Nest cam watchers amused at eaglet’s antics

Courtesy of Pixcams, Inc. – The eaglet who is the focus of the Iroquois refuge’s nest camera has been growing by leaps and bounds. The chick hatched on April 3.

Press Release, Friends of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

BASOM – The baby eaglet that’s in focus at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is now over two weeks old, is getting a lot bigger and is entertaining nest cam watchers with its antics.

The eaglet is in a nest that belongs to one of several nesting pairs of bald eagles at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, on the border of Genesee and Orleans counties. The nest camera was put in place and maintained by Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, with the help of Pixcams, Inc., Treeman Tom and others.

The chick is standing upright more often and using its wings to move itself around and balance. It is much more aware of its surroundings and now reliably tracks the parents’  movements, approaches them for food and grabs it from them directly instead of waiting for them to place food in its mouth.

It is taking much bigger bites of food – most often fish, including a lot of carp ─ and eating larger, less frequent meals (separated by hours-long food comas!). You can usually see its visibly full crop.

The eaglet’s first wispy white down is being replaced by a more insulated grey thermal down so it can thermoregulate better and no longer needs to be incubated as intensively. You can sometimes see the father eagle, especially, since he’s the smaller parent, struggling to stuff the chick under him to brood. The chick is also doing some practice preening as its new feathers come in.

On these warmer days the parents have been leaving the chick alone in the nest for longer periods of time. When they aren’t on the nest at least one of them is usually on guard nearby. If viewers are seeing the parents gone for longer now, this is normal. The chick is much more independent and the adults are still out there guarding against predators and intruders.

The chick’s antics have included a “Lady and the Tramp” moment when the mother eagle had one end of a string of duck intestine and the chick had the other. To see moments like these, tune in the nest cam streaming through the link at FINWR.org.

A quick recap, for those who may not have been following along: Our eagle parents laid three eggs at the end of February and they hatched the first week of April. Unfortunately, two of the chicks died due to accidents in the nest. But that has left the middle chick, the one that survived, as the sole focus of mother and father and ─ without any competition ─ the recipient of an enormous amount of fish bits.

The chick’s flight feathers are beginning to emerge. In the next few weeks, it will develop more substantial feather growth on its head and back and will take on more of an “awkward teenager” look, and the parents will spend even less time brooding.

Around 5 to 6 weeks, the chick will start to stand more steadily and will begin wing flapping in earnest. At 6 to 8 weeks, the eaglet will get very large, almost adult sized. At 8 to 10 weeks – the end of May and beginning of June ─ it should be feathered enough to look like a dark juvenile bald eagle, and its first few unsteady flights might begin by mid-June. The typical fledgling window is 10-12 weeks after hatching. Even 4 to 6 weeks after fledging, roughly mid-July, the eaglet will still be dependent on its parents for food and flight training.

If all goes well, by late summer or early fall the chick will be a full juvenile and out on its own, but it won’t develop its white head and tail feathers until it’s 4 to 5 years old.

This article was a collaboration of Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge members Richard Moss, Emma DeLeon, Amy Merritt and Garner Light. If you have a bald eagle question for the team, send it to Richard Moss at heron@finwr.org and we may answer it in a future release.

Route 31A in Sweden also will be closed to traffic from County Line Road and West Sweden Road

YATES – The state Department of Transportation will be closing a section of Route 18 in the town of Yates beginning on Monday for a culvert replacement. The road is expected to reopen to traffic in late May.

Route 18 (also known as Roosevelt Highway) will be closed to all traffic between Hall Road and Breeze Road. Motorists should follow posted detours using Route 63, Route 104 and Route 98, the DOT said.

The state DOT also is closing a section of Route 31A just outside Orleans County in the town of Sweden for a culvert replacement. Route 31A (also known as Fourth Section Road) will be closed to traffic beginning at 6 a.m. on Monday between County Line Road and West Sweden Road. Motorists should follow posted detours using Route 31 and Route 98, the DOT said.

“Motorists should anticipate travel delays during this time and are advised to seek alternate routes if necessary,” the DOT advised. “Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions.”

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones, the DOT said. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A section of Eagle Harbor Road reopened to traffic this afternoon following repairs to the road from flooding on April 1.

The top photo shows the Orleans County Highway Department using a Bobcat with a power broom to remove dirt and dust on a section of the road that was repaved.

A big rainstorm on April 1 flooding across the road and took out a chunk of it on the east side.

The Orleans County DPW put in about 120 tons of crusher-run stone to shore up the shoulder and part of the road support that had washed out. The DPW then added heavier stone and riprap to hold the gravel in place.

Keeler Construction put new pavement on top of the road. The repairs cost about $20,000, Lane said.

The four culvert pipes carry water from Otter Creek underneath the road. There used to be a ridge here more than 30 years ago, said Craig lane, the DPW superintendent for the county.

The bridge had a span of about 24 feet. It was replaced with culvert pipes. Those pipes don’t handle the water as well with a big rainstorm, and the culvert pipes sometimes get clogged with debris, impeding the water flow, Lane said this afternoon.

He said he will be seeking state and federal funds through the Genesee Transportation Council to turn this spot back to a bridge in the future.

Here is how the rebuilt road and culvert looks this afternoon, not long before the road reopened to traffic.

Soon after the April 1 flooding, which Lane called a once-in-a-decade-storm, the Orleans County DPW also reset drainage pipes that were exposed and knocked out of place on Culvert Road in Ridgeway near the Canal Culvert. The DPW also cleared debris out of the Culvert tunnel.

The DPW workers also fixed a driveway on Orleans-Monroe Countyline Road, adding stone that had been washed out near the road.

Justin Niederhofer, the county’s emergency management director, said it looks like the county may be eligible for federal reimbursement from the storm damages. Many counties were affected by the storm and there is a threshold statewide for the counties to receive aid. The state is going through that process now to see if there will be FEMA aid for the counties, Niederhofer said.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Second-graders in Medina’s Glee Club make a heart shape with their hands while singing “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” during an Arbor Day ceremony today. The Glee Club also performed “Sunshine Day” and “Joy to the World (Jeremiah was a Bullfrog).”

MEDINA – The Village of Medina celebrated Arbor Day today with second- and third-graders from Oak Orchard Primary School helping plant four of the 51 new trees in the village.

The students each got to toss a shovel full of dirt in the big holes along Gwinn Street where new trees are going in the public right-of-way along the sidewalks.

Medina has been named a “Tree City USA” for its ongoing commitment to planting trees.

Jason Wetherbee, a second grader in Mrs. Brooks class, helps plant a Red Jewel Crabapple tree on Gwinn Street near Williams Street. Another group of second-graders planted the same type of tree less than a block away on Gwinn near Frank Street.

Farther down the street going south, third-graders planted two Zelkova serrata trees.

Medina Mayor Debbie Padoleski reads a proclamation about Arbor Day. She thanked the Tree Board volunteers for their efforts to bring new trees to Medina.

Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska when that state celebrated planting more than a million trees. J. Sterling Morton in 1872 proposed that a special day be set aside to lant trees.

“Trees are enjoyed by everyone, young and old, wherever they are planted, and are a source of happiness and beauty in our village,” Padoleski said.

The Tree Board is led by Mary Lewis with Jake Hebdon, Lisa Tombari and Esther Weeks as members. Chris Busch, the past board chairman, also assists in selecting the trees as the village’s forestry coordinator.

The Medina DPW has planted 51 trees this spring on West Oak Orchard Street, West Avenue and Eagle, Gwinn and West Center streets.

Medina elementary students have been a part of the Arbor Day celebration for many years in Medina.

These second-graders in Dana Reeves’ class planted a tree with gusto this morning.

Medina’s urban forestry program is recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

The new trees are funded through donations. Information about donating can be obtained at the village clerk’s office or by downloading the ReLeaf brochure online at www.villagemedina.gov or by contacting Lewis at mLewis.villagemedina@gmail.com. Checks for tree donations should be made payable to the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. – Notation: ‘ReLeaf Medina’ and mailed to PO Box 543, Medina, NY.

Andrea Busch, a music teacher at Medina, leads the Glee Club which has been part of Arbor Day for several years now.

The new trees will make up for some of those that are lost each year. Jason Watts, the Medina DPW superintendent, said the village usually has to take down about 40 to 50 trees annually that are decaying or dead and are in danger of falling.

Photos by Tom Rivers: These Santas and some elves are shown in April 2015 in Albion as part of a group photo with about 200 Santas who were in town for a Santa convention. A group of Santas will be back in Albion in August 2027 celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.

Group will be in town to celebrate 90^th anniversary of Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School

The logo for the upcoming Santa gathering from Aug. 6-8, 2027 in Albion and Lockport. The event will be based in Lockport at the palace theater with the group visiting Albion, where Charles Howard ran a Santa School from 1937 to 1966.

ALBION – The Santas will be coming back to Albion in Auust 2027 for a 90^th anniversary celebration of the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.

There were about 200 Santas in Albion for convention in 2015 and a smaller group in 2010.

The gathering next summer could have 400 Santas and other Christmas entertainers, said Phillip L. Wenz, a recently retired professional Santa who organized the 2010 and 2015 events in Albion. Wenz worked at Santa’s Village in east Dundee, Ill, near Chicago and serves as a Santa historian.

“We are planning upwards of 400 Christmas performers for all over North America,” Wenz stated. “We would like to have as many local people participate in the events as well.”

Charles Howard started the first school for Santas in Albion in 1937 and kept it going for nearly 30 years. He passed away on May 1, 1966. The school continues in his name, now run by Tom and Holly Valent in Midland, Mich.

The Santa School celebration will host activities in Albion and at the 1,100-seat Palace Theatre in Lockport.

Christopher Parada is executive director of The Palace Theatre. He also built a Christmas cottage in Lockport and he has portrayed Santa there since 2010, welcoming about 10,000 children every Christmas season. Parada, a Medina native, also owns the New York Santa Claus Suits & Equipment Co., replicating Howard’s style for suits.

Parada is pleased to be hosting the event next year that is expected to bring many Santas to the community. Lockport has the hotels and accommodations for the visitors, as well as the spacious theater to host presentations.

“Bringing this historic event to the Albion and Lockport, New York areas is a truly meaningful opportunity to celebrate and honor 90 years of the Santa Claus School and the enduring legacy of Charles W. Howard,” Parada said.

The Santas will see a bronze statue in honor of Charles Howard that was unveiled on June 10, 2023 during the Strawberry Festival and also a 24-foot-long mural depicting Santa flying in his sleigh over Courthouse Square and downtown Albion. That mural was created by Albion native Stacey Kirby Steward was unveiled in June 2018. The Albion Betterment Committee also is working to open a Santa School Museum on Main Street in Albion.

Many of principles taught by Howard continue to shape the look and actions of Santas. Howard remains a revered figure among the Santas, 60 years after his death.

“As the founder of the original Santa Claus School, Howard established a standard of authenticity, professionalism, and heartfelt spirit that continues to define the portrayal of Santa Claus today,” Parada said. “As a lifelong resident, I take great pride in seeing our local communities serve as the backdrop for such an important milestone—one that highlights both our regional heritage and a nationally recognized tradition rooted right here in Western New York.”

Parada has led the theater in Lockport through multi-million-dollar upgrades. That theater opened in 1925.

“The Historic Palace Theatre provides an ideal home base for this celebration, offering a unique and immersive setting for presentations, programming and shared experiences,” Parada said. “Its theatrical atmosphere will help foster a sense of community, connection, and camaraderie among attendees.”

The August 2027 event is still in the planning stages. Wenz said discussions have been made with the Howard family, friends and other special guests to take part in the programs and activities. As in the past events, there will be no event fees. For more information e-mail Wenz at santaclausproductions@msn.com.

Press Release, Albion Fire Department

ALBION – The volunteer members of the Albion Fire Department will host a ham dinner on Saturday at their 108 N. Platt Street fire station.

The dinner will be a “drive through” only, with tickets available both presale for $12 each or at the door for $13 each. The drive through pickup will begin at 4 o’clock and run through 7 o’clock or until sold out that day.

The dinner includes sliced ham, scalloped potatoes, vegetable, dinner roll and dessert. Cash or checks made payable to the Albion Fire Department, Inc. are accepted for payment.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting any of the fire department volunteer members, or by calling 585-331-1410. The volunteer fire department members thank the community in advance for their support of this fundraiser.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Lyndonville Central School marching band plays in Lyndonville’s Fourth of July Parade last summer. The school district for the first time has been named to the list of “Best Communities for Music Education” by NAMM Foundation.

The list of school districts named to a national list for “Best Communities for Music Education” includes three school districts in Orleans County with Lyndonville earning the distinction for the first time.

Albion has now made the list 19 years and Medina has been recognized the past three years by the NAMM Foundation.

Lyndonville is the smallest school district in Orleans County. It puts on some of the best musicals. The district in 2025 performed, Newsies, and it 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.

Last month Lyndonville put on Peter Pan. The district was commended for its commitment to the overall music program.

The Medina Marching Band, including Raelynn Baker in the Color Guard, performed on Sept. 21 at Vets Park during the Fall Festival of Bands. Despite being of the smaller schools that competes in the field band competition, Medina has won the New York State Field Band Conference Championship several times.

Albion High School students are shown during last month’s performance of Annie. Neveya Barnes, front center, played the lead role. Albion performs two full-length musicals during the school year by both the middle school and the high school.

The North American Music Merchants has presented the annual list for 27 years honoring school districts with strong music programs. Last year there were 935 districts total around the country as “Best Communities for Music Education.” This year, the list topped 1,000 for the first time.

“Music education plays a vital role in cultivating vibrant, connected communities,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM President and CEO. “The 2026 Best Communities for Music Education recipients exemplify how meaningful access to music fosters creativity, collaboration and lifelong learning. We are proud to recognize their leadership and unwavering dedication to ensuring every student has the opportunity to engage in music.”

“Access to music education is a true catalyst for belonging, expression, and shared purpose,” said Julia Rubio, NAMM Foundation Executive Director. “When communities invest in music, they invest in the potential of every student.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds has 10 new trees on its campus, including eight along Route 31 near the Buzz Hill Education Center and two across the creek.

The Orleans County Bicentennial Committee funded the new trees, wanting to celebrate the county’s 200^thanniversary with a gift that will last for years to come.

The top photo shows Bicentennial Committee member Ken DeRoller, left, and County Legislator Fred Miller, with Holley Mayor Mark Bower in back. Bower also is a Bicentennial Committee member.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension picked out the varieties and determined the locations for the new trees, which include four sugar maple, two willows, two white oak, and two bur oak.

Bicentennial Committee members plant one of the sugar maples. From left includes Isabella Zasa, a tourism assistant and digital content creator for the County Tourism Department; County Historian Catherine Cooper; and Ken DeRoller, a former county legislator.

“For centuries, this area was undisturbed and deep woods developed,” Cooper said. “The people who settled this area 200 hundred years ago chopped down the trees to clear the land and make a living.”

The Bicentennial Committee worked on events and projects to celebrate the county’s milestone anniversary in 2025. The group wanted until this spring to team with the Cooperative Extension to plant the trees.

“Today, we have come full circle,” Cooper said on Wednesday. “We are planting trees to help restore the environment and enhance living.”

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Hinspergers at 430 West Oak Orchard St. in Medina has expanded several times since coming to Medina 25 years ago. The company was named the “Business of the Year” for 2015 by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

MEDINA – Hinspergers Poly Industries will continue its successful operation in Medina under new management, with the announcement of the retirement of general manager Greg Budd.

Budd is succeeded by Medina native Andrew Szatkowski, who came on board Nov. 1, 2025.

Greg Budd, general manager of Hinspergers since it opened in Medina in December 2001, has announced he will retire as of May 29. His replacement, Andrew Szatkowski, is already on the job.

Hinspergers is owned by Peter Hinspergers of Mississauga in Ontario, Canada. He also has a plant there and in Nova Scotia.

“He always wanted to have a presence in the United States,” Budd said. “He looked as far as the Carolinas and the Northeast to the Midwest, before settling on Medina.”

Budd and his wife made Medina their home, and said it has been an interesting 24 years.

“It has been a great experience,” Budd said. “I’ve made many friends and became a member of Shelridge Country Club. I’ve promised to come back and play golf.”

There were several reasons for choosing Medina, Budd said. One was the fact the company made swimming pool covers, and because it is so cold and snowy in the northeast, every pool owner would be interested in having a pool cover.

Another reason is that Medina is only a two-hour drive away when there are company meetings. And, the 25,000-square-foot building on Oak Orchard Street was attractive and they were able to purchase enough additional land to expand.

Hinspergers in Medina opened its doors Dec. 17, 2001 with 17 employees at the former Jamestown Container site. The building was wide enough for production rooms to produce custom-made pool covers that can spread out beyond 40 feet.

Soon after, in 2003, another 25,000 square feet was added, followed by a 33,000-square-foot addition in 2005. Sales quadrupled and employment had reached 65 when Covid hit. They currently employ about 45 and are hiring.

Since Covid, Budd said it has been a challenge to get and retain good help. The key people, however, have been there many years. He said Hinspergers is clean, light manufacturing and a great place to work.

Retirement will find him and his wife living in Waterloo for six months in the summer, and wintering in Florida for the winters. The couple has two children and three grandchildren.

Budd is confident he is leaving Hinspergers in good hands and said Szatkowski is doing a great job. Szatkowski’s background has been with several local companies, including Takeform and Bernz-o-Matic.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Stephanie Kruzynski, a Medina kindergarten teacher, brought her class to Medina Memorial Hospital today for the Teddy Bear Clinic where students bring in stuffed animals or dolls and go through different stations at the hospital.

Here, a student checks the temperature of a doll.

Medina had about 100 kindergarteners in the hospital today for the clinic. Today was the last Teddy Bear Clinic of the school year. Medina Memorial welcomed kids from Albion, Medina, Lyndonville and Barker this year, about 500 students in all.

Erica Chutko, manager of the X-Ray Department, shows students X-rays. She explained an X-Ray is a way to take a picture of the inside of a body. Getting an X-Ray doesn’t hurt, she told the students.

The Teddy Bear Clinic has been popular at the hospital since its return in 2015. Before that many school districts cut back on field trips and no schools visited the hospital about a decade before 2015.

Medina Memorial welcomes the students to help them feel more comfortable if they ever need to go the hospital. The kids can bring in toys and give those dolls and stuffed animals bandages, X-rays, Band-Aids and other care.

The kindergartners left their stuffed animals on the X-Ray table. Chutko showed students how that table goes up and down at the flip of a switch.

“Don’t you wish you had one of these in your bedroom?” she asked the kids.

Chutko told them adult humans typically have 206 bones in their bodies.

Kate Brauen, Doctor of Pharmacy and director of pharmacy at Orleans Community Health, talks about how medications can help people feel better who are sick or battling health issues.

Leah Brenner, a nurse practitioner, and Becka Schoolcraft (in back), the Medina Healthcare Center clinic manager, help students pretend to give shots and check the blood pressure of their stuffed animals.

One trustee pushed for 1% increase, but mayor said that would have taken too much from fund balance

Photos by Tom Rivers: (Left) Albion Mayor Tim McMurray speaks during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting when he said the village budget is beyond bare bones with any additional cuts into “bone marrow.” (Right) Trustee Kevin Sheehan wanted the board to take $50,000 more from the fund balance to lower the tax increase to 1.0 percent.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board adopted the 2026-27 village budget on Wednesday that will increase taxes by 2.5 percent.

One trustee, Kevin Sheehan, sought to use $50,000 from the village fund balance which would have reduced the tax increase to 1.0 percent. But Mayor Tim McMurray said that would have left the village with too little of a cushion for any unanticipated expenses in the new fiscal year that starts June 1.

The mayor said Albion has old waterlines, infrastructure and equipment, which could result in a big bill if something breaks and needs to be replaced.

The 2.5 percent increase follows a budget from a year ago that raised taxes by 11 percent, and that was when the fire department was moved out of the village budget into its own taxing entity with a fire district.

The new budget totals $9,371,115 with the General Fund at $4,890,354, the Water Fund at $2,927,243 and Sewer at $1,554,518.

The water and sewer funds are self-supporting through water and sewer bills. Property taxes go towards the General Fund, which increased by 2.7 percent or $126,399 – from $4,763,955 to $4,890,354.

The village’s tax levy will go up by $85,221.61 or 2.5 percent from $3,463,463.38 to $3,548,685. The tax rate will increase 2.4 percent or 38 cents from $15.99 to $16.37 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The owner of an house assessed for $140,300 would see an increase in village taxes by $53.28 from $2,244.09 to $2,297.37, village officials said.

Chart data from Albion Clerk/Treasurer Tracy Van Skiver. Note: The fire department is out of the village budget but the village still owns the fire hall and is responsible for its maintenance.

The budget is only taking $5,900 from the fund balance. In many past budgets in recent years, the budget was able to tap into $200,000 or more of fund balance which lowered the tax rate. (The village in the current 2025-26 budget used $64,000 in its fund balance compared to $261,150 in 2024-25.)

The village currently only has $242,000 in fund balance. McMurray said the state comptroller would like to see Albion with about 20 percent of the general fund as a fund balance, or nearly $1 million to help weather emergency expenses. Albion also has $250,000 in reserve funds to help with future equipment needs.

Sheehan sought to take $50,000 more out of the fund balance which would have put that fund below $200,000.

“That will bring the rate down,” he said. “I’m all about lowering taxes.”

But McMurray said reducing the fund balance only sets Albion up for big tax hikes in the future. He said previous village boards dwindled the fund balance down far too low, leaving the more recent board in a difficult position with the budget.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting new results,” he said.

Sheehan was on some of those boards when the fund balance was bigger and used to help hold taxes at minimal increases.

“I take offense when you say ‘previous boards,’” Sheehan responded to McMurray. “I was on three boards. There’s ways to get through it.”

Sheehan said state grant programs can help the village with some of the equipment needs.

Sheehan opposed the budget as presented on Wednesday, while McMurray, and trustees William Gabalski and Jami Allport voted yes.

The village’s tax base barely grew in the past year after seeing a huge jump a year ago after reassessments. The village’s taxable valuation went up 41.6 percent or by $63,666,806 – from $152,867,932 to $216,534,738 in 2025.

However, this time the tax base grew by less than 0.1 percent or $182,846 from $216,534,738 to $216,717,584.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today questioned United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Administration’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda, highlighting Canada’s refusal to substantively engage on longstanding trade barriers harming Upstate New York producers.

During the hearing, Congresswoman Tenney highlighted Canadian actions that are devastating NY-24 producers, including Canadian restrictions and prohibitions on the export of dairy, wine and bulk produce.

These issues are all highlighted in the National Trade Estimate Report as foreign trade barriers harming the U.S.-Canada relationship. These policies, Tenney emphasized, are placing Upstate New York farmers and producers at a competitive disadvantage despite repeated U.S. efforts to resolve these issues through negotiation.

As Ambassador Greer stated “I think we’re kind of at the end of our rope… there are two countries that have retaliated economically against the United States in the past year: The People’s Republic of China and Canada. So that’s kind of the company they’re running in.”

“Upstate New York farmers and producers are some of the best in the world, but they are not getting a fair shot,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Canada continues to block our dairy, our wine, and our produce while expecting free and open access to our markets. That is not how a fair trade relationship works. I hear from these producers every day, and they are frustrated because of Canada’s discriminatory treatment and refusal to engage on these issues meaningfully and substantively. We need to hold Canada accountable, strengthen USMCA, and make sure our farmers and businesses can compete and win in the international marketplace.”

Press Release, Orleans County Planning & Development Department

MEDINA – Orleans County celebrated Earth Day today by opening registration for its Annual Paint Collection Event, which will be held on Saturday, May 30th at the GCC Campus in Medina.

This event is done in partnership with Niagara County and is open to residents of both Orleans and Niagara counties. Registration is required.

“Earth Day reminds us that protecting our planet starts with everyday choices like reusing what we can and recycling what we can’t, and that is what this paint collection event is all about,” said Corey Winters, Orleans County Director of Planning and Development, which organizes the event. “Last year, hundreds of people participated, helping us keep paint cans out of our landfills.  We hope for an even better turnout this year.”

Orleans County works in collaboration with paint-recycling company GreenSheen to collect the paint. Resident and businesses are welcome to bring oil-based, acrylic and latex paint, urethanes, varnishes, shellacs, lacquers, primers and clear coatings to be recycled at no cost.

“As I say every year, as everyone begins spring cleaning, this is a great opportunity to get those old paint cans out of your basement, garage and shed, and ensure they are properly recycled,” said Winters.

WHAT: Free Community Paint Collection Event

WHEN: Saturday, May 30, 2026 from 9am to 1pm.

WHERE:  GCC Medina Campus Center, 11470 Maple Ridge Rd. Medina, NY 14103.

Registration for this event can be done at https://circular.eco/event/medina26.  Staff will be on hand to unload vehicles so drivers can stay in their vehicles. Those with any questions about the event should call the Orleans County Planning and Development Department at 585.589.3198.

ALBION – A former Lyndonville man was sentenced to 1 ½ years in state prison today by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

Carl Ostrander, 42, on Jan. 21 pleaded guilty to first degree attempted sexual abuse that occurred in the town of Yates.

The female victim, who was under 13 when Ostrander touched her in her private parts, spoke during the sentencing and said Ostrander has ruined her mental health and self esteem.

“You are more dangerous than you appear on paper,” she said. “I want everyone in the court to know that.”

She asked Judge Church to impose the maximum sentence. Ostrander was charged for sexual misdemeanor crimes against two other underage girls but those charges were dismissed after he was declared mentally incompetent. However, he was later deemed fit to stand trial and he faced the felony charge.

His attorney, Jeffrey Mallaber, said Ostrander suffered a traumatic brain injury in his youth that is a contributing factor in the case.

Judge Church said a TBI shouldn’t be blamed for Ostrander’s actions, which the judge said were intentional acts.

Ostrander, who recently moved to Lockport, did not speak during his sentencing today.

The judge gave him the maximum sentence as part of a plea agreement. Ostrander also will be on post-release supervision for 10 years and will be on the sex offender registry. The judge also issued an order of protection for the victim who spoke in court today.

In other cases in County Court today,

• A Medina man was sentenced to 1 ½ to 3 years of additional time in state prison for attempted assault, an E felony, to two jail corrections officers.

Patrick Casanova, 32, is currently serving a 2- to 4-year sentence in state prison at Five Points Correctional facility in Romulus, Seneca County. His earliest release date is listed as May 27, 2027.

The judge issued orders of protections for the two corrections officers who were injured.

Casanova disputed in court that he harmed the officers. He said he doesn’t plan on returning to Orleans County in the future because local law enforcement seems determined to put him in jail or prison.

Casanova is currently in prison after pleading guilty in 2023 to second-degree assault. He admitted to punching a woman in the face, which fractured her orbital bone and damaged her sinus.

• Richard Neal, 36, of Medina pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated. He was charged by State Police on Aug. 25 after allegedly driving a motorcycle on Route 31 in Ridgeway while intoxicated and without a license. He registered a BAC of 0.10 percent, just above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. He has a previous DWI conviction on may 29, 2025 in the City of Batavia.

Neal faces a possible split sentence of a maximum of six months in the county jail plus five years of probation when he is sentenced on July 1.