Sherman gets praise and some criticism for tenure as mayor at final regular board meeting

Election inspectors count votes and verify voters’ signatures on March 18 when about 900 people voted in the village election. Mary Ann Ander is in front. In back, from left include Linda Deyle, Judy Szulis and Cynthia Kiebala.

MEDINA –  The hard-fought recent village election featured many social media posts that residents say were often nasty and unfair personal attacks.

Those posts, campaign mailers and comments at public meetings often set an unpleasant tone.

“This was the ugliest election in the history of the village,” resident Mary Hare said during Monday’s Village Board meeting.

She faulted the union for Medina firefighters for dividing the village with their social media posts. That union endorsed Mayor Marguerite Sherman and Courtney Henderson as a trustee.

When the votes were counted last Wednesday night, Debbie Padoleski won as mayor, 489-405 over Marguerite Sherman, while Jeff Wagner, 491 votes, and Mark Prawel, 487 votes, were both elected trustees. Dean Bellack received 319 votes and Henderson, 212 as a write-in.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman is ending 12 years on the Village Board including the past two years as Medina mayor. She urged the board to work together for the betterment of the community.

The firefighters’ union worries about a move to declare a new ladder truck surplus, and possible reductions in staff. Padoleski has cited the example of volunteer departments nearby. Medina has 17 paid firefighters who provide an ambulance service to western Orleans County in addition to responding to fire and other emergency calls.

Hare chided the union for being so vocal in the election.

“Most people want to see them gone,” she said during Monday’s meeting.

Kayla Rosenbeck, the mayor’s daughter, also spoke during the meeting, and said she received an “extremely vile letter” during the election. She said many of the public comments crossed a line of decency.

“It was an absolutely horrendous election,” she said.

Rosenbeck is an English teacher at Medina and she said many high school students have attended village meetings and witnessed character attacks and also seen the aggressive online comments.

“We all need to do better,” Rosenbeck said. “How we communicate matters. Students watch how adults handle disagreements, stress and patience.”

Rosenbeck said she also needs to do better.

“We need to choose words that lift up and don’t tear down,” she said.

Rosenbeck thanked her mother for an “unwavering commitment” during her time as a village trustee and mayor.

Another speaker during Monday’s meeting, Ellen Goheen, said she received a message urging her to vote in the election. Goheen said she moved out of the village eight years ago and wasn’t an eligible village voter. The message came from Village Trustee Jess Marciano and wasn’t from Medina’s mass notification system, which started five years ago.

Marciano said she had a list of numbers and sent them texts from her personal phone number, urging them to vote. She apologized to Goheen for bothering her. Marciano said the message didn’t favor any particular candidates and simply said to get out and vote.

“It was nothing improper from the village,” Marciano said during Monday’s meeting. “It was 100 percent me trying to get more people out to vote in our village.”

Medina had 894 people vote out of 3,655 eligible for a turnout of 24.5 percent.

Monday was the final regular board meeting for Mayor Marguerite Sherman. She has been mayor the past two years and was a trustee for 10 years before that.

Trustee Prawel thanked her for the numerous hours she put in for the community.

“I want to thank Mayor Sherman for all of her service,” Prawel said. “It was a lot of hard work for the Village of Medina.”

Trustee Marciano and Village Clerk/Treasurer Jada Burgess also commended Sherman for her tenure on the board.

“You’ve done a lot for this village,” Burgess said.

Sherman’s husband Jon Sherman also spoke during the meeting, saying his wife listened to residents and scheduled vacations so she wouldn’t miss village meetings. Even on vacation, she answered emails and messages.

“It’s 24-7,” he said. “The Village of Medina has come a long way in the past 12 years as a destination.”

He urged the new board that takes over April 1 to keep moving the community forward.

The mayor said the village has had many successes in recent years, and other communities routinely reach out to Medina to try to model the community’s success. Sherman said the struggles with a new ladder truck and an addition that would be big enough to house it have “tarnished” the village.

That truck has been declared surplus and the village is looking to sell it, although nothing is definitive now. The truck is currently in Tonawanda for some “punch list” work by a mechanic. Once it’s back in Medina it will likely be housed in the DPW building while the board determines if and when it will be sold.

“I remain proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the past 12 years,” Sherman said at Monday’s board meeting.

The state is investing millions in Medina through the Canal Corp. and the NY Forward program. Private entities also are putting their money in the village, she said.

Sherman said she wishes the new board the best, and said differences of opinion should be viewed as an asset.

Brian Hellner, a Newfane resident operating a tour boat business from the Medina Canal Basin, addressed the board and said his experience in recent years with Sherman and the board have often been “frustrating and discouraging.”

He said correspondence has been unprofessional and “unnecessary threatening.”

“We should be treated as partners, not adversaries,” he said.

Hellner said he looks forward to a different approach by the Mayor-elect Padoleski and the new board.

John Parada, a resident, responded that the board has been accommodating to Hellner in getting him a permit and lease to operate the tour boat business. Parada said Hellner often didn’t follow the rules, which required a response from the village. When Parada spoke, Hellner and his son Rollin, owner of The Walsh, got up and walked out of the meeting room at the Shelby Town Hall.

The new mayor and the two elected trustees will be sworn in at 6 p.m. on April 6. There are two budget meetings on March 25 and March 27 before the start of the Padoleski tenure as mayor.

File photo by Tom Rivers: These deer are pictured on Nov. 20, 2014 when they were close to the road on the west side of Route 279 in Gaines, just south of Route 104.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation is reporting 2025 was the safest in New York’s recorded history with seven hunting-related shooting incidents.

Those incidents include five which were self-inflicted and two involved more than one person. One incident involved an unlicensed individual who was hunting illegally, the DEC said. There were no hunting-related shooting fatalities.

“The historic low number of incidents observed in 2025 demonstrates that hunting is safe and is getting safer thanks to the efforts of DEC’s Hunter Education Program, volunteer instructors, and the vigilance of New York’s hunters,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “In addition to being safe, hunting is ecologically important, helping manage wildlife populations, promoting conservation-related behaviors, and providing a local, affordable food source. I am proud of our team’s efforts to grow New York’s hunting community.”

Hunting remains one of the most popular forms of wildlife-related recreation in the state with nearly 600,000 New Yorkers participating annually, helping achieve state wildlife management objectives and safely enjoying time outdoors, the DEC said.

The DEC reported these hunting-related shooting incidents:

Small Game Hunting:

• Jan. 3 in Ulster County – While rabbit hunting, a 60-year-old hunter slipped and unintentionally discharged a round of birdshot into their left forearm.
• May 13 in Orange County – While turkey hunting, the 64-year-old shooter fired one round, striking the victim approximately 40 yards away with multiple pellets. The victim sustained injuries to their right eye, left ring finger and left shoulder. (The shooter was not legally hunting, and had no hunting license, but injured a legal hunter during an open hunting season.)
• Sept. 27 in Livingston County – During squirrel hunting, the 28-year-old hunter was shot with one round of pellets, causing superficial penetrative injuries on the front of their body from chin to abdomen.

Big Game Hunting:

• Oct. 30 in Erie County – A 59-year-old hunter sustained a self-inflicted crossbow injury to the left foot while afield hunting deer.
• Nov. 15 in Sullivan County – While exiting the woods after deer hunting, a 46-year-old hunter’s holstered handgun discharged one round into the upper thigh.
• Nov. 19 in Chautauqua County – While pulling a loaded firearm from a vehicle, the 14-year-old hunter unintentionally discharged one round, which entered and exited their mid-torso.
• Nov. 21 in Delaware County – While tracking a deer, the 68-year-old hunter tried to remove a handgun from its holster and accidentally discharged a round into their left calf.

The seven incidents in 2025 follows 11 in 2024, and 12 in 2023. In 2020, there were 22 incidents. The 10-year average shows 12.7 incidents a year, according to the DEC.

There were no fatal incidents last year. There was one in 2024 and two in 2023.

Photos courtesy of Medina Railroad Museum: Two dozen players showed up for bingo at the Medina Railroad Museum on Saturday, the first of several bingo afternoons scheduled at the museum each month through August.

MEDINA – Visitors to the Medina Railroad Museum shouldn’t be surprised to see some unusual activities taking place.

Renee Hemby, event coordinator, and museum staff have come up with a schedule of new things to do while visiting the museum.

“We want to get more people interested in visiting the museum to see what we have to offer,” Hemby said.

James Ruiz gives a thumbs up for the fans who came to play bingo at the Medina Railroad Museum on Saturday. With him are Autumn Bower and Renee Hemby, event coordinator.

The theory is that although someone might not be a fan of railroading, when they get there, they are sure to find something of interest.

The first of the new events is bingo on select Saturdays from April to October. Games are scheduled April 18, May 23, June 20, July 18, Aug, 8 and Oct. 17. The first game last Saturday brought several dozen fans to play bingo, enjoy beignets from Nola’s Gaming, hot chocolate and a free mug.

“We will partner with the community for our events,” Hemby said. “This includes Becker Farms Brewery and Greenlief food truck,” she said. “Those who came last week had a great time and said they would come back again.”

March 28 will feature the Easter Depot Dash for children through age 12, featuring relay races, games, food truck and other children’s activities.

Other events planned are History in Motion at 6 p.m. June 3, July 1, Aug. 5 and Sept. 2. These are dates of the new Historic Speaker series.

The museum will participate with Medina’s Community Yard Sale on June 6 and 7 with their Trackside Treasures Yard Sale. The community is invited to donate Christmas or railroading treasures.

On July 19, Boxcar Buddies will welcome Girl Scouts of Western New York. The museum will cooperate with them to earn a patch.

Aug, 15 is Platform Play Day and basket raffle from noon to 4 p.m.

Train rides are scheduled during a Golden Age Rail Tour at 11 a.m. on Sept. 19 and 20, which will include a guided tour along the rails and history of railroading. At 2 p.m., a second train ride will be a murder mystery ride titled “Murder at the Museum,”  enacted by Western New York Improv. A food truck will also be on site.

On Oct. 4, the museum will feature Boy Scouts and Boxcars.

The famed Polar Express Train Ride will return for excursions to the North Pole weekends Nov. 21 through Dec. 20. Excursions in 2025 brought 28,000 riders to Medina.

The Medina Railroad Museum is available for private events and tours. Information is available at www.medinarailroadmuseum.org or by e-mailing events@medinarailroad.org.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Park Avenue in Medina has been infested with large potholes. The Medina Department of Public Works used cold patch recently but that didn’t stick.

DPW superintendent Jason Watts said the street needs to be repaved. He asked for the public’s patience in the meantime.

He will soon be meeting with Keeler Construction, which does the paving in the village, to work out a schedule for the work.

Watts acknowledged the street is very bumpy in spots.

“Anything we do now is just a waste of money,” he said about the cold patch and other attempts at short-term fixes. “I do have a plan. Just go slow and be patient with me.”

The street’s condition was brought up during Monday’s Village Board meeting.

He said the DPW could put millings in some of the deeper potholes. He also will see about putting up signs that note Park Avenue is a “rough road” and drivers should go slow.

Watts said the punishing winter was hard on the pavement in Western New York.

“We’re not the only community with rough roads,” he said.

There are many potholes and deteriorating pavement on Park Avenue in Medina.

Photo by Tom Rivers: A pedestrian bridge will be built across the Oak Orchard Creek along Maple Ridge Road (Route 31A) in Medina. This area also will get about 2,000 feet of new sidewalks.

MEDINA – New sidewalks and a pedestrian bridge will be coming soon on Maple Ridge Road.

The Medina Village Board on Monday approved a $837,448 bid by RJT Construction Services in Rochester to install the bridge and sidewalks. RJT was the lowest of four bidders when the bids were opened on Feb. 18.

The section of Maple Ridge Road by the creek has become busier with a housing development, several new businesses and also the GCC campus center. There are also about 200 available acres in the area being promoted for development by the EDA.

But a bid approval has been delayed because RJT wasn’t on the state’s registry for contractors. The company has since joined the registry which verifies that contractors and subcontractors are in compliance with labor laws, including prevailing wage requirements.

RJT incorporated two years ago and has done culvert and wastewater projects. The company’s owner, however, has a long career in construction, said Barton & Loguidice, a firm that worked on the design of the bridge, and secured easements from utility companies and property owners.

The Village Board on Monday also approved a contract with Barton & Loguidice where the firm will be paid $166,300 for construction services and inspections.

The project is within budget, Mayor Marguerite Sherman said. The RJT bid was more than $100,000 less than the next lowest bid of $943,088 by Keeler Construction in Barre. The highest bid was $1,058,485 by C.P. Ward in Scottsville.

The new bridge and sidewalks have been several years in the waiting. The village in 2021 was awarded a $1,094,196 grant to construct the bridge and sidewalks as part of a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicycles. The funding was awarded by the state through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant.

That is covering 80 percent of the project. The remaining 20 percent will be paid locally from the village ($55,000), Town of Shelby ($130,000) and Orleans County ($97,500).

The local money comes from a revolving loan fund that was administered by the Orleans Economic Development Agency. The state in 2019 required funds be ended with the money staying in the community for projects if they are for handicapped accessible initiatives or if they assist a neighborhood that is predominantly low-income.

MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Society has approved $11,540 in grants to local organizations.

The grants generally are about $1,000.

Here are the grants that were approved:

• Hands 4 Hope Street Ministry – to purchase laundry detergent for clients.
• Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern – to assist with the purchase of beds and mattresses for clients in Medina.
• Home for the Holidays 5K – for their annual Veterans Christmas Drive to provide holiday gifts and essential items to veterans and their families.
• Friends of Boxwood Cemetery – to hire an engineering firm to use GPR to locate unmarked graves in Potter’s Field and other cemetery sites.
• The Medina Historical Society – to cover the cost of historical speakers and publicity costs for future programming and to purchase archival quality boxes to store photograph negatives.
• Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council – to purchase equipment and upgrades to their traveling stage.
• Orleans Renaissance Group – to purchase a stepladder, table and chairs for the Canal Village Farmers’ Market.
• Arc GLOW – to purchase a 10-piece bundle of wireless silent disco LED headphones for use at Camp Rainbow.
• Orleans Koinonia Kitchen – to help provide food and weekly meals for those in need.
• Calvary Cupboard – for emergency food assistance to those in need.

2025 Special Project – In addition to the annual grant awards, a donation was given to the Orleans County Historical Association to provide funding for the new wooden floor for the chapel at Mt. Albion Cemetery. That building from 1875 is undergoing restoration with a new roof, repointing and other repairs.

ALBION – Crosby’s will unveil the grand reopening of its store in Albion on Friday morning at 204 South Main St.

The company has remodeled the convenience store and will have a grand opening celebration at 10 a.m. This follows the remodeling of Crosby’s other store in Albion on North Main Street in May 2024.

Crosby’s, owned by the Reid Group in Lockport, has revamped the store at the intersection of routes 98 and 31. The company operates 86  throughout Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

The 10 a.m. celebration also will serve as the kickoff to Crosby’s yearly partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in which various donation efforts will begin across all Crosby’s stores in service of CF and finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.

In addition, Crosby’s will be donating $300 to Albion Central School District and $500 to Albion Fire Department.

“We’re proud to continue serving the Albion community,” said Lenny Smith, Vice President of Crosby’s and Reid Petroleum. “This was a major remodel and a significant reinvestment in the store. Our focus is simple — exceed customers’ expectations every day, every time.”

The remodeled store will have 16 employees. The store will offer Crosby’s food items including their freshly made pizza, made-to-order subs and specialty drinks such as hot chocolate, 100% Columbian Coffee and slushies.

State-wide there was 4 percent increase, with none taken in Orleans County

Photo from DEC: A bear marks a tree in Steuben County. This image was captured through Snapshot NY, a project launched in 2025 to monitor NY wildlife through remote cameras operated by DEC and citizen scientists.

Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced that hunters harvested an estimated 1,759 black bears during the 2025-26 hunting seasons, with none reported in Orleans County.

According to DEC’s tracking of the annual bear harvest since 1955 (PDF), the 2025 statewide bear harvest was second only to the 2003 season and Southern Zone estimates set a new harvest record.

“The recovery and growth of New York’s bear population is testament to DEC’s vigilant wildlife management efforts,” said Commissioner Lefton. “New York’s big game management plans help maintain populations at levels that are acceptable for local communities and provide sustainable hunting opportunities.”

Statewide, hunters harvested approximately 4% more bears than the 2024 season and 18% above the 10-year average. The Southern Zone take included an estimated 1,202 bears taken, including the 10 heaviest bears recorded for the year. The Northern Zone harvest estimate of 557 bears was slightly lower than 2024, but still above the 10-year average.

The record-setting bear season in the Southern Zone is the culmination of a long-term pattern DEC documented in New York’s bear populations. In the 1950s, bears only occupied the most remote and mountainous regions of New York, such as the Adirondack, Catskill, and Allegheny mountains. Over the past 70 years, bears gradually expanded their range in the State, and DEC began opening new areas for bear hunting.

Map from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Bears now occupy most areas of the state except Long Island and New York City, and all areas of the state are open to bear hunting except Long Island and areas closed to big game hunting. The expansion of bear range was particularly notable in the Southern Zone. The Southern Zone bear harvest exceeded the Northern Zone for the first time in 1998 and accounted for most of New York’s bear harvest for the past 20 years.

While bear populations and hunting opportunities increased in the Southern Zone, the Northern Zone remains a traditional destination for many New York bear hunters. Northern Zone bears typically grow slower in the wilderness ecosystems of the Adirondacks but tend to survive to older ages than their Southern Zone counterparts. All but one of the oldest bears on DEC record were taken in the Northern Zone.

Notable Numbers from the 2025 Bear Season:

• 74: The number of Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), out of 88 open to bear hunting, with reported 2025 bear harvests.
• 562 pounds: The dressed weight of the heaviest 2025 reported bear, harvested in the town of Olive, Ulster County, WMU 3C.
• 668: The number of harvested bears from which DEC received pre-molar teeth to determine the bear’s age in 2025.
• 26 years: The age of the oldest bear harvested in 2024 (the most recent year for which age data are available). The bear was harvested in the town Mooers, Clinton County, WMU 5A.
• 21: Bears harvested per 100 square miles in WMU 3C, the highest harvest density of any WMU for the 2025 seasons.

Black bear harvest data are gathered from two main sources: harvest reports required of all successful bear hunters, and the physical examination of bears by DEC staff, cooperating taxidermists, and meat processors.

Harvest estimates are made by cross-referencing these two data sources and determining the rate at which hunters report their bear harvests in each zone. In fall 2026, DEC will send a commemorative 2025 Black Bear Management Cooperator Patch and a letter confirming each bear’s age to all hunters who reported their bear harvest and submitted a tooth for age analysis.

For more information, click here to see the DEC’s black bear harvest report.

MEDINA – Scouts in Medina’s Pack 28 will be at the Tops store on Saturday for their annual “Scouting for Food” event.

Instead of going to homes in the community, the scouts will accept the food at the Tops store from 9 a.m. to noon. The food will be given to the food pantry at The Vine church on Maple Ridge Road.

The scouts will be handing out flyers in the store lobby with lists of heavily requested items.  Shoppers can purchase those items and then donate them on their way out, said Jeff Baron, Cub Scout leader of Pack 28.

There also will be a location out front marked for people to pull up and drop off items.

Some of the most requested items include: pasta, cereal, peanut butter, canned soups & stews, tuna fish and infant formula.

Albion scouts will be doing a “Scouting for Food” collection in April.

The April 20, 1865 issue of the Medina Tribune included coverage of the Lincoln assassination on pages 2 and 3.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 8

MEDINA – When print newspapers were part of daily life, it was not uncommon for people to clip significant articles – births, marriages, obituaries etc. as tangible records of significant events.

Historic events with loud headlines such as “WAR DECLARED” or “MAN WALKS ON MOON” somehow compelled people to save entire issues, as though the whole paper was imbued with the importance of the event. These papers still have the power to stop us in our tracks.

A well-preserved edition of the Medina Tribune was rediscovered recently at a home in Shelby. At first glance, it appears to be a run-of-the-mill issue. “Courtship Among the Zulus” and “The Oldest Man in the World” are two of the front-page articles, along with advertisements for items ranging from silk hats to oysters and the standard elixir advertisement in this case Pineapple Cider.

But the reason why this newspaper issue was saved becomes apparent on pages two and three. For it is an historic issue after all: it deals with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. A closer look at the date provides an explanation. The assassination occurred on April 14, 1865, which was a Friday, Good Friday, in fact.

At that time local papers were weekly and were published on Thursdays. Thus, this issue, dated April 20, 1865, is the first local newspaper to cover the event and hence the reason it was saved.

On Sunday, April 16th, the churches in Medina were draped in mourning, emblematic of the deep sorrow felt for the death of the President. A Union meeting of the various churches was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church in the evening. “The house was crowded and a most intensely solemn feeling prevailed throughout the entire service.”

The discourse delivered by the Baptist minister, Rev. D. VanAlstyne was apparently particularly impressive and was included in this issue of the Tribune by popular request. It is powerful indeed; one can well imagine the impact it would have had when delivered from the pulpit, just two days after the event, by a minister who, most likely, was well-schooled in the art of oratory.

“Let the Nation in her wrath and just indignation trample the system of slavery into utter extinction. This is an uncommon occasion; a great calamity is ours; the nation is in mourning over an unparalleled crime, and I shall offer no apologies for speaking plain and honest words”

Scheduling details for President Lincoln’s funeral train were announced. Citizens who wished to take a last look at the remains were encouraged to take the morning train from Medina to Buffalo on Thursday, April 27th as the train was scheduled to stop in Buffalo from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Also included in this issue: Governor Fenton’s announcement of the National Calamity, the text of President Andrew Jackson’s Inaugural Address delivered on April 15th as well as details of the $100,000 reward offered: $50,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of John Wilkes Booth, and $25,000 each for the apprehension of conspirators George Atzerodt or David Herold.

We never cease to be amazed at the items that survive through the years, resurfacing out of time and space to give us a glimpse of another era. We thank the Zelazny family for this treasure.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The gas prices at the Crosby’s in Albion on Sunday evening at Route 98 and Route 31 show $3.74 for regular unleaded and $5.45 for diesel. A block away at Kwik Fill, the price was $3.79 for regular unleaded.

Gas prices went up an average of 24 cents in New York State in the past week to $3.86 a gallon for regular unleaded while the national average is at $3.94, up 22 cents. In New York, gas has now gone up 86 cents since it was $2.999 a month ago, AAA reported.

Diesel has seen a much bigger increase, up $1.54 in the past month from $3.991 a month ago to $5.531 today. A week ago the diesel price was $5.136.

In Orleans County, the average price for regular unleaded is at $3.766 today, up 12.5 cents from the $3.641 a week ago, and $3.306 two weeks ago.

Here are the averages today for counties in Western New York:

• Orleans, $3.766
• Genesee, $3.711
• Monroe, $3.804
• Niagara, $3.698
• Erie, $3.787
• Wyoming, $3.763
• Livingston, $3.775
• Chautauqua, $3.664
• Cattaraugus, $3.641
• Allegany, $3.709

AAA issued this statement this morning:

“Friday marked the official start of Spring and prices at the pump continued to climb by 22 cents in the past week. With the Spring equinox ushering in warmer weather and more time on the road, gas prices are trending upward alongside seasonal demand.

“The White House’s recent announcement of plans to release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over four months has had no immediate relief on the oil market so far, as the price of a barrel of crude continues to climb.

“According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased last week from 9.24 million b/d to 8.72 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 249.5 million barrels to 244.0 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.4 million barrels per day.

“Diesel prices have also escalated. The national average is $5.25, up 26 cents while the New York average is $5.53, up 39 cents in the past week.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Ann More of Buffalo is in the last stretch of the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K in Albion on Saturday. She finished in 34:13.

There were 90 participants in the race which included a 10K option for the first time.

There were 25 finishers in the new 10K. Jacob Walsh of Buffalo won the 10K for the males in a time of 42:23, while Madison Vekich of Niagara Falls was the first female in a time of 48:25.

In the 5K, 65 finished the course with Harrison Flanagan of Holley the first male to cross the finish line in time of 20:02, while Julia Rohde of Lockport was the first female with a time of 22:05.

The runners are lined up on Clarendon Road near the driveway for the Albion Town Hall. The course then turned right on East Avenue (Route 31) and went to Mount Albion Cemetery and then back on Route 31 for a finish in the parking lot. For then 10K, the runners basically did a repeat of the course.

The race is named in honor of the late Wayne Burlison, an Albion music teacher who passed away from colon cancer on March 26, 2014. His wife, Lisa, addressed the runners at the starting line.

The annual Wayne A. Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness Run/Walk is a slightly longer 5K. A 5K is 3.1 miles. The Burlison race is 3.17 miles. That distance symbolizes the 3 months and 17 days Burlison lived from when he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer until his death at age 36 on March 26, 2014.

Some of the proceeds from the race go to Orleans Community Health to help with colorectal screenings and awareness.

Brian Cousins of Corfu crosses the finish line in 35:24. Runners passed through a large inflatable of a colon as they hit the finish line.

Wayne Burlison’s wife Lisa addresses the runners at the start of the race. Lisa is recently married to Tom Wink, who is holding a printout of her remarks. Lisa and Wayne’s son Adam is at right. He completed the 5K.

Lisa and Wayne were married for nearly 15 years. Wayne was a genetic carrier of Lynch syndrome, which most commonly leads to colon cancer but also increases the risk for several other cancers. About 1 in 297 people carry Lynch syndrome, yet around 95% don’t know they have it, Lisa said in her pre-race remarks.

She urged people to get checked for colorectal cancer, and to not ignore any symptoms.

“Wayne lived with deep integrity, strong faith, and quiet perseverance,” his wife said. “He loved Jesus wholeheartedly, as well as his family, music and running. Some of my favorite memories are of him running with worship music in his ears, finding freedom and joy in both faith and movement.”

Tom Hawkins of Williamson completes the race in 37:17

Wolfpack Multisports organized the race and also will be directing the Albion Strawberry Festival 5K/8K on June 13. Click here for more information on that race.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Medina students sing “Stick to the Status Quo” to close out act one on Saturday night of High School Musical. The song is about breaking free from social stereotypes and the pressure to stay in cliques.

At the end of the musical, students sing “We’re All in This Together,” a message of unity over division.

“This show is about a group of students trying to find where they belong within the school community, and ultimately how their differences help them discover who they truly are. It’s a story about acceptance, inclusivity, and friendship which is incredibly important to us as directors,” says Medina JSHS directors Rachel Trillizio and Anna Ferlito.

Medina performed the show on Friday and Saturday and has a final performance today at 2 p.m. in the school auditorium.

Jackson McGrath plays Troy Bolton, the star of the basketball team. He also is interested in theater to the dismay of the his father, the basketball coach. In this scene, Troy and the team sing, “Get’cha Head in the Game.” Troy is distracted by a new girl in the school, Gabriella, and the idea he might enjoy singing.

Troy (Jackson McGrath) and Gabriella (Ava Blount) first meet on new year’s Eve when they are both vacationing at a ski lodge in Utah. They sing a karaoke duet together, “Start of Something New.” When Troy returns home to East High School in New Mexico, Gabriella has transferred there by coincidence.

Sharpay Evans (Arabella White) and her twin brother Ryan (Arik Papaj) do a very up tempo version of “What I’ve Been Looking For” during an audition for the school musical. Sharpay is a very energetic student, and the star of the theater program who loves being the center of attention. Her brother dutifully aids her in her quests, including sabotaging Gabriella’s relationship with Troy.

Zoey McKinney plays Ms. Darbus, the leader of the drama department. She dislikes sports and cell phones. She is talking with the class, including student Kelsi Nielsen, a musical composer played by Veda Cogovan.

Chris Mulcahy Jr. plays Coach Bolton, Troy’s father and coach of the basketball team. He sees Gabriella as a distraction to Troy’s basketball career.

In “Stick to the Status Quo,” a skater stands on the table in the cafeteria and would pretend to play the cello on his skateboard, showing it’s OK to try other interests. James Page plays the character, Ripper.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Holley students and community volunteers expanded their community cleanup last year on May 17 to include working on the landscaping by the tank at the Holley VFW post. The group reset memorial bricks, put down mulch and yanked out a lot of weeds.

Volunteers are welcome for Canal Clean Sweep events in Orleans County and other canal communities in the state.

The events are planned in alignment with the Parks & Trails New York annual state-wide Earth Day Canal Clean Sweep. Most of the events are April 17 to 19, but not all are in that time frame.

Holley has one of the biggest clean sweep efforts, with more than 100 students in the EarlyAct and Interact Clubs taking the lead in picking up trash along the canal and also on village streets and parks.

Holley calls it a “Day of Impact” and it will be from 10 a.m. to noon on May 17. This year’s clean sweep is in honor of Eric Fredendall, a Holley grad and U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran who passed away at age 46 on Feb. 17 after a battle with cancer.

The “Day of Impact” begins at the elementary school parking lot at 10 a.m. before the volunteers disperse into the community.

Adam Burgio, an Albion student, picks up litter and trash near the railroad tracks by Platt Street on April 19, 2025 during a Canal Clean Sweep event. The Albion Rotary Club and Interact Club at the school filled 19 garbage bags with a total weight of 307 pounds.

Other clean sweep events registered on the Park and Trails website in Orleans County include:

Albion – April 18 from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at Tinsel (Lockstone) and participants will receive free ice cream, gloves and trash bags.

Holley – April 18 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Volunteers will meet in the pavilion at the Canal Park Trail in Holley and will be provided with light breakfast refreshments before cleaning begins. This event is coordinated by the Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District & Orleans County Tourism.

Medina – April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon (with rain date on May 2). The Medina Lions Club welcomes people on the park on the east side of the canal near the lift bridge on the north side of the Medina village. Participants will clean up the trash and mulch the trees, bushes, sculptures and ground signs.

Medina – April 17 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The Medina Junior Senior High School Student IMPACT Club will be picking up litter along the canal, beginning near Ryan Street.

There is time for other groups to register for cleanup events along the canal, too. Click here for more information.

Photos by Tom Rivers

LYNDONVILLE – Lyndonville Central School is performing Peter Pan for the school’s annual musical. The top photo shows the cast on Friday’s opening night. There are more performances at 7 p.m. today and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Gavyn Draper stars as Peter Pan and he gets to fly about the stage in several scenes. Peter Pan and other characters – Wendy, John and Michael Darling – get to fly by using wires with harnesses and pulleys.

There are about 35 students in the cast, 20-plus in the stage crew and another 14 in the pit orchestra.

Lyndonville is coming off a highly acclaimed musical season a year ago when its show, Newsies, was named “Production of the Year” for small schools in the Rochester region by the Stars of Tomorrow program which sends trained evaluators to the school musicals.

Draper, a sophomore, has been performing in shows since he was in third grade, first at his church. By fifth grade, he was on stage for the Lyndonville school musicals.

“I like singing and acting, and I like an audience,” he said before Friday’s show.

Last year’s show gave him “goose bumps” on stage to see how the cast came together in a  powerful way, and to see the crowd react.

He believes the message of Peter Pan is to embrace your childhood for as long as you can.

Austin Fonda plays the role of Captain Hook in Neverland. Captain Hook wants to kill Peter because he cut off his hand and threw it to a crocodile. Hook leads a group of pirates. In this photo, Fonda sings about a mysterious woman who has captured Hook’s fancy.

Sarah Corser plays the role of Tiger Lily, who leads a group of Indians who are hunting the pirates. Tiger Lily and Peter Pan reach a truce and friendship.

Peter Pan (Gavyn Draper) sprinkles some fairy dust on the three Darling children and urges then to “think lovely thoughts” so they can fly with him to Neverland. Emily Kroll plays Wendy (left), Jackson Hargrave is Michael Darling (center) and Bella Bresett is John Darling. In this scene, they’re singing, “I’m Flying.”

Draper is playing the role his mother, Katie (Thurber) Draper, played as Peter Pan in 2002. Becky Botsford, a Lyndonville music teacher, also was Wendy in the 2002 production. She is playing the bassoon in the pit orchestra for this year’s show.

Jen Trupo, the musical director the past 15 years at Lyndonville, said the flying characters make the show feel “magical.” She believes the musical shares a powerful message.

“I just want everyone to really soar above adversity and the all the Captain Hooks in their life and all the things that they are weighing them down,” she said.

Wendy Darling (Amy Kroll) is in Neverland and shares stories with the Lost Boys, who ask her to be their mother.