ALABAMA – Stream Data Centers is hosting an information session this evening to discuss its planned state-of-the-art data center campus at Western New York’s Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Genesee County.
Several company representatives will be on hand to discuss the economic, energy, environmental and communal benefits and impacts of the project, Stream said in a news advisory.
In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to share their concerns about specific site and project attributes and share their knowledge and insights of the nearby landscape.
Company representatives will also be available for one-on-one interviews.
The meeting will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Alabama Fire Hall, 2230 Judge Road, in Basom. For more information, visit: https://streamwny.com.
Joshua Klotzbach from Medina, a member of the New York Army National Guard, has been promoted to staff sergeant. He is assigned to Bravo Company, 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion.
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, announced Klotzbach’s promotion.
Army National Guard promotions are based on a soldier’s overall performance, demonstrated leadership abilities, professionalism and future development potential.
The New York National Guard is the state’s executive agency responsible to the Governor for managing New York’s Military Forces, which consists of nearly 20,000 members of the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 March 2026 at 10:52 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Mike Vendetti tells the Holley Village Board on Tuesday that a spike in electric bills plus high village taxes is hard on everybody in the village, including landlords who can’t easily pass on the bigger costs to tenants.
HOLLEY – Cheap electricity has long been one of the big pluses of the Village of Holley, which has its own department offering municipal electricity.
But those bills have skyrocketed since last month and many residents have expressed their concern to the Village Board and village office.
“No doubt, each one of us who opened our recent bill, got quite the shock,” Mayor Mark Bower said in a message to village residents last month. “To say that the office has received calls from angry, upset, confused electric customers is an understatement.”
He expects the rates will be high until the winter weather eases, with higher bills expected in March and April.
Bower said Holley gets additional electricity during intense usage from three sources – New York Power Authority, New York Municipal Power Authority and National Grid, and that comes at higher costs than the municipal rates.
During times of high electric usage, such as the recent bitter cold temperatures, the purchase power agreement rates have soared, and not only in Holley. Bower said his February bill was nearly $500 with $311.55 due to the purchase power agreement charges.
One local landlord, Mike Vendetti, attended Tuesday’s Village Board to share his concerns about the rising costs of living in Holley. In addition to the big jump in electric bills, Holley village taxes increased 10 percent in the 2025-26 budget.
Vendetti said the landlords can’t simply pass the higher costs on to tenants.
“We can’t just raise rents or we’re going to chase people right ut of this village,” he said.
The tax levy went from $1,078,527 in 2024-25 to $1,186,380 in the current budget, a $107,853 increase. The village’s tax rate is currently $19.54 per $1,000 of assessed property.
The Village Board needs to adopt a new budget for 2026-27 by April 30.
Bower said he is sympathetic to the higher costs on village taxpayers and residents.
“I hear your message,” he said to Vendetti.
Bower said the village has been able to secure grants for a new playground, and also for upgrades to a pavilion and the canal trail without burdening local taxpayers.
Group served as fun-loving arm of the American Legion to promote patriotic bonding
This photo published in The Buffalo News on Jan. 15, 1957, shows Miss Ola Burns of Holley, chapeau of the Orleans Petite Salon of the Eight & Forty, getting some tips on her new duties from a chapeau passe, Mrs. Francis Postle of Lyndonville. The group met once a month in the Albion Legion Building in Albion.
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 7
ALBION – Naturally, we were intrigued by the above photograph since it references the “Albion Legion Building.” The Sheret Post #35 American Legion was located at 34 East Park St. in Albion from 1935 until 1980 when it was purchased by Orleans County for use as office space. The building currently houses the Orleans County Dept. of History.
The Orleans Petite Salon of the Eight and Forty (Eight and Forty) was the sister organization of the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses (Forty and Eight) who also met at the Albion Legion Building.
The Forty & Eight was organized by Joseph W. Breen in Philadelphia in 1920 as La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (The Society of Forty Men & Eight Horses) as an independent, invitation only, honor society of American veterans.
This name was a reference to the French railroad boxcars which had been used to transport soldiers to the Front during World War 1. The cargo capacity sign on each boxcar was Quarante Hommes/Huit Chevaux – Forty Men or Eight Horses. The French theme carried through humorously – members were referred to as Voyageurs Militaires (military travelers) and prospective members as Prisonnieres de Guerre (prisoners of war), the local unit was referred to as the “voiture” (car), while the initiation ritual was referred to as a “wreck.” The Society was intended to be the fun-loving arm of the American Legion, its goal was to promote fun, patriotic bonding and to support charitable causes, specifically child welfare and nurses’ training.
The railroad theme was featured in the terminology and visual images used by the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses.
The Orleans County branch of the organization was instituted in Holley on July 16, 1927, and was designated Charter No. 971. An initiation was held at the James P. Clark Post on East Center St. in Medina on September 7, 1927.
It appears to have been a fun event, in keeping with the society’s goals. A drum corps led a parade of candidates who exploded red flares as they marched. The costumes, make-up and antics of the Prisonniers de Guerre provided the onlookers with much entertainment. As reported in the Medina Daily Journal on the following day, the “wreck” began at 9:30 p.m. and lasted until 4 a.m., at which time the “prisonniers” were kneeling in front of the Monument Works, too tired to rise, but feebly saying prayers for the dead.” Initiations rotated to the other Legion Posts throughout the county in subsequent years.
La Boutique des Huit Chapeaux et Quarante Femmes (The Society of Eight Hats and Forty Women) was organized in Indianapolis, IN in 1922 as the sister organization to the Forty & Eight. It also supported child welfare and nurses training and added “preventive tuberculosis” to its goals in 1932.
Logo of the Eight and Forty
The installation dinner for the newly chartered Orleans County Petite Salon of the Eight and Forty was held at the Sheret Post American Legion Building in Albion on February 27, 1951.Women who had been members in good standing of the American Legion Auxiliary for thirty-six consecutive months were eligible for membership.
Officers installed on that occasion included:
Chapeau: Mrs. Helen Van Stone, Albion, Demi-Chapeau: Mrs. Florence Bayne, Medina, Demi-Chapeau Premiere: Mrs. Arlene Tibbits, Albion, L’Secretaire and L’Caissiere: Mrs. Virginia De Palma, Fancher, L’Aumoniar: Mrs. Rowena Philllips, Albion, L’Concierge: Mrs. Alett Padaman, Holley.
A group of Orleans County members attended the Annual Convention held in Syracuse on July 23, 1959. Originally a subsidiary organization of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Eight and Forty became an independent veterans organization in 1960. It is still active nationally, as is the Forty and Eight, though their membership numbers have declined.
$2.5 million available to protect drinking water and sewer systems
Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
Governor Kathy Hochul announced nation-leading cybersecurity regulations and $2.5 million in grants to help communities affordably protect their drinking water and wastewater systems.
This comprehensive, unified approach equips drinking water and wastewater operators with the framework and tools to bolster their cybersecurity posture against increasingly sophisticated and dangerous cyber threats while strengthening services that millions of New Yorkers rely on every day.
“Cyber attacks on our water infrastructure can disrupt services and threaten public health and safety,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration is protecting New Yorkers by modernizing regulations and providing resources to adopt these important safeguards. There is nothing more important than keeping New Yorkers safe.”
Water infrastructure is essential to public health, safety, economic stability and national security, making it an attractive target for cyber attacks. As systems increasingly rely on digital and internet-connected technologies, the need for cybersecurity safeguards continues to grow.
The Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Health (DOH) developed minimum standards for wastewater and drinking water systems that are threat-informed, risk-centric, and cost-balanced. At the same time, the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) created grants and no-cost technical assistance to support local implementation. Close coordination helped streamline oversight, eliminate duplication and align with federal cybersecurity guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
The new threat-informed, risk-centric, and cost-balanced minimum standards developed by DEC and DOH include:
Mandatory cybersecurity training for certified operators
Cybersecurity incident reporting requirements
Risk-based tiered standards to protect critical operations and sensitive information
Designation of a cybersecurity lead role at larger drinking water systems
To support implementation, Governor Hochul is launching the new $2.5 million Strengthening Essential Cybersecurity for Utilities and Resiliency Enhancements (SECURE) grant program, administered by EFC. Applications open today. Funding includes:
Up to $50,000 for cybersecurity assessments
Up to $100,000 to implement cybersecurity upgrades
EFC’s Community Assistance Teams are available to provide no-cost guidance and tools to help water and wastewater systems implement cybersecurity best practices. Communities can request one-on-one consultations, apply for the SECURE grant, and access centralized training and best practice resources on EFC’s Cybersecurity Hub.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 March 2026 at 8:50 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: These younger kids hunt for eggs during last year’s Easter Egg Hunt on April 19 at the Courthouse lawn. Part of East State Street was closed to traffic for the event. The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries had 15,000 eggs on the Courthouse lawn. The event returns on April 4 with the hunt starting at noon.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board has approved special event permits for a range of activities.
The board on Wednesday approved permits for the following events:
March 21 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness race with part of the course in Mount Albion Cemetery. The race starts at 10 a.m. from Clarendon Road near elementary school.
April 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Easter Egg Hunt with East State Street closed to traffic from South Main Street to Platt Street. The egg hunt starts at noon.
June 14 (all day) – Bounce for Bullard Youth 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Bullard Park, run by the Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events (G-ACRE).
July 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. and July 18 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. – Carnival Days for Hospice at Bullard Park, with event run by Best of Tymes Party Rentals.
Aug. 1 (all day) – Albion Summer Music Festival at Bullard Park, with event run by G-ACRE.
Aug. 8 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Family Fun Day at Bullard Park. Event is run by Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion.
The board also set a public hearing for 6 p.m. on March 25 to change the zoning for two parcels from R-1 to light industrial. These parcels are by Penasack, a sheet fabrication business, on Sanford Street off Moore Street.
David Warren also was appointed chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, effective immediately.
Press Release, Orleans County Department of Social Services
ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Social Services (DSS) will be launching a new AI-powered virtual phone assistant named EVA to better help residents who call Temporary Assistance.
EVA will be available during business to answer questions. DSS believes that having EVA handle calls for basic information will allow staff to spend more time directly helping families in need. The new system will operational this Monday, March 16.
“We have been testing this system as a way to better support and respond to residents attempting to reach Temporary Assistance,” said Cyndi Stumer, deputy commissioner of DSS. “EVA can quickly provide the necessary information to callers looking for things like office locations, hours, phone numbers and much more, without the caller having to navigate through multiple layers.”
Diane Kephart, director of Temporary Assistance in DSS, said one of the big advantages of the new system is that those who call can speak their native language and EVA will adapt accordingly.
“By automatically adapting to each caller’s native language, our new AI system ensures that Temporary Assistance services are easily accessible , removing language barriers, reducing misunderstandings, and empowering families to get the support they need,” said Kephart.
To reach EVA, call 585-589-7000, then press 4. EVA will then ask how she can help.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 March 2026 at 4:16 pm
Tamage Faison
ALBION – A Rochester man was charged on March 4 for allegedly selling cocaine in the Village of Albion, the Orleans County major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.
Tamage Lavell Faison, 19, of Beach Avenue in Rochester has been charged with 1 count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, intent to sell (a Class B felony) and 1 count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree (a Class C felony).
The Task Force and the Albion Police Department on March 4 stopped a vehicle on West State Street in Albion. The Task Force had a warrant to search the vehicle and the driver.
Police seized a quantity of crack cocaine packaged for sale, the Task Force said, which resulted in the Faison being arrested on drug charges.
Faison was arraigned in Orleans County CAP Court by Gaines Town Justice Charles Prentice. Faison was released on his own recognizance and is due to appear in Albion Town Court on March 24.
The Task Force and Albion PD were assisted in the investigation by Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The Task Force said further arrests and charges are pending.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke
Stanley Jenks
LYNDONVILLE – Stanley J. Jenks, 55, of Lyndonville, was arrested on March 10 following an investigation into allegations of sexual contact with a child under the age of 11.
The arrest was made after members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Jenks’ residence in Lyndonville.
As a result of the investigation, Jenks was charged with the following offenses:
Sex Abuse in the First Degree, a Class D Felony
Forcible Touching, a Class A Misdemeanor
Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm
Jenks was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Orleans County Jail on $2,500 cash bail, $25,000 bond, pending his next court appearance in the Town of Ridgeway Court on April 20.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jax Richards-Dyson of Holley, a member of the senior high all-county band, raises a cymbal after he was announced on Saturday as the winner of Scholar Artist Award among senior music students in Orleans County.
Press Release, Orleans County Music Educators’ Association
MEDINA – Jax Richards-Dyson, a senior from Holley, was the recipient of the Scholar Artist Award at last Saturday’s All-County Music Festival in Medina.
The Orleans County Music Educators’ Association (OCMEA) wanted to recognize and celebrate their graduating music students who demonstrate commitment and leadership in their respective music programs, while also prioritizing academics and maintaining good grades.
County music teachers were asked to nominate students who met the following criteria: maintain a GPA of 90.0 or above, actively participate in their school’s music department, and demonstrate leadership in their school district and/ or community. Jax, who was nominated by Mr. Zach Busch (Holley junior-senior high band director), was selected by the OCMEA executive board.
Jax has a GPA of 97 and is a leader in his music department. He plays percussion in the HS concert band, piano in the jazz band, serves as Holley’s Concert Choir accompanist, and marches on the drumline of the Holley-Kendall Marching Band.
Jax has also been a regular in his school’s theater productions, taking on roles both on stage and in the pit. He also plays piano and performs in a variety of groups around the Rochester area. He plans on attending college next year and hopes to major in pre-med.
“Jax has always been a lead by example type of student,” Mr. Busch wrote in his nomination. “He is always a musician I can count on to know his music and positively contribute to any ensemble he is playing in through his preparation. He is also the musician who spends the most time practicing of all the musicians at Holley HS – and it shows in his skill and ability. Jax’s actions in practice set an example for other students who wish to work up to the level of musicianship he has achieved. Jax can often be observed helping younger students with their music during rehearsals for the many groups he performs in.”
Jax was one of four nominees this year. Other nominees included Madison Hults from Kendall, nominated by Miss Chalmers; Gideon Pask from Albion, nominated by Mr. Michki & Mr. Confer; and Emily Miner from Lyndonville, nominated by Mrs. Trupo.
Mrs. Andrea Busch, Co Vice-President of OCMEA, created the award last year and said, “I am so proud of Jax and all of the other students who continuously go above and beyond to make Orleans County an amazing place for music education. All four of this year’s nominees are outstanding young men and women, and I cannot thank them for the positive impact they have made.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 March 2026 at 8:30 am
Another day, another jump in gas prices in Orleans County.
AAA is reporting the average price for regular unleaded in Orleans County jumped 11 cents since yesterday, from $3.376 to $3.482 today. That followed a 7-cent increase from Monday to Tuesday, putting the total at 18 cents over two days.
The 11-cent increase since Tuesday was the largest in Western New York, where most counties saw 2 to 4 cent increases. In Genesee County, it dropped 4.5 cents to $3.428.
The national price was up an average of 4 cents in one day to $3.578 today, while the state average also increased 4 cents to $3.506. The average price of gas is up 20 percent since the start of the war in Iran on Feb. 28. The average price of gas nationally has risen every day the past 11 days.
In New York, the average price for diesel is at $4.969, up from $4.895 the previous day and $4.144 a week ago.
The state-wide average for unleaded was $3.105 a week ago and $2.994 a month ago. That is a 40-cent increase over the past week and 52 cents since a month ago, according to AAA.
The highest recorded average price was $5.041 on June 14, 2022 with diesel’s high of $6.542 on May 19, 2022. This was a time when oil and energy supplies were disrupted at beginning Russian-Ukraine war. In a few weeks during that war, gas prices shot up 50 percent from $3.50 a gallon to just over $5.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2026 at 9:21 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – Village of Holley Mayor Mark Bower holds the Orleans County Tourism calendar for 2026 that includes a photo of a deer taken by Robbie Weit.
The mayor presented Robbie with a “Certificate of Achievement” during this evening’s board meeting.
This photo of a deer is the November cover in Orleans County’s 2026 calendar put together by the county tourism department.
Bower said he looked the calendar in December and was pleased to see the local photo of the deer. He was amazed when he learned it was taken by a Holley fourth-grader.
Robbie goes on photo outings with his grandfather, Dave Brooks. They drive the back roads looking for wildlife, landscapes and other interesting scenes.
They were out late in July when they saw the deer. Robbie aimed a Canon with a zoom lens at the deer and got his winning photo, “Doe in Flower Field.”
Robbie about a year ago also was recognized as an honorary member of the Clarendon Fire Company by Fire Chief Bob Freida and Deputy Chief Don Moiser. Robbie has made posters for both Clarendon and Murray fire halls about the Sept.11 attacks that killed 343 New York City firefighters. Robbie dresses as a firefighter at Halloween and looks forward to joining the department when he is older.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2026 at 5:22 pm
MEDINA – The Village Board approved a formal resolution calling on the governor and State Legislature to increase funding to municipalities.
The New York Conference of Mayors, a organization representing cities and villages throughout the state, asked Median to support the resolution. Medina also will send a letter of support from Mayor Marguerite Sherman.
The state’s current Aid and Incentives to Municipalities distributes $715 million statewide to towns, villages and cities outside of New York City. With AIM, the cities get $647.1 million or 90.5 percent of the total, while towns statewide receive $47.9 million, and villages share $19.7 million.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a $150 million increase in Temporary Municipal Assistance with the lion’s share again going to cities of all sizes in the state.
Medina approved the resolution of support on Monday, but Trustee Scott Bieliski noted Medina doesn’t get much in the program, despite offering many municipal services.
“With the state budget, our residents could be paying more than they are receiving,” he said.
The Village of Medina with a population of population 6,047 currently gets $45,523 in AIM, and would get another $9,555 in Temporary Municipal Assistance, or $55,078 total. That breaks out to $9.11 per person.
That is a far cry from what smaller cities receive. The City of Batavia in Genesee County, population 15,174 gets $1,750,975 in AIM, and would receive another $609,978 in TMA for $2,360,953 total. That would be $155.59 per person.
Sherman, the village mayor, noted villages like Medina don’t get much in AIM and Temporary Municipal Assistance.
“We don’t get a huge share of this,” she said. “Hopefully we can get some more. Every bit helps.”
The resolution from the Medina Village Board states the increase in funding from the state will help municipalities “address fiscal challenges and maintain essential services for residents.”
The cities, villages, and towns are essential in delivering services, infrastructure, public safety, and quality of life that residents expect and deserve, the resolution states.
“Local governments across New York continue to face mounting fiscal pressures driven by inflation, increased service demands, infrastructure needs, and rising operational costs, while striving to provide relief to taxpayers amid a rising cost of living,” according to the resolution.
ALBION – Naturally, we were intrigued by the above photograph since it references the “Albion Legion Building.” The Sheret Post #35 American Legion was located at 34 East Park St. in Albion from 1935 until 1980 when it was purchased by Orleans County for use as office space. The building currently houses the Orleans County Dept. of History.
