Photo courtesy of Robert Batt: The Trolley Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds will get a big upgrade through a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

Press Release, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce it has received a $250,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to fund significant improvements to the Trolley Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds and launch a new community collaboration program aimed at strengthening connections across the county.

The Trolley Building, a key four-season facility on the fairgrounds originally constructed in 1966, will undergo essential upgrades, including comprehensive bathroom renovations, furnace improvements, and the replacement of existing flooring.

In tandem with the physical upgrades, the grant will facilitate a new community collaboration project centered around a “Collaboration Café.” This initiative will feature monthly speakers addressing topics relevant to county needs, enhancing and adding to already existing vital platforms for local non-profit organizations to network, learn, and discuss ideas.

The goal is to foster further teamwork and advance innovative solutions stemming from these presentations and discussions.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation for this generous support,” said Robert Batt, executive director of Orleans CCE. “These improvements will not only modernize a cherished community asset but also provide a crucial gathering space for non-profits to work together more effectively for the public good of Orleans County.”

To further support local community efforts, Orleans County non-profits actively involved in county-wide networking efforts (such as the Capacity Café, Human Service Council, or monthly non-profit Hub call) will be granted no-cost use of the Trolley Building and the Education Center through 2029 for meetings, classes, and other events that serve the public good. Eligible organizations must meet standard contract and insurance requirements.

This opportunity allows CCE Orleans to further commitment to creating a stronger and healthier community through learning initiatives that build skills in everything from nutrition to farming & gardening to youth development to digital literacy.

Photos by Tom Rivers

WATERPORT – An angler uses a net to help a friend bring in a Chinook salmon this morning at the Oak Orchard River.

The fish was caught by St. Mary’s Archers Club, which lets people park for $10 and gives them access to the river.

The club opens its gate at 5 a.m. every morning for about a month up until Veterans’ Day on Nov. 11. The Archers Club has coffee, doughnuts and bagels ready in the morning, and then serves hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch.

This man is happy to have landed a Chinook salmon. He released it back into the Oak Orchard.

Fishing is the county’s top tourism attraction, generating about $28 million in economic activity in Orleans, according to a report from the state DEC based on 2017 data.

There have been visiting anglers so far from Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan. They make the trek for the chance to catch a big brown trout of Chinook salmon.

David Mangold of Cumberland, Maryland holds a small brown trout he caught. He let the fish go. He caught a Chinook salmon, too.

Mangold has been coming to the Oak Orchard the second week of October the past 10 years.

“It’s always a good time,” he said.

Howard Palmer, a member of the Archers Club, is up by 4 a.m. every day to go open the gate at the Archers Club, get the coffee pot brewing and to start a fire.

He has been on early morning duty the past five years or so and he said he’s never missed a day or been late.

Some of the fishermen are ready at 5. They like to claim their spot in the river. They can’t start fishing legally until a half hour before sunrise, or about 6:45 a.m.

Palmer, 80, said the Archers Club can accommodate about 80 parked vehicles. The fishermen like to be spread out. They say it’s not nearly as crowded or hectic as the salmon River up in Pulaski and Altmar.

“I’ve never met a bad fisherman,” Palmer said. “They’re interesting people.”

Tom O’Hearn, president of the Archers Club, cooks hot dogs and hamburgers today. He has a great view of the river from the grill.

O’Hearn has been the club’s president the past 10 years. The parking fees and revenue from breakfast and lunch help maintain the property. The Archers Club has upgraded the cooking area in recent years and extended the pavilion.

The anglers enjoy the great outdoors. It’s an ideal time to be out with colorful fall foliage and the changing of the seasons.

Photos courtesy of Scott Robinson: Tables are all set up at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville for last year’s Treasure Island fundraiser by Orleans Community Health Foundation. This year’s event is scheduled Nov. 8.

LYNDONVILLE – Plans are well underway for the 31st annual Treasure Island fundraiser sponsored by Orleans Community Health Foundation.

The event, scheduled Nov. 8 at White Birch Golf Course, benefits Orleans Community Health, and promises to be an evening filled with excitement, prizes and celebration – all in support of local health services, said Scott Robinson, director of marketing.

This year’s gala will honor several Orleans Community Health Primary Care Team members as honorary chairs. They are Vinay Aggarwal, M.D.; Syed Raza, M.D.; Leah Brenner, CPNP; Pamela Eaton, A-NP; Elizabeth Gurnsey, FNP; Cheryl Kast, PA-C; Stephanie Murphy, FNP-C; and Michelle Smith, FNP-BC.

Baskets including this one with lottery tickets are already being donated for this year’s Treasure Island.

These exceptional providers represent the heart of healthcare in Orleans County – delivering quality, compassionate care and keeping patients close to home, Robinson said.

Guests will enjoy a buffet dinner, open bar, raffles, entertainment and live and silent auctions featuring more than 100 incredible items, according to Robinson. This year’s auction lineup includes a weeklong stay in Myrtle Beach, a four-day trip to Cape Cod, Buffalo Bills tickets and countless gift certificates, experiences and local treasures.

And that’s not all. This year’s Treasure Island is brimming with exciting chances to win: a Pirate’s Pillage Raffle in which the winner gets to choose any item from the live auction lineup; Lucky Cork, in which just $20 allows the guest to pick a random cork to reveal a surprise bottle of wine or liquor (no one goes home empty handed); and a Reserve Raffle in which the guest has a shot at winning $500 in cash.

“We’re excited to invite the community back for another unforgettable Treasure Island,” said Megan Johnson, executive director of Orleans Community Health Foundation. “It’s a night of fun, laughter and generosity – all in the spirit of supporting essential, local health services. Every ticket purchased and every auction bid helps us continue providing quality care close to home for our patients, families and community.”

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online at https://auctria.events/treasureisland.

This year’s event is presented by Seaway Insurance Associates, with additional support from generous local sponsors, donors and volunteers, who make this tradition possible, Johnson said.

“Join us for an evening of adventure, community and giving – and help support the future of health services in Orleans County,” Johnson urged.

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – A house at 21 Orchard St. was badly damaged by fire on Monday evening in Holley, with even extensive damage when the fire rekindled around 5 a.m. today.

Firefighters are shown at the scene around 7:30 this morning.

Four people who live at the house were able to safely get out on Monday evening, but one person was taken by Mercy Flight EMS to a hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation.

The fire started in the bedroom in the northeast corner, said Rick Cary, fire chief for the Murray Joint Fire District.

The fire rekindled likely from heat trapped in insulation in the attic, Cary said. Neighbors said there were flames shooting from the roof after the fire rekindled.

Cary said firefighters left the scene at 11 p.m. only to return at 5 a.m. Murray firefighters also responded to two EMS calls, one at midnight and another around 2 a.m.

Jerry Bentley, a deputy coordinator for the Orleans County Emergency Management Office, climbs up a ladder to see the damage at the house.

Fire investigators with the county are trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Murray firefighters were assisted at the scene this morning by Clarendon, Brockport, Barre, Kendall, Hamlin, Shelby and Ridgeway.

Photos courtesy of Tim Archer

ALBION – A group of Albion Middle School enrichment students recently joined Craig Lane, the Orleans County DPW Commissioner, at the cemetery for the Orleans County Alms House.

Lane is also a member of the Holley Rotary Club which donated a new flag pole for the cemetery. The Alms House was a place for the poor, indigent and infirmed from 1833 to 1960. It is located at 14064 W. County House Rd., behind the Emergency Management buildings.

The cemetery contains the graves of about 250 people, and many of the sites are marked by simple numbers or have no marker at all. The site was reclaimed and restored beginning in 2010 through projects led by Albion Middle School students and the county.

Lane is shown with student Elizabeth Colmenaro, Oliver Beyrle, Elliot Pettit, Colton Moreland and Maelynn Taylor.

The DPW installed the new flag pole which replaced one that was worn, said Tim Archer, who assists with the enrichment program and spearheaded several of the projects at the Alms House Cemetery.

Students look over some of the gravesites at the cemetery which is visible from Route 31A near Keeler Construction.

Archer was working as a service learning teacher at Albion in 2010 when his seventh-grade students became interested in the site. Bill Lattin, the county historian at the time, was speaking in Archer’s class about how there used to be the Alms or “Poor House” on County House Road from 1833 to 1960. The Alms House closed in 1960 when the county nursing home opened on Route 31 in Albion.

The Alms House was torn down and now the site is the Orleans County Emergency Management Office with a fire training tower.

Maelynn Taylor and Elizabeth Colmenaro visit the gravesite for Daniel Walterhouse, a Civil War soldier buried at the cemetery.

Walterhouse lived at the Orleans County Alms House or Poor House for about 15 years until his death in 1910.

The new headstone was unveiled during a ceremony at the cemetery on May 18, 2025. Two Albion eight-graders – Kendall Peruzzini and Mary McCormick – secured the 230-pound Civil War era headstone from the Veterans Affairs office in Washington, DC. The stone was installed by the DPW.

ALBION – Briana Jepson sent in these photos Saturday of a bald eagle in a cornfield along Route 31 in Albion. The bald eagle is feasting on a dead animal.

Gas prices decreased an average of 5 cents per gallon of regular unleaded nationally in the past week, and are down an average of 2 cents per gallons state-wide, according to AAA.

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.08 while the average price in New York State is $3.16, AAA said today.

“According to the Energy Information Administration, demand for gasoline has fallen to a four-month low, contributing to the continued decline in pump prices,” AAA said. “With the third quarter of 2025 ending in higher gasoline inventories and the seasonal transition from summer-grade to winter-grade fuel, consumers are likely to see even lower prices at the pump in the coming weeks.”

Here are the average prices today for regular unleaded in WNY counties:

• Orleans, $3.239
• Genesee, $3.195
• Niagara, $3.167
• Monroe, $3.176
• Livingston, $3.203
• Wyoming, $3.214
• Erie, $3.177
• Chautauqua, $3.285
• Cattaraugus, $3.145
• Allegany, $3.192

Photos from Orleans County Department of History Collection – “Transportation Options”

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 5, No. 36

The photo at top shows a lady, wearing the hat and ankle-length skirt of the era, walking along a path. Powerline poles, adorned with glass insulators, line the route.

An automobile approaches. Spooked by this noisy charging machine, the horses have to be led by their drivers. This photograph perfectly captures the old and the new, that brief time when the pivot was tilting from the horse-drawn era to the age of electric power and automobiles.

Road conditions such as those photographed above and directly below led to the formation of the Good Roads Movement in the 1880s. Rural and suburban roads were mostly dirt: muddy and soft when it rained, dusty when dry.

The campaign to improve the roads was initiated by bicyclists who were enjoying the freedom of the roads for the first time. The advent of the automobile further highlighted the problem of muddy roads, as rutted roads damaged vehicles.

“Stuck in the Mud” Burrows Collection, Orleans County Dept. of History Collection

The Good Roads Movement was not without controversy. Who would be responsible for the cost of improving roads? In New York State, some people argued that infrastructure investment had focused too much on the canal and the railroads to the detriment of rural roads. Others argued that the canal and the railroads were far more efficient in transporting goods, so why bother with investing in roads?

Much of the debate focused on whether the condition of the roads impacted farmers. Proponents argued that farmers were socially isolated and hampered in getting access to markets.

Farmers resented the imposition of an extra tax. They also felt that the tax would be used to improve roads other than the roads they needed. This debate was aired in the newspapers right through the 1920s. The Lyndonville Enterprise, for example, ran regular columns of syndicated posts on Good Roads.

In New York State, the issue of payment for road improvements was first addressed by the Higbie-Armstrong* Good Roads Act of 1898 which established cost-sharing between municipalities, counties and the state for the construction of main roads.

The Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 provided matching federal funds for road paving conducted by the states and in 1921, the Federal Aid Highway Act provided funding for paving up to 7% of roads in each state.

Lynn & Bea Burrows on a happier motoring outing. (Burrows Collection)

*Senator William W. Armstrong, who co-sponsored the 1898 Good Roads legislation, spent his early years in Albion. Educated locally, he became a lawyer and was clerk of the Orleans County Board of Supervisors in 1886 and 1887. He later moved to Rochester where he was elected State Senator from 1899-1908.  He died in 1944 and is buried in Mount Albion Cemetery.

Photo courtesy of Scott Robinson: This photograph of a maple tree in fall colors is the kind of picture Medina Area Partnership is looking for in its new photo contest focusing on the season.

MEDINA – Medina Area Partnership has announced a new photo contest, to begin Monday and focusing on the fall season in Medina.

Scott Robinson, past president of MAP and a member of the Marketing Committee, said they developed the photo contest over the past few months as a way to highlight Medina throughout the year. A new contest will be announced each season.

“With so many community members sharing beautiful photos on Facebook, we wanted to showcase Medina through their eyes,” Robinson said. “The entire committee worked on the details and the board of directors gave their blessing and support to run with the idea.”

This week, MAP’s Facebook page will post a couple of photos showcasing Medina in its fall glory. To participate in the contest, entrants just have to comment with a photo in the thread under the original photo. By posting the photo, they agree to allow MAP to use the photo to showcase Medina, Robinson said.

The contest will run begin on Monday and run until Nov. 7, with winners announced on Nov. 10. Prizes will be awarded by the three major sponsors as follows: Hart House – $50 for Hart House Hotel, Factory Expresso, Newell Lounge or Shirt Factory; $25 for Rosenkrans Pharmacy; and $25 to Creekside Floral and Gift Shop.

As long as there is strong participation, the winter challenge will kick off the week of Thanksgiving to incorporate Olde Tyme Christmas, Small Business Saturday and all of the initial holiday festivities.

“Our plan is to continue this contest each season, helping to keep Medina’s community spirit front and center,” Robinson said.

File photo by Tom Rivers: River Jones, left, and Madelyn Elliott perform with the Medina Mustang Band during their home show on Sept. 20.

Information courtesy of Medina Mustang Band Boosters

VICTOR – The Medina Mustang Marching Band traveled to Victor on Saturday for their fifth competition this season.

The event was held indoors due to weather conditions and therefore, ratings are “excellent,” “outstanding” or “superior” (highest) instead of numerical.

Medina competes in the SSI division and was judged as “outstanding” while East Irondequoit earned a “superior” rating.

In SS3, both Falconer-Frewsburg and Marcus Whitman received “outstanding” ratings.

The LS3 class had 5 competitors: Hilton and Syracuse received “outstanding,” while Indian River, Rochester and Rome Free Academy received “excellent.”

LS2 included Greece & Lancaster with both receiving “superior” ratings.

The National Class included Webster & Victor with both receiving a “superior” rating.

Medina’s next competition is Oct. 18tat Orchard Park followed by the championships on Oct. 26th in Syracuse at the Dome.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Andrew Meier sits on the steps of the Newell Shirt Factory building, which he purchased and restored. His efforts over the past 20 years have earned him the Phoenix Award by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

MEDINA – Receiving an award from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is certainly an honor, said Andrew Meier, who will be presented with the Phoenix Award at ceremonies on Oct. 23 at the White Birch Golf Course.

The award recognizes Meier’s efforts over the past 20 years in restoring the former Newell Shirt Factory into three floors of thriving businesses.

A local attorney, Meier purchased the building at 113 West Center St. in 2005 and immediately started remodeling. In 2006, the first business, the Shirt Factory Café, opened. It has since been restructured and is a restaurant and cocktail lounge known as the Shirt Factory.

Several businesses, including 810 Meadworks and a salon opened there, but moved out, creating new opportunities for Meier to try other ventures, he said. The result was creating a coffee and snack shop called Factory Espresso, which opened in the spring of 2024, and a classic cocktail bar called the Newell Lounge which opened this spring.

Total remodeling of the second floor created space for Webster, Schubel and Meier to move their law offices there.

The third floor renovation is home to the Hart Hotel, with 10 boutique rooms.

Factory Espresso serves breakfast and lunch, as well as coffees.

(Left) The portrait of Robert H. Newell is a highlight of the Newell Lounge, located in the Newell Shirt Factory building, owned and restored by local attorney Andrew Meier. (Right) Second floor of Newell Building houses the offices of Webster, Schubel and Meier, where the original safe from Newell Shirt Factory is still a prominent fixture.

The Newell Lounge also serves food and is open Sunday through Wednesday nights.

The Shirt Factory is open the other nights of the week.

Meier said their plan is to eventually have the Lounge open every day. He is expanding the kitchen and adding an outdoor event space in back of the building.

While Meier acknowledged being recognized by the Chamber is, indeed, an honor, he wouldn’t be anywhere if it weren’t for the other businesses in town all pulling in the same direction.

Farm on Route 104 in Murray draws many visitors for ‘authentic’  experience

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Amy Machamer, who runs Hurd Orchards with her mother Susan Hurd Machamer, stands amid a fall display of flowers and pumpkins at the family farm.

HOLLEY – Hurd Orchards, located at 17260 Ridge Rd., is not only an eighth-generation family farm and one of a few elite EcoCertified farms, but it now claims the distinction of being named a “Hidden Gem” by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

The farm will be honored with eight other businesses and individuals at an awards ceremony Oct. 23 at White Birch Golf Course.

Amy Machamer and her mother Susan Hurd Machamer are celebrating 40 years of their partnership running the farm. Amy is proud to announce her daughter Amelia is the eighth generation to run the farm, which dates back to pioneer days.

Amy Machamer sits in the 200-year-old barn at Hurd Orchards. The farm has been named by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as a “Hidden Gem.”

“It is very flattering to be chosen for the Hidden Gem award,” Amy said. “Mom said one of the ‘hidden’ things here is the fact we tree-ripen our fruit. There’s nothing better than biting into one of our peaches, and the juice runs down your chin.”

While the farm is constantly changing, they always stay authentic, Amy said. The barn in which they hold luncheons is 200 years old and was purchased, moved there and raised in the traditional way in 1994.

They are known for their luncheons which come from an 1895 cookbook. One of the things they make is a steamed quince pudding. A pear luncheon features the Seckel pear which they grow there.

Susan commented that it’s not everywhere one can grow the market basket they are able to, being located between the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario.

“Our farm really is a gem,” Amy said. “We are very happy someone was thinking about this beautiful area on the eastern flank of the county. It is exciting to think somebody noticed what we are trying to do here.”

In addition to her mom and daughter, Amy’s husband Joe Sidonio is very supportive of the farm’s efforts, Amy said. She also said Amelia, a recent graduate of Cornell University, is remarkably excited and invested in their farm. Amy said her dad was a geologist and they lived in many places, but always returned to the farm, which her grandparents Leland and Betty Hurd were running. When Amy graduated from college in 1984, she came back to the farm.

“I didn’t know I was going to stay, but I loved it here,” Amy said. “It was challenging in so many directions.”

“We have a beautiful team who cook and develop new recipes,” Amy said. “They are the ones who breathe new life into our farm, yet we’ve stayed ‘authentically ‘us.’”

Hurd Orchards sells their fruits commercially, have a bakery and own a jam kitchen. They raise elegant flowers and make up gift baskets to order.

“My parents and grandparents saw the possibilities and beauty here and appreciated what this farm meant,” Amy said. “We have dedicated ourselves into shaping it and carrying it on into the future. We have followed our instincts and followed things that inspired us. Maybe it has evolved because we shared these ‘hidden gems.’ We are very grateful. It is a joy to be recognized for what we do.”

Shelby fire hall packed for spaghetti dinner, basket raffle

Photos by Tom Rivers

SHELBY – Mike Hodgins, left, is greeted by Matt Grammatico of Albion today during a big benefit for Hodgins as he awaits a second heart transplants.

Hodgins, 64, had a heart transplant 35 years ago. He is on the list for another heart transplant at the Cleveland Clinic.

Grammatico, 52, of Albion is nearing the fifth anniversary of a heart and liver transplant at the Cleveland Clinic. Grammatico received those transplants on Jan. 12, 2021.

Grammatico and Hodgins have been friends on Facebook for several years and have been cheering each other on through social media. Today they met in person for the first time.

“I don’t want to miss the chance to connect with another heart transplant recipient,” Grammatico said.

The community also put on a benefit for him and his family before his transplants. He was thrilled to see such a big turnout today for Hodgins at the Shelby Fire Hall.

Hodgins said he and Grammatico are both miracles who have been given another chance at life by God’s mercy. Hodgins is wearing a “Miracle Mike” shirt.

Mike Hodgins takes a brief break from greeting friends, family and community members who attended a benefit for him and his family today.

“I’m just overwhelmed,” Hodgins said.

He and his wife Kathy have three children – Alisha, Greg and Ryan – and seven grandchildren.

Mike and Kathy need to travel about four hours to the Cleveland Clinic for testing, evaluation, surgery and recovery. This will require extended time away from work and significant out-of-pocket expenses for lodging, food and transportation.

“I’m taking it one day at a time,” said Hodgins, a longtime employee at Medina Memorial Hospital in the dietary department. His wife is chief executive officer at UConnectCare.

There were 200 people at the fire hall within the first hour of the benefit which was 4 to 8 p.m. today. There were 195 baskets up for raffle, plus 86 gift cards.

Businesses from the region donated gift cards as part of today’s benefit which was led by Hodgins’ niece Stephanie Kozma.

Many family members, friends and members of the Oak Orchard Assembly of God rallied to run the benefit.

Dark Horse Run entertained the crowd with country music.

Some of the kitchen crew serving spaghetti dinners included, from left, Julie Mufford, Pete Panek and Amy Albone. They had 400 dinners ready.

The Shelby fire hall was a full house for the benefit.

Matt and Rhonda Grammatico of Albion pray with Hodgins as he awaits a second heart transplant.

Photos courtesy of Marsha Rivers

EAGLE HARBOR – It was a brilliant sunset this evening in Orleans County. These photos were taken from the lift bridge in Eagle Harbor looking west.

Sunday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 68, followed by a partly sunny Monday (Columbus Day) with a high of 63.

The forecast then calls for a mostly sunny Tuesday with a high of 67, and mostly sunny Wednesday with a high near 56.

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – The Medina Lions Club is holding its annual Scarecrow Fest today at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Jennifer Slack of Medina makes a scarecrow with her children, Emma and Bradley.

There has been a good turnout so far for the festival. Last year there was a record 212 scarecrows made at the event. The Scarecrow Fest goes until 3 p.m.

Patti Parker and her son Zack of Albion make their scarecrow. Cindy Winters of the Medina Lions Club assists with a stapler.

Lions Club members visited the MAAC Thrift Shop to acquire most of the clothing for the scarecrows, including dresses, pants, shirts, blouses, neckties, hats and belts.

T-posts for scarecrow bodies were donated by Barden Homes, and Jen Scott’s art class at Medina High School painted 180 faces for cloth heads.

Straw for the scarecrows’ bodies was donated by Poverty Hill Farms in Albion and Dunham Farms of Knowlesville.

A scarecrow made by the Medina Lions Club greets people at the Fairgrounds.

Piper Glass of Medina, left, gets straw to stuff in a scarecrow she made with her cousins, Harlow and Henry Zacher of Medina.

The Master Gardeners in Orleans County also are having a “Pumpkinpalooza” event, with pumpkin decorating and pumpkin-themed activities. These are some of the entries in the pumpkin-carving and decorating contest.

Marie Phillips decorates pumpkins with her daughters, Mazie and Mallorie.

Debbie Fuller, the grandmother of Mazie and Mallorie, helps another granddaughter, Melanie Phillips, while she decorates a pumpkin. Fuller, a former Medina resident, made a surprise trip up from Florida to see her grandkids.