Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association

ALBION – Two inmates attacked staff at the Orleans Correctional Facility, injuring four officers in two separate attacks this month.

Both of the incarcerated persons are eligible for release and parole in the next year.

On Wednesday, April 10, an inmate was being disruptive and yelling in one of the facility dorms. To de-escalate the situation, two officers escorted the inmate out of the dorm and ordered him to submit to a pat frisk for contraband.

Prior to the pat frisk, the inmate turned suddenly and attempted to punch one of the officers but missed. The two officers forced the inmate to wall with a body hold and then forced him to the ground.

The inmate was combative on the ground, and OC spray was administered with no effect. The officers forced the inmate’s arms behind his back and applied handcuffs. Once in handcuffs, the inmate became compliant.

The inmate was brought to his feet and escorted to a Special Housing Unit. When officers removed his handcuffs, he struck one officer in the left eye. Staff used body holds again and forced him to the ground.

On the ground, the inmate bit one of the officers in the calf and refused to release the bite. OC spray was utilized with no effect. Staff used force to successfully get the inmate to release his bite. Handcuffs were applied and the inmate became compliant.

Three officers were injured in the attack. One officer sustained a swollen eye and small laceration to the corner of his eye. The officer who was bit, sustained broken skin to his calf and medical staff deemed his exposure to be significant. The third officer sustained a hand injury subduing the inmate. The three officers were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The inmate, 45, is serving a 25 years to life sentence after being convicted in Nassau County in 2002 for Murder 2nd, Robbery 1st and Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd. He is eligible for a parole hearing in August of 2025.

The second attack occurred inside of a dorm on Saturday, April 20. An inmate approached the officer’s station in the dorm and struck the officer in the jaw. The officer immediately grabbed the inmate in a body hold and forced him to the floor.

On the floor, the inmate grabbed the dorm phone from the officer’s station and struck the officer in the head with the phone. The officer administered OC spray which had no effect. Another inmate in the dorm attempted to pull the inmate off the officer.

The inmate grabbed that inmate in a choke hold and bit his ear. The officer administered a second round of OC spray which this time was effective. The inmate released the choke hold and became compliant. He was placed in handcuffs and escorted to a Special Housing Unit.

The officer sustained abrasions and swelling to his head and a laceration to inside his cheek. He was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The inmate who attempted to help the officer sustained a laceration to his ear that needed seven sutures to close.

The inmate, 32, is serving his third stint in state prison. Currently, he is serving a seven year sentence after being convicted in Erie County in 2019 for Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd. Previously, he served prison stints in 2009 and 2013 for weapons possession.

He is eligible for conditional release on April 29.

“The fact that the two inmates, who should be on their best behavior with their freedom in sight, completely disregard that and this is another example of the disastrous impact the HALT Act has had on our prison system,” said Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President. “Any normal person should be doing everything they can to gain their freedom, yet these two inmates know there isn’t an internal disciplinary system left.

“In both these attacks, our only hope is that the criminal charges in both attacks will somewhat hold the inmates accountable. It is the last line of defense we have to protect staff and other inmates from being attacked,” Gold said. “We already know that the supporters of HALT could care less about our members, but you would think that they would change their mindset when other inmates that are attempting to help officers become victims as well!”

May 11 event will include popcorn and music from movies

Provided photos: The Middleport Community Choir, under the leadership of Ric Jones of Medina, is shown in concert last year with the Festival Chorus from Buffalo. Their upcoming spring concert May 11 will be a movie-themed afternoon at the Middleport Firehall.

MIDDLEPORT – Music will fill the air, along with popcorn and movies, when the Middleport Community Choir presents its spring concert at 4 p.m. May 11 at Middleport Firehall.

“This is definitely a different take on our concerts,” said director Ric Jones of Medina. “I think it is refreshing for both the choir and the audience to offer something different.”

Herb Koenig, one of the founding members of the Middleport Community Choir, practices a solo for a previous concert. Koenig, who died this month after a battle with cancer, will be honored during their May 11 concert.

The program was made possible by a grant from the Statewide Community Regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts.

The concert, performed by the Middleport Community Choir and Middleport Bell Tones under director and choir accompanist Debby Clark, will be a mixed choral and small group compilation of classic movie theme songs.

Title of the concert is “Meet me at the Movies,” and all music will be taken from the movies. The selections are far-reaching, Jones said, from older movies to more recent ones. Featured will be soloists, small groups, the Middleport Belltones and the full Middleport Community Choir.

To set the atmosphere of the movies, they will be selling popcorn and drinks. Occasional movie clips will be played between choir selections.

A highlight of the concert will be a tribute to the late Herb Koenig.

“Herb was an original member and the major reason the choir exists in the first place,” Jones said. “This choir is his legacy. We sure miss him.”

Koenig sang tenor, and in the multiple special concerts performed over the years, he almost always sang a solo. His last solo was “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from “Carousel,” Jones said.

Admission to the concert is free, but a freewill offering will be received.

Jones said they like performing at the firehall because it offers a more relaxed, intimate environment and allows them to show movie clips and offer popcorn and drinks.

Local governments pushed for more AIM allotments, which hadn’t increased in 15 years

The new state budget gives towns, villages and cities more unrestricted aid, but it’s not much.

The state hadn’t increased the Aid and Incentives to Municipalities for about 15 years. The new budget keeps AIM at $715 million, but makes a 7 percent increase or another $50 million in “New Temporary Municipal Assistance.”

Many of the local governments around the state, including in Orleans County, passed formal resolutions in February and March asking for a boost in AIM.

The governments around the state were seeking significantly more – about $1.1 billion in total to keep up with the cost of inflation after more than a decade of no increases.

Little of the AIM funding comes to Orleans County because there isn’t a city in the county. About 90 percent of the total in AIM goes to cities. Of the $715 million total, cities get $647,093,629 or 90.5 percent, towns are allocated $47.9 million or 6.7 percent and villages get $19.7 million or 2.8 percent.

Here are the amounts approved for the local governments in Orleans County, with the AIM funding plus the new amounts in “Temporary Municipal Assistance.”

Towns

• Albion, $46,944 plus $3,284
• Barre, $12,486 plus $873
• Carlton, $13,680 plus $957
• Clarendon, $11,416 plus $799
• Gaines, $21,323 plus $1,492
• Kendall, $21,299 plus $1,490
• Murray, $44,677 plus $3,125
• Ridgeway, $46,273 plus $3,237
• Shelby, $45,007 plus $3,149
• Yates, $10,421 plus $729

Villages

• Albion 38,811 plus $2,715
• Holley 17,786 plus $1,244
• Lyndonville 6,251 plus $437
• Medina 45,523 plus $3,185

Barbara Van Epps, executive director of the New York State Conference of Mayors, said the organization appreciates a funding boost, and she thanked the many local governments for passing resolutions, meeting with state legislators and pushing for more money to help offset some of the inflationary increases faced by municipalities.

“NYCOM is happy to report that after 15 years, the Adopted State Budget includes an additional $50 million in unrestricted state aid for cities, villages and towns,” she said in a statement. “While this may not translate into significant dollars for all of our members, we do see this as a positive step forward and hopefully the beginning of a stronger and more meaningful state-local partnership.”