ALBION – Nikolas Mroz and Nancy Traxler of the Orleans County Veterans Service Agency are presented with a $1,000 check from Scott Carlton, squadron commander of the Sons of the American Legion in Medina. The donation goes toward the van service that takes veterans to medical appointments.
“The Sons salute the Joint Veterans Council, it’s staff and volunteers for providing veterans an indispensable means of access to needed medical care,” Carlton said. “We’re proud to continue funding this program as part of our advocacy for veterans.”
This is the 13th donation Squadron 204 has given, totaling $6,600.
The Sons of the American Legion was founded in 1932 as an organization within The American Legion, dedicated to preserving American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.
All male descendants, adopted sons, and stepsons of members of The American Legion, and such male descendants of veterans who died in service during the period of April 6, 1917, through Nov. 11, 1918, or any time from Dec. 7, 1941, to date, who served honorably, or who died subsequent to their honorable discharge from such service, are eligible for membership in the Sons of The American Legion.
‘I don’t think enough people, in the immediate area or across Western New York, know what a gem this place is’
Press Release, Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
BASOM – Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge held its annual meeting Saturday, Nov. 23, to elect officers and several new board members.
Elected to a two-year term as president was Richard Moss of Medina. Emma DeLeon of Williamsville was elected vice president; Betsy Black of Lockport was elected treasurer; and Kim Mansfield of Newfane and Joe Fell of Buffalo were elected to the nominating committee.
Members also voted for five new board members and re-elected one board member, Seneca Wolf Clan Elder Marve in Jacobs of Cheektowaga. The newly added board members are Chris Hollister of Cheektowaga, Bernadette Clabeaux of Orchard Park, Tim Elliot of Medina, and Pamela Reed Sanchez of Rochester.
Moss replaces Garner Light of Gasport, who led the group through the lean pandemic years and was instrumental in developing and installing the refuge’s new eagle nest camera (click here), among his numerous accomplishments while president.
“The last four years were challenging and invigorating at the same time,” Light said. “The first two years of my term were during the pandemic. Everything changed. In the time since, we have worked hard as an organization to revitalize, reconnect and become even more active and relevant. I am greatly encouraged to pass the reigns onto Dick Moss, who I’m confident will be an excellent president for FINWR.”
Moss said he is looking forward to working with the board and the group’s volunteers.
“I’ve been walking the refuge trails for more than 30 years,” Moss said. “I don’t think enough people, in the immediate area or across Western New York, know what a gem this place is. I hope to be part of changing that.”
Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Inc. (click here) has about 150 members and is a not-for-profit corporation organized by volunteers dedicated to supporting the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (INWR) via fundraising, education, enhancement and preservation of the refuge and its wildlife.
“Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge have been an intricate part in accomplishments at the refuge, both in funding for projects but also their volunteerism,” said Tom Roster, refuge manager. “I look forward to working with the newly elected officers and board members to continue this partnership.”
ALBION – Two brothers who own local businesses in Medina are stepping up to provide Thanksgiving meals for first responders who are required to work on the holiday. Nate Sanders, owner of Elite Meal Prep and his brother Logan Callara, owner of Logan Landscaping, wanted to do something during these holidays to say thank you to first responders serving our community.
“While families across Orleans County will be celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends, there are many first responders who will miss the holiday because they are on duty,” Sanders said. “So my brother and I thought a great way to show our appreciation was to provide them with a full Thanksgiving dinner.”
Meals will be provided to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County Sheriff’s Jail, Orleans County Sheriff’s Dispatch, New York State Police, Medina Police & Fire Department, Albion Police Department, Holley Police Department, and Monroe Ambulance for their personnel working those days. It’s expected roughly 150 meals will be provided.
“It’s not easy for first responders to miss holidays and family events, but we all know that is the nature of the job,” said Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke. “This wonderful gesture by Logan and Nate will be very much appreciated by our first responders who are on duty this Thanksgiving.”
The brothers said they also intend to provide meals for first responders working Christmas Eve and Day.
About the businesses
Logan’s Landscaping was started by Logan when he was 13 years old. He started mowing the neighbor’s lawn using a 3-wheeled bicycle with a homemade trailer attached to haul his lawnmower. Then he rented a storage unit at Lakewood Village to store his equipment and started mowing several more lawns at Lakewood Village. After obtaining his driver’s license Logan got an LLC for his business and started doing commercial work as well. His business has grown to approximately 500 regular customers and he is maintaining over 100 properties weekly. His business consists of several trucks, trailers, machinery and smaller equipment.
Elite Meal Prep (EMP) just celebrated its first anniversary. EMP was an idea of Nick Joy and Nate Sanders who wanted to offer healthy, affordable and high-quality meal options to patrons of Nick Joy’s gyms and other local businesses. Nick has since moved on to become a first responder and Nate is running the business on his own. Nate is currently providing anywhere from 200-500 meals a week to his customers, many of whom are first responders.
ALBION – Kelly Kiebala, Director of the Orleans County Career Center, today reminded residents the county will be hosting a workshop tomorrow, November 26, called “It’s Easier than ever to get a Job with New York State!”
The workshop will be conducted by the Center for Careers in Government, part of the New York State Department of Civil Service. Kiebala said Orleans County Civil Service will also be presenting about job openings with the county.
“I know many people who would be interested in working for the state or county have shied away from applying due to civil service requirements,” Kiebala said. “But a lot has changed in recent years to make the process more efficient, and as the title of the workshop says, it’s never been easier.”
This free event will be held Tuesday from 2 to 3 p.m. in Conference Room C at the Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West in Albion. No pre-registration is required.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 November 2024 at 9:27 am
The unemployment rate in Orleans has seen a steady drop for much of 2024.
The county’s unemployment rate for October was 3.3 percent, below the state average of 4.1 percent, according to data from the State Department of Labor.
The unemployment rate in Orleans was 5.3 percent in January and has generally dipped most of the months since then.
Here are the unemployment rates in the county each month of 2024:
January, 5.3 percent
February, 5.2 percent
March, 4.9 percent
April, 4.0 percent
May, 3.7 percent
June, 3.8 percent
July, 4.4 percent
August, 4.4 percent
September, 3.2 percent
October, 3.3 percent
The DOL reports the county had a labor for of 17,300 in October, with 600 unemployed, 16,700 employed.
In October 2023, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was 3.7 percent – labor force of 17,200 with 600 unemployed and 16,600 employed.
In October 2022, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was 2.9 percent – labor force 16,900 with 500 unemployed and 16,400 employed.
In October 2021, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was 5.6 percent – labor force of 16,900 with 600 unemployed and 16,300 employed.
In October 2020, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was October 2020 was 5.2 percent – a labor force of 17,100 with 900 unemployed and 16,200 employed.
Among Western New York counties, the unemployment rates for October 2024 include:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 November 2024 at 7:52 am
Gas prices slid down a penny for the average national price to $3.06 today, while the state average is $3.15, with no change from a week ago, AAA reported today. A year ago the average national price was $3.26, while the state average was $3.58.
AAA says the average national price today matches the low for 2024 back in January.
Here are the average prices in Western New York counties:
Orleans, $3.242
Genesee, $3.259
Wyoming, $3.232
Livingston, $3.350
Monroe, $3.227
Niagara, $3.142
Erie, $3.202
Chautauqua, $3.405
Cattaraugus, $3.365
Allegany, $3.328
“Oil, the primary ingredient in the production of gasoline, is trading in the low $70s per barrel this morning – similar to last week – and that’s helping keep prices down as demand for gas is expected to rise for the holiday,” AAA stated in a news release.
For drivers who use diesel fuel, the national average price for diesel is $3.53, no change from last Monday. The New York average is $3.86, down one cent from last Monday, AAA reported.
“AAA is forecasting nearly 72 million Americans will drive 50 miles or more from their home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Tuesday to Monday),” AAA stated. “That’s a new record and an additional 1.3 million compared to last year.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 November 2024 at 9:47 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The lamp post on Main Street, right in front of the Courthouse Square, is decorated with a glowing Christmas tree.
About 40 of the lamp posts will be decorated for Christmas and the holiday season.
Maureen Bennett is coordinating the effort for the second year. It’s part of the “Bring Christmas Back to Albion” initiative that started last year to pump up the holiday spirit in Albion.
The group also will soon have Christmas trees decorated on the Courthouse lawn.
This angel is at the corner of Main and West Park streets near the Bethlehem scene for the Holy Family Parish.
This lamp posts has lots of Santas on Main Street next to Gurney’s.
This lamp post in on East Bank Street near the Roots Hair Salon. Many businesses, families and organizations have adopted the posts.
Hearth & Home Real Estate Professionals decorated this lamp post with the courthouse and First Presbyterian Church in the backyard.
This collection of Indian points ranges in age from 400 to 5,000 years, and was found near Waterport. Illustration from the book: Orleans County History: Past to Present, Bicentennial Year, 1976.
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 4, Number 37
WATERPORT – As Orleans County prepares to celebrate its 200th year in 2025, we are moved to reflect on time, history and prehistory and our place in the continuum.
Geologists date the formation of the North American continent to 2.5 to 1.3 billion years ago. The glaciers that formed during the most recent Ice Age, some 120,000 years ago, formed the topography of New York State as they retreated north. The melting glaciers carved out the Niagara Escarpment and created Niagara Falls. Ridge Road was once the shoreline of Lake Ontario, formerly Lake Iroquois.
We are aware of these facts of our geological history but somehow the span of time covered in that short synopsis is unfathomable to us. We can more easily relate to more recent archeological history. Ample evidence of earlier human habitation has been documented throughout the county.
No mention of archaeology in Orleans County can fail to reference Stanley Vanderlaan of Albion, who literally stumbled upon what became his life’s passion when he found his first artifacts – flint chips and arrow points – while woodchuck hunting near Otter Creek in Barre in 1956. He was recognized as a Research Fellow of the Rochester Museum and the NYS Archeological Association for his contributions to the field.
In an essay on the Archaeological History of Orleans County which he wrote for inclusion in the book “Orleans County History: Past to Present, Bicentennial Year, 1976”, Vanderlaan wrote that Orleans County was primarily a hunting, fishing and food gathering area for the Indians. Over 10,000 years ago, Paleo-Indians hunted mastodons in this area. They used a spear with a sharp flint point known as a Clovis point. One was discovered in the mucklands, about one mile west of Barre Center and is believed to be 8,000 to 9,000 years old.
Following the extinction of the large animals, humans apparently left the area for some 3,000 years and returned some 5,000 years ago. Known as the Archaic Hunters, they used a distinctive javelin point for hunting, referred to as a Lamoka point. Many have been found along Oak Orchard Creek.
Illustration from the book: Orleans County History: Past to Present, Bicentennial Year, 1976 Artifacts from the Bamber Mound, near Waterport.
The Waterport area in general has yielded many treasures. A site referred to as the Bamber Mound on the Oak Orchard Creek “a mile downstream from the Waterport Dam” yielded stone and flint artifacts from the Hopewell or Adena Indians who lived there: net-sinkers, gorgets (ornaments hung around the neck), celts (stone ax blades), 4-sided projectile points, cache blades, human and animal bones. A site nearby yielded the earliest pottery found in the county, some highly decorated, with an estimated age of 2,000 to 2,500 years.
Two later sites, about 800 to 1200 years old, home to the Owasco Indians, were also located near Waterport. Fire-making flints, triangular points and pottery decorated with a herringbone design were found there. The Owasco Indians gave way to the Early Iroquois Indians who had significant habitations in the Oakfield area.
This whirlwind summary of human habitation in Orleans County begs the question: what will remain of our culture 5,000 years hence and how will it be interpreted?
(The Shelby Neuter Fort, which dates to 1500 A.D. was the only known large permanent village in the county. It will be discussed in a forthcoming column.)
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 24 November 2024 at 12:33 pm
As the holidays grow near, activities to celebrate add up in Orleans County
Residents won’t have to go far to find events for shopping, train rides, parades, children’s activities and more.
Medina already kicked off the season of holiday events with Moonlight Madness on Thursday, a night of pre-holiday sales with exclusive deals and the chance to win a giant gift basket.
Today (Nov. 24) is Kendall Fire Hall’s One Stop Holiday Shop, with vendors, crafters and a cookie maker. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The ever-popular Polar Express train ride rolls into Medina Railroad for excursions Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 7, 8,14, 15, 21 and 22. The magical one-hour journey takes passengers to meet Santa at the “North Pole,” set to the film’s film track.
Once aboard, hot chocolate and a cookie will be served and costumed characters will read the Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Arriving at the North Pole, Santa will join the train for the return trip and give each passenger a sleigh bell as the first gift of Christmas. Families are encouraged to wear pajamas.
A food vendor will be onsite with various meal options, snacks and drinks. All items purchased there can be brought on the train, but no outside food or beverages are allowed.
Nov. 30 brings the biggest celebration during Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas and Parade of Lights. This is hailed as one of the biggest and brightest parades in Western New York, with dozens of lighted floats expected to enter.
Highlights include the Home for the Holiday’s 5K race at 9 a.m.; entertainment and vendors downtown from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Santa’s arrival and Pet Parade at noon; Yohe draft horse wagon rides from 1 to 5 p.m.; Friends of Harmony barbershop quartet in Rotary Park at 2 p.m.; Christmas tree lighting in Rotary Park with parade marshal Ginny Kropf at 5:30 p.m.; fireworks over Main Street at 5:45 p.m.; Parade of Lights from the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue to Main Street at 6 p.m., ending at North Main Street.
More daylong events are listed on the Christmas in Medina website.
Dec. 5 though Dec. 8 will feature Holiday Open Houses, hosted by the Medina Area Partnership. This weekend is dedicated to promoting local businesses and their special offerings. The weekend promises to be filled with holiday spirit, shopping and local charm, all amid Medina’s spectacularly decorated downtown.
More information on the days can be found on Medina Area Partnership’s Facebook page.
Dec. 7 is Holley’s annual Memory Bulb Tree Lighting and Holiday Social, at 1 Public Square. Activities include the tree lighting, holiday photos, memory bulb presentation, caroling, cookies and cocoa and Santa.Up-to-date information on the event can also be found at the Village of Holley Festivals Facebook page.
Lyndonville will host its tree-lighting and holiday celebration on Dec. 7 at Veterans Park. There are many activities from 2 to 6:30 p.m. with Santa arriving at 5 p.m. to light the trees.
Dec. 14 will shine as the date of Barre’s Lighted Tractor Parade, starting at 5 p.m. on East Barre Road and ending at the Barre Town Park. Complete information is available on the Barre Betterment Committee’s Facebook page.
At 6 p.m. Dec. 14, the Hometown Holiday/Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade is scheduled in the village of Albion. The parade will begin at Dubby’s Tailgate on East Avenue and then proceed down South Main Street.
The public is invited to spend the day enjoying the festivities of “Hometown Holiday,” which will occur across the town and in the Albion small business district prior to the parade.
The Albion Merchants Association have up-to-date information on their Facebook page regarding the event.
If residents and visitors are still looking for a calm experience after the string of exciting events, Orleans County Tourism reminds everyone of winter fishing in Orleans County.
In the Oak Orchard River and nearby tributaries, such as Johnson Creek and Sandy Creek during the fall, winter and spring, the trout and salmon make upstream migrations, where guides and anglers cast and make hopeful drifts.
During November, the focus is on brown trout and Atlantic salmon.
December and January the focus is on coho salmon and steelhead, still some brown trout and even King salmon.
In February, the focus is all on steelhead, while waiting for fresh chrome fish.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2024 at 9:52 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Haylee Zogoda helps with the set up this morning of the holiday scenery at State Street Park in Medina. She set up the sheep in front of the shepherds who are watching over their flock.
Zogoda helped the Medina Lions Club with the annual display. Her father, Jason Cogovan, is a member of the Lions Club.
Tom Robinson, left, and Bernie Froman work on the display that will be up until early January. The volunteers appreciated the decent weather this morning. Sometimes they have done the task in a deep freeze.
Carol Bellack strings lights on some of the Christmas trees.
These volunteers get the Nativity scene set in the park. At left are Jason Cogovan, Pete Kaiser and Scott Grimm.
From left Kevin Bogan, Howie Gardner and Ken Dunham work on the advent wreath.
Chris Limina helps gets the lights on the trees.
Mark Irwin, Bernie Froman and Tom Robinson get the three wise men in place.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 November 2024 at 8:39 am
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Museum will sponsor two holiday events during the month of December, beginning with “Simply Christmas” on Dec. 7.
During the day, the Holiday Shoppe will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the lower level of the Cobblestone Church, where shoppers can browse for a wide variety of low-priced new and gently used Christmas-themed merchandise, according to Museum assistant director Sue Bonafini. Visitors will be able to find décor galore, including replacement lights and light strings, paper goods, holiday books and more for themselves or gift-list recipients.
The Holiday Shoppe is conveniently located near the Gift Shop, where visitors will find old-fashioned toys, mini hurdy-gurdy instruments, new Cobblestone Museum logo T-shirts and caps, half-priced Merle maple products, scented candles and more for sale. Most books for sale are written by local authors and inspire reading related to Orleans County history, Bonafini said. Another item to be found in the Gift Shop is Cobblestone Candy, which makes a great stocking stuffer or sweet treat.
At 11 a.m., Simply Christmas, a program celebrating the traditions of St. Nicholas Day at the Cobblestone Church will begin, with stories, songs, readings and carols guaranteed to put visitors in a festive mood. A free will offering will be received, and light refreshments will follow in the Proctor Room, near the Holiday Shoppe.
Special pricing will be in effect inside the Used Books Building behind the brick house. Readers are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to take advantage of this special half-price savings on hundreds of selections of fiction and non-fiction titles before the winter season ushers in a temporary closing of this self-serve operation. All sales benefit the Cobblestone Society and Museum.
Following the Simply Christmas program, the Orleans County Historical Association will hold its annual luncheon meeting and program at Tavern on the Ridge, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Membership in OCHA is not required, so attendees from the Cobblestone event are invited to participate for a full day of activities.
A brief business meeting will follow lunch, with speaker and author Mike McFarland, who will present “The Civil War and the Erie Canal.” Lunch options are $20 and include rolls, beverage and gratuity. Choices are beef on weck and fries, bowl of French onion soup and Caesar salad or chicken parmesan and pasta. Call (585) 589-6015 to make a reservation.
Dec. 14 will feature Create a Keepsake from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Thompson-Kast Visitors Center across the road from the Cobblestone Museum at 14386 Ridge Rd. Shirley Nigro, a local artist of world renown will head the event. A charge of $10 includes a seat, paints and brushes. A wide array of ornaments and decorations will be available for purchase, starting at $4, to paint on site or take home for painting later.
Space is limited, so reserving a space early is recommended. Those attending are urged to bring a friend or family member to enjoy the day with them. Registration can be made at CobblestoneMuseum.org or by calling (585) 589-9013.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2024 at 1:55 pm
Screenshot
Provided photos
HOLLEY – The Holley Village Board last week honored Sal DeLuca as Holle’s Citizen of the Year.
DeLuca was hailed for his long-time contributions on the Board of Education, as a coach and with the Holley Sports Boosters.
The top photo from left shows village trustees Rochelle Moroz and Jessica MacClaren, Sal DeLuca, Mayor Mark Bower, and trustees John Morriss and Jim DeFilipps.
The photo at right shows Mayor Bower presenting the award.
“Sal DeLuca has given an enormous amount of his time in service to the Holley community as a school board member and coach,” Bower said. “ He has impacted numerous Holley residents for the better.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 November 2024 at 12:24 pm
Growing congregation on Crandall Road eyes expansion
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Trellis Pore, pastor of Shiloh Church on Crandall Road, Albion, and his wife Caleia are shown with some of the more than 50 blankets they recently collected and donated for the homeless.
ALBION – When Trellis Pore started to lead the Shiloh Church, only a few people showed up for his first sermons. That was Nov. 17, 2021, and last Sunday Pastor Pore celebrated his third anniversary with guest speaker the Rev. Wayne Lewis and a full congregation.
Pore has a full-time job as weapons trainer with the New York State Department of Corrections, but his passion is preaching. He first became licensed to speak at the age of 19 at Shiloh Church and was ordained at 21.
Since that time, he and his wife Caleia have seen Shiloh grow, along with their desire to make a difference in their community.
They are aware of rising number of homeless in Orleans County.
“Growing up here, I didn’t see that as a kid,” the Rev. Pore said. “We saw that was where we could make a difference.”
They put the word out for donations of blankets for the homeless, and the support was absolutely amazing, the pastor said. Just recently, they delivered more than 50 blankets to warming shelters at Hoag Library in Albion, Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina and Community Action’s Eastern Orleans Community Center in Holley.
They plan to continue collecting blankets for the homeless, and then branch out to see what else they can do to help out in their community.
Going forward, the Rev. Pore knows they are going to have to expand at the church on Crandall Road. Their congregation averages 130 people and continues to grow. The building is outgrowing their needs and they need more space to accommodate the things they want to do, such as mentoring, tutoring and youth activities.
They have formed Shiloh Angels, which is compiling a prayer book filled with prayers from youth. Artist Pat Standish is doing the illustrations and the book will be handed out to anyone in need, especially kids who are facing tough times.
“We want them to know their prayers will be answered,” the Rev. Pore said. “When we come together in unity, all things are possible.”
Shiloh Church is also planning a Shiloh family Christmas giveaway at 3 p.m. Dec. 21 at Albion Elks Lodge.
A Christmas Eve service is scheduled at 6:30 p.m., with a New Year’s Eve service, also at 6:30 p.m.
The Pores welcome anyone to join them in Bible study at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and worship at 11 a.m. Sundays.
BASOM – Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge held its annual meeting Saturday, Nov. 23, to elect officers and several new board members.
WATERPORT – As Orleans County prepares to celebrate its 200th year in 2025, we are moved to reflect on time, history and prehistory and our place in the continuum.
