Law enforcement banned from wearing masks; ICE kept from ‘sensitive locations’ without a warrant

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a sweeping set of laws to protect New Yorkers against aggressive federal immigration enforcement as part of the FY27 Enacted Budget.

These new laws will keep local law enforcement focused on keeping our communities safe instead of doing ICE’s job, protect the constitutional rights of New Yorkers from federal overreach, and hold federal agents accountable.

“From day one, I have been clear: Flagrant abuses of power by ICE will not stand in New York. That is why we have enacted a comprehensive set of policies to hold ICE accountable, protect the constitutional rights and safety of every New Yorker, and ensure there’s no sanctuary for criminals in our state,” Governor Hochul said. “States like New York can and must be a guardrail and national leader against ICE overreach, and I’m proud to enact these strong, common-sense protections for New Yorkers.”

Measures included in the Enacted Budget build on the Governor’s previously introduced proposals to protect New Yorkers amid an unprecedented escalation in aggressive federal immigration enforcement.

Local Cops, Local Crimes

Prohibits local governments, state and local police, and state and local corrections from entering into 287(g) Agreements or similar agreements with the federal government that allow for state and local law enforcement personnel and facilities to be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes.

Local governments would also be barred from paying or otherwise contributing to the costs related to constructing, owning, or operating an immigration detention facility. They would also be prohibited from changing zoning to allow for construction or use of buildings as immigration detention centers without public input.

Bans Law Enforcement from Wearing Masks

Prohibits state, local, and federal officers from wearing face covering while interacting with the public. This excludes necessary tactical equipment, sunglasses, or medical masks from the definition of face covering. Willfully violating the statute would be an infraction, and subsequent willful violations would be a misdemeanor.

Holds Federal Law Enforcement Accountable for Constitutional Violations

Currently, New Yorkers can sue state and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights under federal civil rights law but actions against federal officials are much more limited under federal law. This would establish a state law under which New Yorkers can bring a lawsuit against federal, state, and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights.

Safeguards Interactions With Public Employees

Prohibits the use of state and local civilian agencies and public school resources, including employee time, for civil immigration enforcement activities. This includes a ban on questioning or investigating individuals solely for civil immigration purposes unless required by a federal judicial warrant or by law.

Also prohibits officials from disclosing personally identifying information to immigration authorities, granting them access to non-public areas of public facilities, or using immigration officers as interpreters, and would prohibit the release or transfer of a student into immigration custody even if a parent has been detained, unless specifically mandated by a judicial warrant or court order.

Keeps Immigration Authorities Out Of Sensitive Locations

Prohibits all civilian state, local, and school employees (including higher ed and K-12) from permitting access to any non-public area of a state-owned or operated facility to immigration authorities without a judicial warrant, meaning any state or municipally owned or operated facility including housing accommodations, parks, childcare facilities, preschools, hospitals, schools, dorms, healthcare facilities, community centers, libraries and shelters, cannot grant or facilitate access to any non-public areas of their facilities to immigration authorities without a warrant.

Also protects against voter intimidation and interference at polling locations by denying immigration authorities access to such sites without a judicial warrant, and empowers privately owned or operated sensitive locations, including hospitals, daycares, schools, housing accommodations, and houses of worship to do the same.

Protecting Every Student’s Right to Free Public Education

Ensures immigrant students can access education, codifying the right to a free public education regardless of immigration status. Prohibits various practices, particularly around data collection and disclosure regarding immigration status, that could chill the exercise of that right by undocumented students.

Photo by Tom Rivers: These peach blossoms are shown on April 22, 2024 at the fruit orchards at Watt Farms on Route 98 in Gaines.

Press Release, Orleans County Department of Planning and Development

ALBION – Orleans County is accepting enrollment of additional parcels in its existing, certified agricultural district during the month of June, pursuant to New York State Agricultural and Markets Law.

The annual 30-day window is for inclusion of property that consists of predominantly viable agricultural land. During this time period, land may only be added and not removed from County Agricultural District No.1. Presently, there are over 120,150 acres in County Agricultural District No. 1.

This opportunity supplements, but does not replace, enrollment in an existing agricultural district during a more comprehensive review process held once every eight years. In 2024, the County Agricultural District No. 1 went through its major eight-year review. The next eight-year anniversary review – the only time during which parcels can be both added and removed – will not occur until 2032.

Requests for inclusion in District No. 1 will be evaluated, in order, by the Orleans County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, the Orleans County Legislature, and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. To enroll, owners must complete and sign a Letter of Intent for Annual Enrollment form. These are available from the Orleans County Department of Planning and Development (click here to see the form online).

Completed forms should be sent by July 1st to:

Corey Winters, Director

Orleans County Department of Planning & Development

14016 Route 31 West

Albion, NY  14411-9382

Please note that requesting enrollment during this 30-day time period is not a guarantee that an owner’s property will be added to Agricultural District No 1. Moreover, it will not automatically qualify your land for a reduced agricultural property tax assessment.

For information on obtaining a reduced agricultural property tax assessment, please contact your local assessor.  Any qualifying lot must be included entirely rather than partially.

Payments will range from $100 to $200

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul signed new legislation on Thursday as part of the FY27 Enacted Budget to hold the line on rising utility bills and make historic investments in New York’s sustainable future.

With this budget, Governor Hochul is standing up for utility ratepayers with $1 billion in one-time energy rebates, strict accountability measures on utility companies and aggressive measures to increase New York’s clean energy supply to help keep the lights on and costs down.

As the Governor enacts measures to combat skyrocketing utility costs, she continues making record investments in New York’s nation-leading environmental protection initiatives, flood mitigation efforts and community preparedness amidst frequent extreme weather events.

“Dangerous policies coming out of Washington have sent the costs of power skyrocketing and New Yorkers need relief,” Governor Hochul said. “This Budget not only means enhanced protections and direct financial relief for ratepayers today, it prepares us for an even stronger tomorrow thanks to our historic investments in sustainability, grid reliability, infrastructure and resiliency. In this budget, we are proving that we can prioritize affordability without compromising our New York values.”

$1 Billion in One-Time Energy Rebate Checks

With New Yorkers struggling with high energy costs and record gas prices at the pump thanks to bad federal policies, the new budget includes one-time $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) checks to help provide needed relief.

The POWER program will provide $200 to joint filers with incomes under $150,000 and $150 to joint filers with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000. Single filers with incomes under $150,000 will receive $100. The rebates will be issued as advanced credit checks and will be mailed out between September and December.

Who’s Eligible for a POWER Check?

You are eligible for a rebate credit check if, for tax year 2024, you:

• Filed a timely New York State Resident Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2024
• Were a full-time resident for New York State for Tax Year 2024
• Reported income within the qualifying thresholds and
• Were not claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s return.

American Patriot docked in Rochester, Buffalo

Provided photo: American Patriot is first cruise ship in decades to dock in Buffalo.

A cruise ship will be passing near Orleans County as part of a Great Lakes & Thousand Islands cruise. The ship went from Rochester along Lake Ontario to Buffalo on Thursday.

The American Patriot, a 130-passenger cruise ship, is owned by American Cruise Lines. It docked in Buffalo on Thursday after leaving Rochester and will be Buffalo until Saturday at the Erie Street dock, near Erie Basin Marina.

This map shows 9-day Great Lakes & Thousands Islands Cruise from Syracuse to Buffalo with tickets beginning at $8,395.

It is the first cruise to visit Buffalo in decades. Passengers aboard the American Patriot are expected to tour the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House and experience Niagara Falls.

Gov. Kathy Hochul praised cruise ship and its impact on tourism in New York.

 “As we welcome the American Patriot, we are bringing new visitors, new revenue, and a new sense of pride to Buffalo,” Hochul said in a news release. “This is the first of many arrivals that will showcase our world-class cultural institutions like the AKG and the Darwin Martin House to travelers from across the country. We are proving once again that Buffalo is a premier destination, and with our future cruise terminal on the horizon, the best is yet to come for the Great Lakes.”

This announcement marks the first time in decades that an American-built and flagged cruise ship will offer domestic cruises in the growing Great Lakes cruise market, Hochul’s office said.

Without the need to cross borders, the new cruises are a completely unique experience apart from all other cruise lines currently on the Lakes. Where other ships dock at ports intended for foreign ships and international entry, American Cruise Lines can dock in the heart of small towns, city parks and private marinas for an authentic and exclusive experience not available with any other cruise line, the governor’s office said.

American Cruise Lines President & CEO Charles B. Robertson said, “American Cruise Lines is looking forward to calling on Buffalo with our small ship, American Patriot. Buffalo’s investment in its waterfront inspires us to continue investing in our fleet on the Great Lakes. We are honored to be the first U.S. cruise line to visit Buffalo regularly and look forward to a growing partnership with the city.”

This year, American Cruise Lines is running seven cruises that embark or disembark from Buffalo:

• The 9 day/8 night Great Lakes & Thousand Islands Cruise that operates between Syracuse and Buffalo and explores the Thousand Islands, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie
• An 800-mile, 14 day/13 night American Great Lakes Cruise that operates between Buffalo and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and explores Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

Most dates in 2026 are already sold out. Dates for 2027 and 2028 have already been set and are available to book now.

Visit Buffalo President & CEO Patrick Kaler said, “The arrival of cruise ships to Buffalo harkens back to the city’s past, when passenger steamboats ferried thousands of passengers between Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit in the early 1900s. The return of cruise ships to Buffalo emphasizes the resurgence of interest in the city as a tourist destination. These passengers will experience the Queen City’s cultural institutions and culinary offerings and share the word once they’re back home.”

About American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines is the largest river cruise line in the U.S.A., with 28 small ships and 50-plus domestic itineraries on the Mississippi River, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, the Great Lakes, and protected waterways around the country, from Alaska to Florida.

Ortt, Hawley say ‘bloated’ budget doesn’t address affordability crisis

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed off on a $268 billion state budget today, a budget that was nearly two months past the April 1 deadline.

 Hochul hailed the spending plan for putting New York on a path to statewide universal childcare. She also touted $1 Billion in one-time energy rebate checks.

Some other highlights from the governor include a record high $900 million investment in public safety funding, legislation to ban 3D-printed ghost guns and DIY machine guns, measures to reduce insurance rates for drivers, and no tax on tips.

“Working with my partners in the Legislature, we delivered an ambitious agenda that will lower costs for hardworking families, keep New Yorkers safe and create opportunity for all,” Governor Hochul said. “While Washington continues to make life more difficult for New Yorkers, I’m doing everything in my power to make real, tangible progress on the issues New Yorkers are facing and I will always fight for the people who call this great state home.”

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt issued this statement:

“This budget not only failed miserably on timeliness and fiscal responsibility, but it also does nothing to address the real affordability crisis facing New Yorkers.

“It fails to rein in skyrocketing energy costs. It refuses to roll back unrealistic and expensive so-called “green” energy mandates that are driving up utility bills for families and businesses alike. It also fails to crack down on the fraud, waste, and abuse that continue to plague New York’s Medicaid system.

“Instead of addressing the issues that matter most to hardworking taxpayers, Albany Democrats remain focused on spending more of your money on giveaways, freebies, and politically driven handouts that do little to help the vast majority of New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.

“This is a great budget for those who are in this country illegally. But it will do nothing to stop families, seniors, young professionals, and small businesses from continuing to leave our state in search of greater opportunity, affordability, and common sense elsewhere.”

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley issued this statement:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is criticizing the newly enacted New York state budget, which spends over $268 billion, calling it another example of Albany’s out-of-control spending habits that continue to burden hardworking taxpayers while driving residents and businesses out of the state. The enacted budget represents a $13.7 billion increase over last year and has grown by over $100 billion over the last decade.

“Albany is living beyond its means while hardworking New Yorkers are paying the price,” said Hawley. “This budget continues a dangerous pattern of reckless spending while nearly one million people have already left New York this decade, and more are on their heels. Seniors relying on pensions, hardworking families and businesses both large and small cannot continue to carry the burden of the Majority’s misguided priorities. We should be focused on lowering costs, restoring affordability and making New York a place where people want to stay and grow.”

Hawley pointed to states like Florida and Texas, both of which have larger populations than New York, yet operate with substantially leaner state budgets. Hawley said New York’s growing tax burden and cost of living continue to put the state at a competitive disadvantage while families struggle with rising costs for groceries, energy, housing and insurance.

“I see families across New York tightening their belts, yet the Majority in Albany continues to spend money like there is no limit,” Hawley said. “Taxpayers deserve a government that lives within its means, prioritizes kitchen-table issues and respects the people footing the bill for this bloated budget.”

Press Release, Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court #953

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court #953 will award one academic scholarship in the amount of $500 to a graduating senior that resides within the ONE Catholic Family of Parishes.

Preference will be given to an active parishioner of the ONE Catholic community and/or to a graduate pursuing a career in human services (social work, nursing, education, etc).

The application is now open and closes on Monday, June 15 at 7 p.m. The winner will be notified before the end of June.

To apply, click here and fill out a simple form. Any questions or concerns can be directed to CDA.Court953@gmail.com.

Formed in 1903, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) is one of the oldest and largest organizations of Catholic women in the Americas. We provide local spirituality, sharing, and activity under the support of a vibrant national organization.

Members donate to charities, administer scholarship programs, and strive “to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness.” They embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jim Hancock helps Barb Gorham ready the Tourism Visitors’ Center for its season opening on Tuesday. The booth is now open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays until Labor Day, after which it will be open on Saturdays through September.

MEDINA – The Medina Tourism Committee is anticipating a record-breaking visitors’ season this summer, as they open the Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park.

Jim Hancock, chair of the Tourism Committee, and Barb Gorham who oversees volunteers for the Visitors’ Center, officially opened the booth for the season on Tuesday. Assisting them were Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director; Isabella Zasa, Tourism assistant; and Maureen Sanderson, tourism booth volunteer.

Medina’s Tourist Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park opened for the season on Tuesday. Tourist personnel on hand to help with the opening are, from left, Jim Hancock, chair of the Medina Tourism Committee; Barb Gorham, who oversees volunteers for the season; Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director; Isabella Zasa, tourism assistant; and Maureen Sanderson, volunteer.

Tourism is on schedule to have one of the busiest seasons in Medina this summer, with the return of 650 cyclists in July and the first-of-its-kind event in a small town – the Medina Triennial. The Triennial itself is predicted to bring 50,000 people to Medina from June 6 though Labor Day.

Hancock said they have 16 volunteers signed up for the season, but still welcome anyone who would like to become a volunteer.

“We can always use substitutes,” Gorham said.

This summer, the Arc GLOW is sending volunteers under the guidance of Tracey Hendrick with Arc’s Pre-Vocational Program and Terry Kingdollar with a Self-Advocacy group.

“This is a wonderful way for them to get volunteer experience and gain social and leadership skills,” Gorham said.

Gorham started as a volunteer five years ago, and last year offered to take over scheduling volunteers.

“I was surprised how many people come here, not only from all over the United States, but the world,” Gorham said. “We have had people from Argentina, France, England and Australia, as well as other countries.”

Maureen Sanderson is one of the dedicated volunteers.

“I love meeting people,” she said. “They always have an interesting story to tell.”

The Visitors’ Center first began in 2009, when they shared space with United Way on Main Street, then were located at City Hall for a time. Their move to Rotary Park came about after Tourism got permission from the village to use the Santa House as a Visitors’ Center during the summer.

The move proved to be a popular one, with hundreds of tourists visiting the site each year. Last year, 328 visitors signed the book, and there were many more who did not.

Volunteers work three-hour shifts, either from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday until Labor Day.

Last year, for the first time, the booth stayed open on Saturdays during September, and that proved very successful, Hancock said.

“We will do that again this year,” he said.

Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director, and Jim Hancock, chair of Medina’s Tourism Committee, compare notes while assisting with the opening of the Tourism Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park on Tuesday.

Photos by Tom Rivers: John Fitzak, Orleans County legislator and co-leader of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities, addresses about 20 local officials on Tuesday during the monthly meeting of the association. The meeting was hosted by the Village of Holley and held in the cafeteria of the Holley Elementary School.

HOLLEY – Officials in Orleans County were told the state has funding opportunities to study infrastructure needs and also to consider more efficient ways to providing services.

Andrew Santillo, a local government specialist with the NYS Department of State, was the featured speaker during Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities. He spoke by phone from Albany.

The state has funded projects in the county, including $52,859 towards a current study looking at EMS and firefighting services throughout the county. A final report is expected soon on that report.

Holley Mayor Mark Bower said the village has worked to update its zoning ordinances and comprehensive plan with assistance from the Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council.

The Department of State also worked with Orleans County on a regional dredging plan.

The state made $8 million available for projects in the 2025-26 budget. About $800,000 goes towards planning grants while $7.3 million is directed at implementing projects, Santillo said.

The funding is open to counties, towns, villages, school districts, fire districts, libraries and BOCES.

Some recent projects have involved courts, a regional fuel facility, code enforcement, assessment, merging a police department, information technology services, municipal planning, clean energy initiatives and waste water.

Santillo highlighted a project in Lewis County in the north country where 17 municipal entities are sharing highway equipment.

The Brockport Fire District also secured nearly $500,000 for a regional bunk-in program that boosts firefighter staffing through SUNY Brockport. Students get free room and board at the Brockport firehouse in exchange for responding to some emergency calls as volunteer firefighters.

“We try to meet the needs of local governments,” Santillo said.

Some recent studies in parts of the state have assisted planning and zoning boards with zoning updates and new comprehensive plans, and fire districts and schools with mergers. Some students have looked at the dissolution of village governments and shifting those services to a town.

Other students have examined how municipal services could better be reorganized.

“We put some money behind projects to see if savings can be had,” Santillo said. “Is there a way to help you guys do things better or more cost effective?”

He noted some current projects in the GLOW region including a water main replacement in Avon, a water-loss study in Wyoming County, and a large sewer project in Darien.

County Legislator John Fitzak also is chairman of the Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, which serves nine counties and the city of Rochester.

He said the organization can assist municipalities with preparing and administering grants.

“The money is there for projects,” Fitzak said.

Pay hikes will get Orleans to average salaries for smaller counties

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has approved a three-year contract with 24 members of the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, giving the 24 members a boost in pay to bring the group to the average pay for deputies in smaller counties.

The agreement includes deputies, sergeants, criminal investigators and lieutenants. They are currently about $5,400 below the average base salary for their positions among 13 smaller counties. In Orleans, they currently have a base salary of about $75,000.

They will get a 6.6 percent raise in 2027, bring the base pay to about $80,000, and will then receive 2.5 percent increases every six months – Jan. 1, 2028; July 1, 2028; Jan. 1, 2029; and July 1, 2029.

The agreement brings Orleans in line with the salaries among other smaller counties, and still well below the pay offered by larger law enforcement departments in nearby Monroe County, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer. Some of those departments are offering $100,000 to start, he said. In Orleans, new deputies start at about $60,000 base salary.

The county used 13 comparable counties to compare the pay rates. Legislature Chairwoman thanked Welch, county attorney Kathy Bogan and Sheriff Chris Bourke for their work on the agreement which is in place seven months before the current contract expires.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has authorized the county to use a $6 million bond to pay for a new emergency management office at 14064 West County House Rd.

The Legislature in a unanimous vote on Tuesday authorized the county treasurer to issue a bond. That follows a vote about a month ago when the County Legislature approved about $5 million in construction bids today for a new Emergency Management Office.

The total cost of the EMO facility is expected to be about $5.5 million. The Legislature still needs to approve a bid for electric work on the building.

The new building will be one-story and 7,700 square feet. It was downsized from a proposal for a 17,000-square-foot building. Initially county officials sought a new building that was 11,000 square feet for offices and classrooms, and another 5,600 square feet for equipment storage. That complex would have topped $12 million.

The county has a $2 million federal grant secured by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney towards the project. That puts the local contribution to the building at about $3.5 million. (The county needs to spend the money towards the building and then gets reimbursed the $2 million from the federal government.)

The construction bids approved on April 28 include $3,931,000 for general construction by the Watson Construction Group Inc. of Albion; $360,000 for plumbing/fire protection by McGrain Mechanical of Rochester; and $547,500 to McGrain Mechanical of Rochester for HVAC.

The new building will be west of the current structure that is about 3,000 square feet. Most of the current EMO building is underground and is prone to flooding after heavy rains. It isn’t handicapped accessible and is tight on space.

County officials eventually want to have that building demolished but that isn’t part of the construction bids approved today.

The new building will include offices for the EMO’s three full-time staff, a classroom for training for firefighters and other first responders, and space to have the backup 911 dispatch system.

Legislators approved two other resolutions on Tuesday related to the EMO.

The Legislature approved paying Colliers Engineering & Design in Rochester $110,546 and $20,717 for professional services for the Emergency Management Office facility.

The county also will be renting space from the Fancher, Hulberton and Murray Volunteer Fire Co. at 3353 Hulberton Rd. in Holley from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2031, using two apparatus bays for equipment and miscellaneous storage needs at no cost for first year then $10,000 each subsequent year.

With the new building being downsized, the EMO has some storage needs. The agreement with FHM will allow the EMO to store a command post, foam trailer for when there are spills, PPE (personal protective equipment) and supplies for the Health Department.

The fire trucks from FHM are now kept at the Holley fire hall. Mercy Flight also is using part of the FHM site to keep ambulances.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Orleans County legislator Skip Draper, right, congratulates Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke for receiving the Maureen McCormick Lifetime Achievement award. It was presented April 28 by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, STOP–DWI and The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. Bourke was recognized during the Orleans County legislature meeting on Tuesday and was joined by chief deputies Jim DeFilipps, left, and Torry Tooley.

ALBION – Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke has received a state-wide award for his efforts over many years to reduce drunk driving and keep the roads safer in Orleans County.

Bourke on April 28 received the Maureen McCormick Lifetime Achievement award, which was created in honor of Suffolk County special assistant district attorney.

Bourke arrested many drunk drivers on the road patrol as a deputy sheriff, including working on the night shift earlier in his 40-year career.

In the past six-plus years as the sheriff, he led the Sheriff’s Office to implement and expand drunk and impaired driving community outreach by obtaining the agency’s first DWI simulator, expanding community outreach into local schools, and increased Sheriff’s Office participation in prom season DWI simulations at schools.

These students from Lyndonville and Medina tried to steer pedal cars while wearing goggles that showed what is what like to have your vision affected by alcohol intoxicated or marijuana. The Sheriff’s Office had the pedal cars and googles available on May 12 as part of a mock DWI crash simulation today at the Ridgeway fire hall parking lot.

Under Bourke’s leadership, all eligible road patrol personnel have obtained training in ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement) to help identify impairment from drugs and alcohol. The training is hosted by the Sheriff’s Office and made available to other agencies within Orleans County.

Bourke also made a commitment to re-establishing the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Drug Recognition Expert Program. For many years, the Sheriff’s Office didn’t have a certified drug recognition expert, but has added two in the past two years.

Under Sheriff Bourke’s commitment to drunk and impaired driving enforcement, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has experienced a 150% increase in DWI arrests from 2021 to 2025, going from 22 to 55.

Bourke started his career at the Sheriff’s Office as a correction officer, and then a road patrol deputy, lieutenant and K9 officer and undersheriff.

“Throughout his forty plus year career with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Bourke’s rank has changed, his roles have changed, but what has not changed is his commitment to drunk and impaired driving enforcement,” said Lt. James White, who nominated Bourke for the state-wide award.

Orleans County treasurer served as president of state-wide association

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kim DeFrank, the Orleans County treasurer, is congratulated by County Legislator John Fitzak after she was honored as the County Finance Official of the Year.

She received that award on May 21 in Glens Falls. She was honored by the New York State County Treasurers’ and Finance Officers’ Association. DeFrank served as president of the association in 2025.

DeFrank has been the county treasurer since 2018. She has worked in the county treasurer’s office for 32 years.

The association of county treasurers and finance officials meets four times a year, and had its summer conference in Batavia when DeFrank was president.

She said the statewide association provides a network of knowledge from other treasurers and finance officers around the state from counties of all sizes.

The association praised DeFrank for her “service and leadership to the association and for dedication to issues of importance to New York State County Finance Officials.”

Arts initiative expected to bring 50,000 visitors from June 6 to Sept. 7

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Quincey Miracle, co-artistic director of the Triennial, works on a model of the Erie Canal, titled “Diversion”, in the Triennial Hub headquarters, located in the former NAPA building at the foot of Main Street. When complete, it will be filled with filtered water from the canal.

MEDINA – There’s been a buzz in the air around Medina for the past year, and it centers around what is being called “The Medina Triennial,” which the nation’s premier art publications Art in America and ARTnews have featured as one of the best art events to visit in the country this summer.

In the fall of 2025, the Triennial was announced and the former NAPA building on North Main Street was identified as the Medina Triennial Hub. Headquartered there is Federico Rosario, community engagement and program coordinator for the Triennial, and in the back space is a giant project in the works called “Diversion.” It is a replica of the Erie Canal with filtered water from the canal, in which people may walk.

Sculptors Tim Noble and Trevor Gross from the University of Buffalo are collaborating with James Beckett on this exhibit on digital quarrying on the lawn of Mustang City (former Medina High School).

In spite of many articles on the Triennial, many people are still asking, “Just what is this Triennial?”

Basically, it is an initiative of the New York Power Authority and Canal Corporation who was looking for a way to re-imagine the canal by creating a contemporary arts event with a triennial structure which would tie in with the canal’s 200th anniversary, according to Lielle Berman, Sustainability Project Manager at the New York Power Authority.

The inaugural 2026 Triennial is titled “All that Sustains Us,” and features more than 100 artworks across 10 sites in Medina, curated by Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo. Sites include Rotary Park, State Street Park, Mustang City (the old Medina High School), Medina Railroad Museum, Triennial Hub (former NAPA Auto Parts), floating barge in the Erie Canal basin, YMCA, Sacred Heart Church, Medina Memorial Hospital and Medina Theater.

At its core, the Triennial asks, “What essential efforts and commitments are required to sustain life in our fractured world?”

Of course, “triennial” means three, and the Medina Triennial, the first of its kind in the United States in a small town, will return every three years for two more times. Previous triennials in the nation were held in Boston, New Orleans and St. Louis.

One question on everyone’s mind is, “Why was Medina chosen?”

Berman’s answer was, “Medina is the widest part of the canal’s 363 miles. It has the only aqueduct, Medina Falls and the culvert. This is a very rich spot,” she said. “Medina is going through a renaissance, with culinary arts and community events.”

Conte explained the curatorial approach grew from close attention to Medina’s landscape and material culture – its historic sandstone, canal infrastructure and agricultural traditions. She added her experience with the village has been extraordinary.

The event is drawing international interest. Thirty-nine artists from around the world were invited to participate in Medina’s Triennial, and only two declined.

“That is incredible,” Conte said.

While several participating artists are from across the globe, some are from Western New York, Toronto and Detroit. A participating artist from Ireland is showing her work in America for the first time.

Some of the Triennial’s highlights are Mary Mattingly’s “Floating Garden,” a barge-based living artwork in the canal; James Beckett, who is working on “digital quarrying” of Medina sandstone; Selva Aparicio, whose residency is in collaboration with Medina Railroad Museum; and Michael Wang, who is researching maple sap production in the region.

Working at the Railroad Museum is Lina Lapelyte, who recently won the Golden Lion Award, the highest prize given in the Venice Biennale. Her workers are constructing a Medina sandstone walkway and singing while they work. Their performances at 2 p.m. on Saturdays are tentatively scheduled to air on Medina’s downtown speakers.

“So much of this is behind the scenes,” Conte said. “The artists are coming to Medina because they want to show their work here. This is first and foremost about art.”

At Medina High School, Beckett’s project is dominating the front lawn. There, he is collaborating with Tim Noble and Trevor Gross from the University of Buffalo in building a sculptural wall, using limestone slabs sandwiched with a top layer of Medina sandstone. All the material is reclaimed building pieces from across Western New York, Noble said. Its total weight is in excess of 60,000 pounds.

The Triennial officially opens to the public on June 6 and will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Regular hours throughout the summer will be from noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays to Sept. 7. Programs, maps and other information on the Triennial will be available to visitors at the Triennial Hub on North Main Street.

Mary Mattingly walks away from the barge in the canal basin, which she is transforming into a floating garden.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced reforms to bring down costs of auto insurance rates and tackle fraudulent claims across New York State as part of her FY27 Enacted Budget.

The Governor secured common-sense steps to battle fraud, limit damages paid out to bad actors and ensure that consumers, not insurance companies, are prioritized. These reforms build on Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to make the state more affordable and put money back into the pockets of hardworking New Yorkers.

“Outdated laws, special interest loopholes and jackpot insurance payouts to bad actors have long forced New Yorkers to pay some of the highest car insurance rates in the nation,” Governor Hochul said. “These hard-fought reforms are a win for every New Yorker who depends on a car to go to work or drop their kids at school. But it’s bigger than that – I’ve heard from farmers who say these reforms will lower the cost of getting their goods to market and from construction supply companies who say this will lower the cost of building. This is how we are delivering on the promise to tackle the affordability crisis head on.”

New Yorkers’ insurance rates total an average of slightly more than $4,000 annually, nearly $1,500 above the national average. Car insurance rates are driven up by a combination of fraud, litigation, legal loopholes and enforcement gaps. Staged crashes and associated insurance fraud inflate premiums up to $300 a year, according to some estimates. New York’s broken insurance system is not just hurting those who rely on a car to get around, but local businesses that rely on trucking to make ends meet.

The FY27 Enacted Budget includes sweeping reforms designed to help drive down New York’s exorbitantly high auto insurance rates, addressing the root causes by targeting fraud and tackling runaway litigation. No other Governor in a generation has taken on tort reform and walked away with a deal that will result in significant savings for New York consumers and businesses. The Budget also includes provisions that enable prosecutors to seek criminal penalties against any individual responsible for organizing a staged accident, not just the particular individual behind the wheel.

The state of Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation has issued an analysis demonstrating how its 2023 tort reform package has resulted in a 5.6 percent decrease in the average auto insurance rates across the majority of its market. For example, in 2025, Florida’s largest carrier returned nearly $1 billion in excess profits to 2.7 million policyholders. Florida’s analysis of its declining rates offers a stark contrast with New York’s experience in the same timeframe. Following the implementation of tort reform, Florida reversed its double-digit growth of auto insurance rates in 2023 into a 7.4 percent reduction in the average rates by 2025, showcasing savings for consumers.

• Limiting Damages for Individuals Engaging in Unlawful Behavior at the Time of an Accident – Caps damages for drivers engaging in criminal behavior at the time of the incident, to ensure drivers flouting the law — including uninsured motorists, drunk drivers, and drivers in the act of committing a felony — don’t walk away with a jackpot payday at the expense of everyone else.
• Tightening the Serious Injury Threshold – Improves statutory definitions to clarify what actually constitutes a ‘serious injury’ so that damages for pain and suffering or emotional distress are reserved for those able to objectively demonstrate that they have suffered a serious injury.
• Limiting Damages for Individuals Who Are “Mostly” At Fault in Causing an Accident –Ensures that if a driver is found to be mostly at fault for causing an accident, they cannot sue their victims for outsized payments for damages. This change will put New York in line with most other states.
• Applying stringent oversight on insurance companies rates, preventing excess profits, and returning savings to consumers – Puts consumers first by preventing insurance companies from exorbitantly raising rates by setting a legal threshold that prevents excess profits and returns savings to consumers. Additionally, the Budget creates new regulatory safeguards to prevent insurance companies from raising rates without seeking express approval from the Department of Financial Services.
• Ensuring Fair Rates for Drivers – Protects consumers by prohibiting insurance companies from setting rates based on extraneous, personal factors like homeownership status, occupation, education level or zip code.