Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
As the weather gets warmer, more people spend time outside. During this time, it’s common to see wild animals and baby animals in yards, parks and wooded areas.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) remind everyone to be careful around wild animals, stray pets, and even young animals. Rabies is a serious disease that can spread to both animals and people, but it can be prevented.
“Rabies usually spreads through bites from infected animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes,” said Darren Brodie, Environmental Health Director for GO Health. “Even though baby animals may look harmless, they can still carry rabies. Do not touch or feed wild or stray animals. If an animal looks sick or injured, call animal control for help.”
Rabies can be deadly if it is not treated quickly. If you are bitten, wash the area right away with soap and water and get medical care as soon as possible. All animal bites should be reported to the Genesee or Orleans County Health Departments.
To help prevent rabies, follow these tips:
Make sure your pets have their rabies shots and are up to date.
Stay away from wild animals, stray pets, and baby animals, even if they seem friendly or hurt. Report animals that act strange, such as being aggressive, confused, or overly friendly.
Keep your pets on a leash to stop them from coming into contact with wild or stray animals. If your pet is bitten, contact your veterinarian right away and report it to the health department.
Take steps to prevent bats from coming indoors. If you find a bat inside, safely capture it and contact the health department. Do not let it go. For help, watch the GO Health Minute on how to safely catch a bat: GO Health Minute.
Residents are encouraged to take advantage of our upcoming drive-thru rabies vaccination clinics for dogs, cats, and ferrets in Genesee and Orleans counties, offered at no charge. Remember to bring proof of previous vaccination.
Orleans County Rabies Clinics at the Orleans County Fairgrounds (12690 State Route 31, Albion, NY 14411)
Saturday, April 25, from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, June 17, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, August 19, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, October 7, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Genesee County Rabies Clinics at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020)
Thursday, May 14, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Thursday, August 13, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Thursday, October 8, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
For more information on GO Health’s programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 April 2026 at 12:00 pm
Ryan Armstrong gets 4- to 8-year sentence, maximum as part of plea to manslaughter
Photos by Tom Rivers: Ryan Armstrong leaves Orleans County Court this morning after he was sentenced to state prison for second-degree manslaughter.
ALBION – Ryan Armstrong was sentenced to 4 to 8 years in state prison today in Orleans County Court. He is the driver of U-Haul who led police on a high-speed chase in two counties and plunged the U-Haul into the Erie Canal, causing the death of his passenger.
Armstrong, in County Court on Feb. 11, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter for reckless conduct that led to the death Reginald Russell, 56, on Sept. 2, 2025.
Armstrong, 43, in court today said he was deeply sorry for his actions on Sept. 2 that led to Russell’s death. He apologized to Russell family. Several of Russell’s family members were in court this morning at the sentencing.
“I hope the Lord and the families involved will forgive me,” Armstrong said.
Assistant District Attorney Daniel Punch said Armstrong put “countless people at risk” in the high-speed chase from Brockport to Murray. He turned what could have been a simply shoplifting arrest into a death that has devastated the Russell family, Punch told County Court Judge Sanford Church.
Punch said Armstrong has an arrest record going back to 1999 and has chosen a life of crime with drugs, assaults and vehicle and traffic violations.
Public defender Joanne Best said Armstrong and Russell were both heavily under the influence of drugs on Sept. 2.
They were stealing items from the Walgreens in Brockport at about 6:30 p.m. that day. They were putting merchandise in a U-Haul truck when law enforcement were called.
Law enforcement and firefighters check the scene on Sept. 2, 2025 after a U-Haul went into the Erie Canal in Murray, just east of Bennetts Corners Road. Reginald Russell, 56, drowned in the canal.
Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies and Brockport police officers attempted to stop the vehicle once it was on the move but Armstrong refused, leading law enforcement on a pursuit throughout the west side of Monroe County and into Orleans County. Armstrong drove the U-Haul at speeds of 85 miles per hour from Clarkson into Ogden, back through Brockport and eventually onto a canal service road in Murray.
Police used spike strips in the area of Bennetts Corners Road, where one of the vehicle’s tires became deflated. Armstrong then drove onto the southside of canal pathway before driving the U-Haul into the water, just east of Bennetts Corners Road.
He then swam across the canal to the other side of the canal, and then fled on foot. He was apprehended on the northside of the canal through the aid of drone technology.
After the U-Haul plunged into the water, Russell exited the vehicle. Deputies could see he was struggling to swim. They jumped into the canal to rescue Russell, but lost sight of him when he went under in the murky water.
Best, the public defender, said Armstrong didn’t intend to cause Russell’s death.
“He has accepted responsibility because he knows his actions were reckless,” Best said. “He is very remorseful.”
She asked for the minimum possible sentence for 3 to 6 years in prison. She said Armstrong has been active in a counseling program in the Orleans County Jail and is in a much better position mentally after being off drugs for many months.
The charge of second-degree manslaughter would normally have a maximum of 7 ½ to 15 years in state prison. The plea agreement reduced the maximum to 4 to 8 years.
County Court Judge Sanford Church gave Armstrong the maximum in the plea deal. The judge noted Armstrong has a long criminal history, put many people in the danger in the high-speed chase and ultimately caused the death of Russell.
The judge also fined Armstrong $2,500 and assessed $375 in other court surcharges and fees.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently penned a letter to Amanda Hiller, the acting tax commissioner in New York state, regarding an unusual number of constituents in his district claiming they have not received their tax returns yet.
Hawley noted that this growing issue is not isolated but rather part of a broader pattern affecting hardworking families across his district who rely on timely refunds to meet everyday expenses. As the cost of living continues to rise, delays of this nature only add unnecessary financial pressure on residents who have fulfilled their obligations on time.
“We have been receiving many phone calls, emails and Facebook comments from constituents stating they have filed their tax refunds over two months ago and still have not received their state tax refunds,” Hawley said. “What makes this more concerning is most of these individuals received their federal tax refunds within 10 days after filing.”
Hawley emphasized that the disparity between federal and state processing times raises serious questions about efficiency and accountability within the state’s tax system. He called on the Department of Taxation and Finance to provide clear answers and immediate solutions to ensure taxpayers are not left waiting indefinitely.
“Citizens of New York state are expected to file their taxes by a certain date, but the state has neglected to do its part by distributing refunds in a timely manner,” Hawley added. “These delays are causing financial strain for the taxpayers.”
Hawley hopes his letter will, at minimum, facilitate communication so his constituents will have more information than what has merely been posted on the state’s website.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 15 April 2026 at 8:34 am
Photos courtesy of Chris Busch: (Left) Tiny shovels for young students are ready and waiting for the village of Medina’s annual Arbor Day ceremony at 10 a.m. April 24 at the corner of Gwinn and William streets. (Right) The village of Medina will plant 51 trees this year. Here, they are shown lined up at the DPW waiting for planting.
MEDINA – The village of Medina will observe Arbor Day this year with the traditional tree planting ceremony on April 24.
As in past years, the second and third grades from Oak Orchard Primary School and Wise Intermediate School will take part in the ceremonial planting of trees, beginning at 10 a.m. at Gwinn and William streets. Gwinn Street between James Street and Frank Street will be briefly closed for the occasion.
“Fifty-one trees in all will be planted this year,” said Chris Busch, Medina’s forestry coordinator. “Trees will be planted on West Oak Orchard Street, West Avenue and Eagle, Gwinn and West Center streets.”
This flag indicates Medina has been designated a Tree City USA for 2026.
The ceremony, presented by the village of Medina Municipal Tree Board, will also feature the Oak Orchard Glee Club, directed by Andrea Busch.
Special guests welcomed to the ceremony include mayor Deb Padoleski and village trustees.
“We’d like to give an enormous thank you to School Superintendent Mark Kruzynski for Medina CSD’s continued participation in our annual Arbor Day celebrating, and for providing Mrs. Andrea Busch as a school-based resource,” said Mary Lewis, chair of the Tree Board. “The schools have been an important part of Medina’s Arbor Day tradition for more than 17 years. These young students are the stewards of tomorrow’s urban forest.”
The Tree Board’s focus continues to take a three-pronged approach – main arteries and central business district area/parks and high-need residential areas, according to Chris Busch.
“Though we’ve been planting trees for more than 17 years, the need for plantings in all of these areas continues,” Lewis said. “As old trees come down, new trees are planted. The new trees we’ve been planting in our parks are having a beautiful impact, and we’re beginning to make headway on our neighborhoods. There’s still much to be done. We wish we could do more.”
Science shows that trees in neighborhoods have a real and measurable impact in so many ways, Lewis continued.
“We have tons of feedback constantly from citizens about how much they appreciate the beauty of our tree-lined streets,” she said. “We get similar feedback from out-of-town visitors, too. It’s very gratifying.”
Medina’s urban forestry program is once again a Tree City USA, recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Busch said. The annual Tree City award honors Medina’s commitment to community forestry, he said.
The Tree City USA Program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA Forest Service. Tree City USA is awarded annually to those communities who qualify and is a national designation.
Numerous peer-reviewed studies on the impact of neighborhoods with street trees show multiple positive benefits, including increased property values, slower/safer traffic patterns, lower air temperatures and absorption of harmful pollution. The studies also show tree-lined streets in neighborhoods lower blood pressure and improve overall emotional and psychological health, according to Lewis.
“Gifts and contributions from individuals and businesses are essential to our work,” Lewis said. “We’re deeply grateful for this support. It’s crucial to sustaining our future. Medina’s tree-lined streets are a big reason people choose to live or open businesses here, and those donations are what make it possible for us to continue our efforts.”
Tax-deductible donations can be made any time for general tree planting, memorial trees or for “trees on your street,” according to Lewis.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 April 2026 at 4:45 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: Medina Village Board members meet in a conference room at the Shelby Town Hall for a workshop meeting followed by budget discussions on Monday evening. Pictured from left and going clockwise: Trustee Scott Bieliski, Trustee Mark Prawel, Mayor Debbie Padoleski, Clerk-Treasurer Jada Burgess, Trustee Jeff Wagner and Trustee Jess Marciano.
MEDINA – The Village Board faces a tall task of trying to pare down expenses and find more revenues before a final village budget is adopted on April 27.
The board held a public hearing on Monday evening on the tentative budget which shows a 22.5 percent tax increase.
Mayor Debbie Padoleski, who campaigned on a more affordable Medina, said the board has more meetings with department heads to try to bring down the tax increase. Padoleski was elected on March 18.
A year ago, the board was in similar predicament with a big tax increase in the tentative budget. Padoleski was a village trustee then and the board would eliminate four full-time firefighter positions, while not filling a vacancy in the DPW and cutting the K9 program.
Padoleski said there aren’t similar cost-savings to cut this time because those cuts were already made.’
The tentative $8,189,601 budget represents a $466,305 more in spending or a 6.0 percent increase from the $7,723,296 in the 2025-26 budget.
The tax levy, what property owners pay in taxes, would increase by $880,423 or 22.5 percent from $3,910,344 to $4,790,767. The tax rate would increase by $3.19 from $13.995 to $17.189.
“This is just the tentative budget,” Padoleski said Monday evening during a public hearing on the budget. “There is still quite a bit more of cutting to do.”
Part of the increase is an additional $139,225 for the first bond payment for a new ladder truck. The board is working to sell that truck, and it’s possible the sale could exceed what the village owes at $1.8 million. There could be some unanticipated revenue from that truck, Padoleski said.
The budget shows a $340,020 increase in salaries (from $3,210,661 to $3,550,681); $5,000 increase in equipment reserve (from $50,000 to $55,000); $17,700 more for capital projects (from $1,756,548 to $1,837,899).
Total revenues are down by $414,118 from $3,812,952 to $3,398,834.
Padoelski said she met last week with the leaders from the towns of Shelby, Ridgeway and yates to request more money from them than the current $35,000 each annually towards the ambulance services in Western Orleans County. She said she sensed resistance to a higher amount from Yates and Ridgeway, while Padoleski said Jim Heminway, Shelby town supervisor, is open “to a new way of doing things.”
Padoleski said the fire department with 17 career firefighters is operating at a deficit of about $1.6 million.
“We’re obligated to come up with a tax rate in the next two weeks,” Padoleski said about a final village budget for 2026-27. “Honestly, right now I don’t know what that looks like.”
Here are the village tax levies and tax rates in the past seven budgets:
2025-26 tax levy, $3,910,344; tax rate, $13.995
2024-25 tax levy, $3,903,200; tax rate, $13.97
2023-24 tax levy, $3,786,964; tax rate, $21.16
2022-23 tax levy, $3,296,140; tax rate, $18.95
2021-22 tax levy, $3,259,119; tax rate, $18.77
2020-21 tax levy, $3,197,059; tax rate, $18.46
2019-20 tax levy, $3,138,059; tax rate, $18.32
The mayor also said the village faces costly upgrades in the near future at the sewer plant and replacing very old waterlines. Those undertakings will likely result in higher sewer and water bills for village customers, although she said Medina would be pursuing grants to hep offset the costs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 April 2026 at 10:00 am
Provided photo: This photo from December shows Medina’s new ladder truck. The quint truck has a 100-foot ladder and many other capabilities. Medina Fire Department officials visited the truck manufacturing site in Appleton, Wisconsin.
MEDINA – Village officials will soon be putting together a package for prospective buyers of Medina’s new ladder truck.
A new administration on the Village Board, led by new mayor Debbie Padoleski, wants the ladder truck sold soon.
The truck is currently in Tonawanda where is waiting for a part, the cover for a metal box for tools. The truck hasn’t been put into service and the letters haven’t been put on that says it is a Village of Medina Fire Department truck.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Mayor Debbie Padoleski said she wants the village to push to sell the new ladder truck. Trustee Mark Prawel is at right.
“I’m hoping we can move forward with a sale,” Padoleski told other Village Board members during Monday’s board workshop meeting. “I want to keep this ball moving.”
Before she was mayor, Padoleski was on the board as a village trustee. She led a majority that included Mark Prawel and Scott Bieliski to vote on Feb. 9 and declare the truck surplus and begin the process for selling it.
Padoleski campaigned that the truck is unaffordable for the village. Besides buying the truck at $1.7 million, Medina would likely need to put an addition on its fire hall to house the truck. The current fire hall only has 10-foot, 6-inch clearance. The new truck can’t fit in the fire hall.
The truck with the addition could put the village on the hook for up to $4 million, Padoleski has said.
She wants to sell the truck at a minimum bid to pay off the loan, which is close to $1.8 million. The first of 20 payments at $139,225 is due in the village’s 2026-27 budget. That budget needs to be approved by the end of the month.
The Village Board needs to determine a minimum bid for the truck because there could be other costs, including a broker’s fee. The board could settle at a $1.9 minimum, Padoleski said.
The truck is expected to be back in Medina today. The village will take photographs of the truck, and prepare precise specifications for interested buyers. The potential bidders will likely want to come see the truck in person.
The mayor, who took office last week, said the truck could be sold through a sealed bid or an RFP (Request for Proposals).
Trustee Scott Bieliski said many fire departments have shown interest in the truck, including nearby Brockport and departments in other states. The village could sell the truck for more than $2 million, making a profit on the sale. Similar new ladder trucks are now $2.4 million at the time of the order with a wait from the manufacturer that could be three to four years.
Bieliski said Medina could work out a deal with Brockport and avoid needing a broker. A broker would charge a 1 percent fee and likely make about $20,000.
Village attorney Matt brooks said the Village Board is obligated to try to maximize the sale price. That could mean utilizing the services of a broker.
Bieliski said he would work to put together a bid package and reach out to brokers to help with the potential sale. In the meantime, the truck is expected to be stored in the DPW facility when it’s back in Medina.
Provided photo: Pictured form left include Zachery Freas (Lyndonville), welding teacher Verenice Bragg and Renzo Tomasi (Albion).
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Two Orleans Career and Technical Education Center (OCTEC) welding students brought how two of the top three medals from the 2026 AWS (American Welding Society) Weld Off competition.
Their teacher, Verenice Bragg, is proud to announce that seniors Zachery Freas (Lyndonville) took first place and Renzo Tomasi (Albion) placed third. Renzo also received a $1,000 scholarship that he will use when he attends Alfred State College this fall.
The competition was held on March 28th at the Northland Workforce Training Center in Buffalo. It was free to all participants and each BOCES and/or technology school is allowed to send two seniors and two juniors. First place winners receive a $200, second place $150 and third place is a $100 prize. They also receive a prize pack from the American Welding Society.
Zachery’s first place win and Renzo’s third place win qualify them to attend the Thruway Cup in Albany in May.
Photo courtesy of Gillibrand’s office: U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand speaks during a new conference in Washington on Monday.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a press conference with several of her Senate Democratic colleagues on Monday to announce a new wave of War Powers Resolutions that can be used to force a vote to stop President Trump’s reckless and unconstitutional war in Iran, which is endangering American troops, jeopardizing national security, and raising costs for New York families.
Specifically, Gillibrand’s resolution directs the president to remove the U.S. armed forces from hostilities with or against Iran unless military force is explicitly authorized by Congress.
War Powers Resolutions are privileged, meaning they can be brought to the Senate floor for a vote by any senator ten days after they are filed. Gillibrand joins Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Andy Kim (D-NJ) in putting forth these new resolutions, which come in addition to those filed over the past several weeks by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
“President Trump chose to start a war knowing it was going to raise gas prices on Americans already struggling to get by,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The president, and his party, just don’t care about anyone other than themselves. They lie, cheat and steal to enrich themselves and leave regular folks with the bill. It is long past time for Republicans in Congress to stand up and do their job.”
Senator Gillibrand has long advocated for ending unauthorized forever wars and reasserting Congress’ responsibility over the use of military force. In 2019, Gillibrand introduced the War Powers Reform Resolution, which would require the president to provide Congress with a clear objective for military action, as well as evidence that the use of the United States’ armed forces is necessary, appropriate, and proportional to the mission; a finite list of adversaries; and the names of the countries where the U.S. military will deploy.
Since President Trump began his reckless war of choice in Iran in February, Senator Gillibrand has repeatedly called for an end to the war and highlighted the harm it has done to the American people.
“As the administration’s reckless war of choice spirals further out of control and Americans face even greater costs here at home, the need for the Senate to do its job and stop this war is intensifying,” said Senator Booker. “I am proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues in this effort to use every tool at our disposal to uphold our constitutional responsibility, check a power mad president who has plunged our nation and world into chaos, and stop this unconstitutional war.”
ALBANY – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul once again calling for decisive action and a full investigation following a second troubling incident involving protesters at the New York State Capitol.
In a letter sent this week to Gov. Hochul and the New York State Police, Hawley detailed an encounter on April 1 in which he was aggressively confronted while trying to enter the Assembly Chamber on the third floor of the Capitol. The incident mirrors a similar situation that occurred just a week earlier on March 24, when he was prevented from entering the building by protestors.
According to Hawley, a large group of individuals were inside the Capitol under the pretense of an organized protest, only to become disruptive and confrontational. As he attempted to enter the Chamber, Hawley was surrounded and physically impeded by individuals attempting to force him to answer questions and engage on their terms.
“After just weeks ago experiencing a similar situation outside the capitol, I was once again prevented from freely entering the Assembly Chamber,” Hawley said. “The protestors also prevented an individual in a wheelchair from entering. This type of behavior is unacceptable. No elected official—nor any staff member or visitor—should feel intimidated or unsafe while conducting business in the Capitol.”
Hawley also raised concerns about security protocols and the handling of protest activity within the building. He noted that while peaceful protest is a fundamental right, the line was crossed when individuals disrupt operations or threaten the safety of others.
“I will always support the right to protest, but when that right is abused to harass, intimidate or obstruct, it becomes a serious security issue,” Hawley added. “The Capitol must remain a place where public servants and visitors alike feel safe.”
In his letter, Hawley urged state officials to conduct a thorough review of both incidents and to implement stronger safeguards to prevent future occurrences. He specifically called on the New York State Police and Capitol security to reassess procedures and ensure accountability.
“New Yorkers expect their government to function in a safe and orderly manner,” Hawley said. “It is imperative that immediate steps are taken to ensure this never happens again.”
Hawley has received comment from the New York State Troopers but has not received a response from the governor at this time. He has reaffirmed his commitment to protecting both the integrity of the legislative process and the safety of all who work in and visit the Capitol.
BASOM – In response to today’s rally in Batavia led by those in opposition to the Stream Data Center project, we would like to offer you the following statement:
We have consistently prioritized transparency and community engagement, proactively hosting multiple informational sessions to ensure that residents and concerned stakeholders have direct access to our team and the facts of this project. Our goal is to demonstrate how this project represents our approach in the industry, blending innovative technology with a minimal environmental footprint and significant economic benefits.
We recognize that many concerns are based on legacy technologies or alternative approaches to this type of facility. We strongly believe this project represents a best-use, compatible development located within Genesee County’s designated area for such projects. For instance, we understand that water usage is a significant concern for the community. By utilizing a closed-loop cooling system, this new facility will consume less water than a standard warehouse or a large grocery store, requiring only a fraction of the capacity used by traditional manufacturing or agricultural processing companies.
Stream is proud of this project’s modern design, which ensures the campus will remain a quiet, clean, and high-value neighbor. We invite you to review the accompanying fact sheet to see firsthand the care and responsible planning invested in this initiative—one that secures substantial economic benefits for the residents and taxpayers of both the Town of Alabama and Genesee County. We look forward to being an active, difference-making member of this community for decades to come.
Bradley Wells
Senior Project Development Manager
Stream Data Centers
Editor’s Note: Stream says the project will have an economic benefit of more than $1.9 billion, including $285 million in direct local payments, $7 million in annual revenue to the Oakfield-Alabama school district, 125 permanent jobs with average salaries topping $100,000, and approximately 1,200 construction jobs at peak. For more on the project, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 April 2026 at 4:26 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – Firefighters work to stop a fire and vent smoke from a house at 1544 Oak Orchard Rd. in Carlton. Jerry Bentley, the deputy fire coordinator, is on the aldder breaking a window to let out smoke.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at about 2:45 p.m. The house is located on Route 98 near the intersection with Park Avenue.
There was heavy smoke coming from the house and flames on the back side of the structure when firefighters arrived on scene, said Chris Standish, the Carlton fire chief.
“Firefighters could hear the crackle and popping coming from inside,” he said.
Standish said the fire is under investigation.
Carlton was assisted at the scene by firefighters from Albion, Kendall, Murray, Clarendon and Medina as well as the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.
Tonia James lives at the house with four cats and three dogs. Six of those pets perished in the fire. She is thankful her dog Sadie survived.
Sadie gets oxygen from the Mercy Flight medics who responded. Sadie suffered smoke inhalation and rebounded. She was up and walking with James.
Jayden Allport, an EMT with Mercy Flight, checks on Sadie. The dog was carried out of the house by firefighters and Mercy Flight gave her oxygen at the scene.
Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke
ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of multiple individuals following a series of investigations conducted in conjunction with the Department of Social Services into alleged public assistance fraud.
As a result of these investigations, several subjects were charged with offenses including Welfare Fraud, Petit Larceny, Grand Larceny, Criminal use of a public benefit card and Offering a False Instrument for Filing.
The following were charged: Hunter Green, David Savage, Kayla Twiss, Suzanne Adams, Felicia Gaddis, Tammie Sanchez, Brenda Dukes, Lisa Mcdaniels, Stephanie DeRosa and Ashley Chambers.
It is alleged that the individuals collectively received $17,236.41 in public assistance benefits to which they were not entitled.
All subjects were issued appearance tickets and are scheduled to appear in the Town of Albion Court at a later date.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely with the Department of Social Services to investigate and prosecute fraud-related offenses.
Photo courtesy of Medina Triennial: This is a production still for Two Waters, 2026, by Tania Candiani. It is a new commission for the Medina Triennial.
Press Release, Medina Triennial
MEDINA – The Medina Triennial is pleased to unveil the full list of artists of its inaugural edition, All That Sustains Us, taking place June 6 to Sept. 7 in the Western New York village of Medina, along the Erie Canal.
Co-Artistic Directors Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo have invited 39 artists and collectives from across five continents to create a free, walkable, village-wide exhibition featuring over 100 works, including new site-specific commissions by 18 artists shaped in response to Western New York’s communities and ecosystems—many created in collaboration with local residents.
Following a year of on-the-ground research, Conte and Laansoo developed a curatorial framework rooted in the intersection of art, ecology, architecture, and rural contexts, while prioritizing local production to minimize carbon-intensive shipping.
Bringing artists from across the globe into dialogue with Medina and Western New York, the Triennial unfolds amid the histories, materials, and social worlds of the region. The works on view approach maintenance through linked themes: land relations and extraction, waterways and water stewardship, labor and repair, public life and community building, and the visible and hidden systems that shape everyday life.
Moving across different scales, the exhibition brings together building blocks and ruins, folklore and industry, farming and food security, interspecies kinship and ecological grief, as well as broader questions of conflict. Throughout Medina’s buildings, canalfront, parks, and former industrial sites, visitors encounter works that embody both endurance and fragility.
“All That Sustains Us echoes a question artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles posed in 1969 and never stopped asking: what does it take to keep things going? The Medina Triennial asks what forms of labor, knowledge, and commitment sustain civic life, ecological systems, and the built environment, especially under conditions of strain,” said Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo, co-artistic directors of the Triennial. “The works gathered here emerged from research and dialogue with artists and offer many distinct positions. What connects them is a shared attention to the forces, materials, and ideas that hold communities together, and to the conditions under which those structures begin to break down.”
The Triennial’s sites span the full breadth of the village. Situated in a former sandstone hotel overlooking the canal, the Medina Triennial Hub will serve as a welcome center, a home for education and residency programs, and a site for two major commissions—48 Collections from the Erie Canal by Futurefarmers and Reflection by Asad Raza.
The main exhibition site is 25,000 square feet of the Catherine Street Old Medina High School building, which has been closed to students and the public for more than three decades and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, where new commissions include A Good Wall by James Beckett, Two Waters by Tania Candiani, INT. HOME(S) by Ash Arder, THE TELL by Matt Kenyon, and Between Blossom and Core by Kärt Ojavee.
Works will also be presented at the Medina Railroad Museum, Orleans County YMCA, Medina Memorial Hospital, Rotary Park, State Street Park, and Sacred Heart Church, as well as installations directly on the Erie Canal.
Anchoring the outdoor program is a new site-specific commission by Lina Lapelytė, Faithfully Recording, a durational performance where singers and construction workers collaboratively build a public sculpture from reclaimed Medina sandstone on the Medina Railroad Museum’s grounds.
Scott Hocking presents a new commission in the empty lot beside the historic Medina Theater on Main Street. Further highlights include Anne Duk Hee Jordan’s water purification sculpture I travelled 66 million years to be with you and then you came, to be shown at State Street Park; Community Toolshed for the Birds by Richard Ighby & Marilou Lemmens, an interspecies collaboration installed at Rotary Park; Jane Jin Kaisen’s Sorrow Waters This Land; and Evelyne Leblanc-Roberge’s multimedia installation All the hours, presented at the Medina Memorial Hospital.
The Triennial also marks the first U.S. presentation of works by Deirdre O’Mahony and Tokyo-based collective SIDE CORE, whose large-scale installation at Sacred Heart Church brings their distinctive engagement with construction infrastructure and public space to an American audience for the first time.
New works were produced under the Medina Triennial Fieldwork Residency, an initiative that gives artists time, space, and resources within Medina—including a cohort of local scientists, architects, farmers, and small business owners from across Western New York—to support research, foster collaboration, and deepen community connections. The program is designed to tailor commissions to the region through immersion in the village and its surroundings.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Mary Mattingly is shown in September on a canal barge that she will be turning into a floating garden that should bear fruit this summer as part of the inaugural Medina Triennial. Mattingly will transform the 27-by-80-foot barge into a showcase for plants and nature. She led a similar initiative in New York City, and that repurposed barge drew 350,000 visitors and more than 900 guided tours.
In Fall 2025, Mary Mattingly and James Beckett began their residencies to create new commissions for the Triennial. Mattingly developed Floating Garden, a barge-based living artwork built with local residents and students from the Rochester Institute of Technology led by architect Amanda Reis, while Beckett explored how architecture carries local history, material intelligence, and slow instability, in collaboration with the University of Buffalo.
This Spring, Selva Aparicio and Michael Wang are in residence in Medina—Aparicio at work on Maintenance, a broom carved from anthracite coal, while Wang develops Future Sugarbush, a nascent sugar bush grove planned by the artist, and Sugarbush Energy, a canned maple sap drink that will be available for free throughout the Triennial, and at select businesses across Medina.
The Triennial also creates a space for recontextualization of existing works. Alice Bucknell’s Staring at the Sun, a sci-fi documentary about solar geoengineering and the limits of rendering the atmosphere as something wholly knowable, will be shown in the U.S. for the first time.
Buffalo-based Nigerian artist Victoria-Idongesit Udonian, also presenting at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, will show a new configuration of her large three-part installation, exploring the links between bodies and transit within global labor economies. AKI INOMATA presents How to Carve a Sculpture—an ongoing series of wood carvings produced by beavers enlisted by the artist’s collaborators at zoos across Japan. The Triennial will also honor Jay Carrier—an essential presence in Western New York’s artistic community, who passed away in 2025, presenting three of his mixed media works, The Children Will Heal Us (2018), American Landscape (2015), and Night Dancer (2019) throughout the Catherine Street main site.
The Medina Triennial was initiated with major support provided by the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, conceived as part of a broader strategy to showcase the Erie Canal as active civic infrastructure.
Further programming and event details forthcoming. For more information and to sign up for the official newsletter, please visit medinatriennial.org.
Medina Triennial 2026 Artists
Ash Arder (she/they) b. 1988, Flint, MI; lives in Detroit, MI
Selva Aparicio (she/her) b. 1987, Barcelona, Spain; lives in Alfred, NY, and Chicago, IL
James Beckett (he/him) b. 1977, Harare, Zimbabwe; lives in New York, NY and Amsterdam, Netherlands
Taysir Batniji (he/him) b. 1966, Gaza, Palestine; lives in Paris, France
Alice Bucknell (they/them) b. 1993, London, UK; lives in Los Angeles, CA
Tania Candiani (she/her) b.1974, Mexico City, Mexico; lives in Mexico City, Mexico
Jay Carrier (he/him) Onondaga/Tuscarora Nations, Wolf Clan; b. 1963, Six Nations reservation in Ontario, Canada; d. 2025, Niagara Falls, NY
Harun Farocki (he/him) b. 1944, Nový Jičín, Czechoslovakia (present-day Czechia); d. 2014, Berlin, Germany
Jeneen Frei Njootli (they/them) b. 1988, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada; lives in Old Crow, Yukon, Canada
FIBRA – est. 2019, Lima, Peru; Lucia Monge, b. 1983; Gianine Tabja, b.1983; Gabriela Flores del Pozo, b. 1979
Futurefarmers – est. 1994, San Francisco, CA; including Amy Franceschini, b. 1970, Patterson, CA; Michael Swaine, b. 1971, Buffalo, NY; and FS Bàssïbét, b. 1997, Elmina, Ghana
Terike Haapoja (she/her) b. 1974, Helsinki, Finland; lives in Berlin, Germany
Greg Halpern (he/him) b. 1977, Buffalo, NY; lives in Rochester, NY
Carole Harris (she/her) b. 1943, Detroit, MI; lives in Detroit, MI
Scott Hocking (he/him) b. 1975, Detroit, MI; lives in Detroit, MI
Gözde İlkin (they/them) b. 1981, Kütahya, Türkiye; lives in İstanbul, Türkiye
Richard Ibghy (he/him) & Marilou Lemmens (she/her) b. 1964, Montreal, Canada; lives in Durham-Sud, Canada b. 1976, Ascot Corner, Canada; lives in Durham-Sud, Canada
AKI INOMATA (she/her) b. 1983, Tokyo, Japan; lives in Tokyo, Japan
Anne Duk Hee Jordan (they/them) b.1978, South Korea; lives in Berlin, Germany
Jane Jin Kaisen (she/her) b. 1980, Jeju, South Korea; lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, and New York, NY
Matt Kenyon (he/him) b. 1977, Baton Rouge, LA; lives in Buffalo, NY
Evelyne Leblanc-Roberge (she/they) b. 1981, Maria, Quebec, Canada; lives in Rochester, NY
Dionne Lee (she/her) b.1988, New York, NY; lives in Columbus, OH
Lina Lapelytė (she/her) b. 1984, Kaunas, Lithuania; lives in London, UK, and Vilnius, Lithuania
Matthew López-Jensen (he/him) b. 1980, CT; lives in Bronx, NY
Cathy Lu (she/her) b. 1984, Miami, FL; lives in Richmond, CA
Mary Mattingly (she/her) b. 1978, Rockville, CT; lives in New York, NY
Deirdre O’Mahony (she/her) b. 1956, Limerick, Ireland; lives in Cork City, Ireland
Abraham O. Oghobase (he/him) b.1979, Lagos, Nigeria; lives in Toronto, Canada
Kärt Ojavee (she/her) b. 1982, Rakvere, Estonia; lives in Tallinn, Estonia
Asad Raza (he/him) b. 1974, Buffalo, NY; lives in Berlin, Germany
Gamaliel Rodriguez (he/him) b.1977, Bayamón, Puerto Rico; lives in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Selma Selman (she/her) b. 1991, Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina; lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Finnegan Shannon (they/them) b. 1989, Berkeley, CA; lives in New York, NY
Jean Shin (she/her) b. 1971, Seoul, South Korea; lives in Hurley, NY
SIDE CORE – est. 2012, Tokyo, Japan; based in Tokyo, Japan
Victoria-Idongesit Udondian (she/her) b. 1982, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria; lives in New York, NY, and Lagos, Nigeria
Mierle Laderman Ukeles (she/her) b. 1939, Denver, CO; lives in New York, NY and Jerusalem, Israel
Michael Wang (he/him) b. 1981, Olney, MD, USA; lives in Upper Grandview, NY
Press Release, Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Photo shows screenshot taken from Pixcams. The second and remaining chick is being fed.
BASOM – A second eaglet has died in the bald eagle nest being watched at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
The eaglet, the third chick to hatch, died at about the same age as the first one and in a similar manner.
In this case, the chick ended up falling out of the nest after getting going in the wrong direction.
“We are wondering if perhaps this being a newly built nest means it is shallower than most of the more established nests that are seen on cameras,” said Emma DeLeon, vice president of the refuge Friends group. “We could be seeing things happen that occur in nature regularly, but are not usually observed.”
The moderators of the eagle cam are sad about this unfortunate event but are rooting for INWR2, the second chick to hatch, who is still doing well.
INWR2 is almost twice as old as either of the chicks who died, so hopefully it is beyond the most dangerous phase.
“Please remember that what seems tragic to us is part of life for these eagles, and that the parents and remaining chick will continue on as before,” said DeLeon.
“Nature has its own way, and we can’t change that,” said Friends group President Richard Moss. “But we can continue to watch and learn from INWR2 and its parents.”
Egg 1 was laid on February 20, hatched April 1 and died April 6. Egg 3 was laid February 27, hatched April 7 and died April 12.
The remaining eagle chick was laid February 23 and hatched April 3, making it 10 days old today, or twice as old as its two siblings were when they died.
The Friends group’s Eagle Watches on Saturdays at the Cayuga Overlook are drawing a crowd — over 100 people this past weekend. And the Friends Facebook page, which tracks developments on the nest camera, has seen a dramatic increase in views and comments, Moss said.
A link to the bald eagle nest camera can be found at the Friends website, FINWR.org.
