie Canal.
MCSO evidence technicians will be working throughout the week to process the evidence recovered in the U-Haul truck.
The criminal and internal investigations are ongoing. MCSO notified the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2025 at 8:10 am
Retiring historian Marsha DeFilipps also feted during event outside old high school
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – The Village of Holley celebrated its 175th anniversary on Wednesday, and debuted a new flag and logo. Former mayors, from left, Kevin Lynch, Dan Schiavone and John Kenney hold the new flag, which highlights the old Holley High School and the Holley Waterfalls.
The flag and a new logo were designed by A.J. Gere of Lake Country Media.
Holley Mayor Mark Bower unveils the new logo which makes the waterfalls a focal point.
In back are Murray Town Supervisor Gerry Rightmyer, Murray-Holley Historical Society President Dan Mawn and Holley Historian Raymond Santoro.
Tracy Yokel of Cookie Tre’s Sugar Sensations made these cookies with the new flag and logo for the Village of Holley.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley presented a proclamation in honor of Holley 175th anniversary.
The Holley community traces its roots trace back to an early settlement around 1812 when the hamlet of Saltport took the name of Holley in honor of Myron Holley, a principal promoter and commissioner of the Erie Canal.
Holley flourished as a canal and railroad trading center serving the surrounding agricultural communities, according to the proclamation.
Hawley noted that Holley’s Public Square is recognized on the National Register of District Places, and there are several popular attractions include Holley Canal Park and the Holley Waterfalls.
The village population totaled 1,754 people in 2020 census.
Dan Mawn, president of the Murray-Holley Historical Society, announced the resource room at the local museum will be named in honor of Marsha DiFilipps who served at the Holley and Murray historian since 1979. She has recently retired.
DeFilipps has been very active in the Historical Society. She was influential in establishing the Murray-Holley Historical Society Museum in the old train depot and has led multiple talks and workshops and helped many residents trace their own familial roots.
The depot was constructed in 1907. It was moved in 1988 to Geddes Street Extension and was turned into a museum about local history.
One of the signature accomplishments during her term as historian was her creation of an index of personal names in Landmarks of Orleans County. To do this, DeFilipps spent many months combing through and extracting every name mentioned in Isaac Signor’s 1894 publication, developing a permanent record of history.
“She just loves history and she loves Holley,” Mawn said.
Murray Town Supervisor Gerry Rightmyer and new Town Historian Debbie Wood praise DeFilipps for her long tenure as the local historian. DeFilipps was unable to attend the event on Wednesday.
“We’re so grateful for her time, effort and knowledge base,” Rightmyer said. “It will be sorely missed.”
Assemblyman Hawley also presented a citation in acknowledgement of DeFilipps’ career and contributions as the Holley and Murray historian.
The ceremony was held in front of the old Holley High School, which has been transformed into the village offices and 41 apartments for senior citizens.
Home Leasing in Rochester spearheaded the $17 million project which was complete in 2020. The site is known as the Holley Gardens.
The school originally opened 1931 and closed after 1975. Mayor Bower was in the last graduating class at the school.
It building was vacant for more than two decades.
Bower said the school, right in the middle of the village, remains a focal point and source of pride.
“It’s impossible to separate Holley’s history from the school,” he said.
The village also brought back the original plaque from when the school opened in 1931. That plaque had been in the current school on Lynch Road. But school officials gave the plaque back to the village with the old school’s reopening as apartments and village offices.
Mayor Bower said the plaque is heavy. Village officials decided to have it displayed on Medina Sandstone outside the front entrance of the building. The mayor said he appreciates that the Town of Sweden donated the stone which was in a town park.
Unveiling the plaque include, from left, Ray Santoro, Dan Mawn, Sal DeLuca and Mayor Mark Bower.
The plaque lists Board of Education members from 1931 including President Nevill Cole, and members Lewis Munger, Michael Noon, Bertrand Geyo, Louis Buongiorne, and W.T. Broekhuizen.
The plaque also lists Holley clerk Laura Fuller, district superintendent Anna Potter and principal Roswell Marshall. The architect for the school was Carl C. Ade with M. Iuppa & Maggio Co. serving as the contractors.
Holley DPW employees Mike Church, left, and Ryan Johnson get the new Holley flag ready to be raised for the first time.
The Holley flag is shown high on the flag pole, just below the American flag.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 3 September 2025 at 10:06 pm
Photo courtesy of Mary Lou Tuohey: Nicole Tuohey holds a string of links which she makes every year and sells to support the Alzheimer’s Association.
MEDINA – No one knows better the heartbreak a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease brings than the family of Mary Lou and David Tuohey and their children Nicole and Casey.
Since both Mary Lou’s parents were lost to Alzheimer’s, the family has heavily supported events and sponsored fundraisers to benefit Alzheimer’s research. This includes participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s for more than 24 years, when it was still held in Lewiston. When the walk moved to Albion, and then Medina, they continued to come up with more ways to raise money for the cause.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Mary Lou Tuohey hangs a sign in the window of Hans’s Bakery, former home of her Case-Nic Cookies, where she held a basket raffle every year to support Alzheimer’s research.
For at least the last 15 years, and before she retired from Case-Nic Cookies last December on Main Street, Mary Lou made cutout cookies of an elephant, a symbol alluding to the saying elephants never forget.
While coming up with a project to keep daughter Nicole busy in the store, Mary Lou hit on links which Nicole could make out of construction paper, glue together and sell in the store with a cookie for $1. All the money goes directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. Hopefully, one day, a link to the cure of Alzheimer’s will be found.
Since Tuohey retired and sold the building for Hans’s Bakery, Hans Rosentreter has agreed to bake the cookies and sell the links in the bakery. Before the official announcement of the fundraiser this year, the family has already sold more than $400 worth – a lot at the recent Super Cruise and more from private donations. Mary Lou said that fundraiser annually raised $2,000 to $3,000.
In addition, Mary Lou had come up with an ingenious way to have a basket raffle to support the Alzheimer’s Association, in which people could participate even when the store was closed. Previously, the basket raffle was only set up on the day of walk in State Street Park.
But Case-Nic Cookies at 439 Main St. had two very big display windows, and during the Covid pandemic, Mary Lou devised a system, where a non-profit could use the window space on one side of the door for a basket raffle. She created order sheets with all the baskets listed, put them in an envelope with instructions, a pen and the stub from a sheet of raffle tickets.
The envelopes are placed in a covered bucket in the entryway and all one has to do is take an envelope, include cash or a check for $10 for one sheet of 26 tickets, mark the items they want to win and the number of tickets they want placed in the drawing for that item. Mary Lou and her committee will then distribute their tickets accordingly.
With their selections made, the envelope is sealed and dropped through the mail slot in the store’s door, unless the store is open.
This year’s raffle has a new wrinkle. Two very generous items have been donated – a $100 gift certificate to Miller’s Bulk Foods on Ridge Road and a lottery board with $100 worth of tickets on it, donated by Kathy Vicknair. Two separate raffle tickets are included in the envelope for those items. The purchaser tears the tickets in half, keeps the receipt end and drops the other in the envelope with his selection of baskets.
“I am glad the community has been so supportive of our efforts,” Mary Lou said.
While putting final touches on a basket raffle in the window of Hans’s Bakery to support the Alzheimer’s Association, Mary Lou and Nicole Tuohey, from left, were visited by several friends, Carolyn Wagner and Michele Szulis, both committee members of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
While she was arranging a sign in the window this week, Michele Szulis and Carolyn Wagner, members of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee, stopped by to chat. Michele had done a practice walk of the designated route, checking for rough spots.
The Walk is schedule Sept. 27 with check-in to begin at 9 a.m. in State Street Park. Refreshments will be available and the Promise Flower Ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the start of the walk at 10:15 a.m.
“Nicole watched her grandpa and grandma fade from life,” Mary Lou said. “That is why she sells her elephant links for $1. All the money she raises is donated directly to Alzheimer’s for research and, hopefully, a cure. Nicole does not want to see her mom fade away from life and forget who she is.”
The public is encouraged to step into Hans’s Bakery and buy a link or participate in the basket raffle.
“Until you have walked the walk of Alzheimer’s Disease, you really have no idea how hard it is on the person or their family,” Mary Lou said.
As the summer days grow shorter and the crisp scent of autumn fills the air, families everywhere are preparing for another exciting school year. Whether you’re a student stepping back into the classroom, a teacher setting up for the months ahead, or a parent adjusting to a new routine, the start of the academic year brings both challenges and opportunities.
