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.”

Governor notes no hike in state income taxes and a new housing deal

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the historic investments included in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget which was passed by the Legislature this weekend.

Kathy Hochul

The $237 billion budget makes record investments in the people of New York without raising income taxes. It includes hundreds of new initiatives that will help fight crime, fix our mental health system, and build more housing so people can afford to live and thrive in New York.

“We are delivering a common-sense agenda that makes New York safer and more affordable,” Governor Hochul said. “I promised to fight for New Yorkers and tackle the thorny issues, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”

A Balanced Budget

Governor Hochul’s FY 2025 Budget makes record investments in the people of New York while maintaining fiscal responsibility. All funds spending is $237 billion growing at one percent year-to-year. The FY 2025 budget does not raise income or statewide business taxes and maintains state reserves at the gold standard of 15 percent for a “rainy day.”

Landmark Housing Deal

Governor Kathy Hochul brokered a historic agreement in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget to address New York’s housing crisis by increasing the housing supply, promoting affordability, strengthening protections for New York renters and homeowners, and combatting bias and discrimination in housing.

Governor Hochul’s housing agenda includes:

• A landmark plan to build more housing in New York City, including establishing the new 485-x tax incentive to construct affordable housing, extending the 421-a tax incentive for six years for projects already in the pipeline, changing the outdated 12 FAR density cap, creating incentives to convert unused office space into affordable housing.
• New initiatives to spur housing creation statewide, including a new 421-p tax incentive to construct housing outside NYC, mandating that $650 million in discretionary funding goes to Pro-Housing Communities, allocating $500 million to build up to 15,000 new homes on state land, and incentives for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
• Historic protections for tenants and homeowners, anti-price gouging measures for renters, stronger protections from evictions, and new enforcement and preventative measures to protect homeowners from deed theft, and reinforces the law that squatters are not tenants.
• More than $600 million in capital funding to support housing statewide.

Creating a Safer New York

The Budget makes major investments and reforms to improve public safety, crack down on organized retail theft, combat the rising tide of hate crimes, prevent gun violence and domestic violence, and reduce recidivism and improve reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals across New York State.

The FY 2025 Budget includes:

• $347 million to continue New York’s efforts to reduce and prevent gun violence.
• $40.2 million to crack down on retail theft by expanding enforcement and increasing penalties for offenders who assault retail workers and a $3,000 tax credit for business owners to invest in security resources.
• $35.8 million to prevent and prosecute crimes of domestic violence.
• $35 million to fight the rising tide of hate by expanding the number of offenses that can be prosecuted as hate crimes and investing in the Securing Communities Against Hate Grant that protects houses of worship, religious schools and other at-risk sites.
• $7.1 million to reduce recidivism and improve reentry into the workforce by providing more intensive supervision of individuals on parole, expanding transitional housing opportunities, expanding college programming to all state prisons, and providing transportation for visitors to and from State Correctional Facilities.

Improving Healthcare for All New Yorkers

Governor Hochul’s FY 2025 Budget provides record funding to keep New Yorkers healthy, while also setting the Medicaid program on sustainable long-term fiscal footing. A historic $37 billion Medicaid investment maintains the State’s commitment to supporting the health care safety net and transforming the health care delivery system, while simultaneously making bold investments to expand access to services and support the workforce. The Budget includes support for the State’s recently approved Medicaid 1115 Waiver amendment, investing $7.5 billion in federal and state funding to promote health equity across the State.

The FY25 Budget also advances the Governor’s priority of improving maternal and infant health care outcomes. New York will become the first state in the nation to expand access to prenatal care for pregnant women by granting up to 20 hours of leave for eligible employees to attend appointments, without impacting the existing twelve weeks of paid family leave.

The FY25 budget also includes bold new legislation to protect low-income New Yorkers from medical debt lawsuits by banning hospitals from suing patients earning less than 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, or $120,000 for a family of four. The legislation would also expand hospital financial assistance programs for low-income New Yorkers, limit the size of monthly payments and interest charged for medical debt and implement other protections to improve access to financial assistance and mitigate the deleterious effects of medical debt on New Yorkers.

The FY25 Budget advances critical health care priorities including:

• $3.2 billion to support distressed hospitals throughout New York State, inclusive of $550 million annually to support the transformation of New York’s safety net hospitals through a Medicaid Global Budget initiative supported by the 1115 Waiver.
• $825 million in temporary reimbursement increases for hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living programs, in addition to substantial rate increases over the previous two budgets.
• $315 million to provide health insurance subsidies for low to middle income individuals enrolled in Qualified Health Plans.
• $300 million and regulatory flexibilities to support a new Healthcare Safety Net Transformation Program.
• $200 million in Medicaid savings through improved oversight and efficiency in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP).
• $148 million to increase rates for primary care delivered through New York’s innovative Patient-Centered Medical Homes model.
• $116 million in additional funding for various Aging and Public Health programs, including • $27 million for DOH nutrition programs and $10 million dedicated to SOFA to finance additional unmet need services.
• $19.5 million in funding to support a 5 percent rate increase for in person services under the Early Intervention Program, as well as a 4 percent rate modifier for rural areas and underserved communities.

Tackling the Mental Health Crisis

For too long, New York’s mental health care system has suffered from gaps in care. Likewise, the COVID-19 pandemic left a lasting impact on many New Yorkers, exacerbating mental health challenges and highlighting the need for appropriate levels of care statewide.

To address the unmet mental health needs of many New Yorkers and building on Governor Hochul’s $1 billion multi-year mental health plan, the FY 2025 Budget investments include:

• $84 million to increase reimbursement for services provided at certain sites treating mental health conditions.
• $55 million to establish 200 new inpatient psychiatric beds statewide, including three additional 25-bed Transition to Home Units (THUs).
• $90 million in opioid settlement funding to continue to lead the country in the disbursement of money received from settlement agreements with opioid manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.
• $33 million to improve engagement with individuals living with mental illness and involved in the criminal justice system.
• $20 million for school-based mental health clinic satellites, making it easier for students and their families to access clinical services.
• $19 million to provide critical care to young people outside of school environments, including increasing resources for youth receiving treatment in the community and in residential settings.
• $2 million to increase mental health supports for first responders including suicide prevention efforts.

Supporting Students and Schools

All New York students deserve a high-quality education, from prekindergarten through college. Governor Hochul and the Legislature prioritized school funding in the FY 2025 Budget while still putting New York State on the path toward a more equitable school funding formula. Governor Hochul also signed ‘Back to Basics’ legislation to ensure New York schools use evidence-based reading instruction. Additionally, Governor Hochul secured provisions in the FY 2025 Budget to make college more affordable for New York students and expand pathways to higher education.

Governor Hochul’s education priorities secured in the FY25 Budget also include:

• $36 billion in total school aid, including $24.9 billion in Foundation Aid
• $1.29 billion for SUNY and CUNY capital projects.
• $409 million for SUNY and CUNY operations.
• Raising the minimum award for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) from $500 to $1,000 and increasing the student income limits for TAP eligibility.

Historic Investments to Drive Innovation in New York State

Governor Hochul has also secured funding to build a 21st century economy in New York State and drive innovation in key, fast-growing sectors. The budget makes investments to strengthen New York’s business sector, prepare workers for the jobs and careers of tomorrow, and create vibrant communities full of economic vitality, including:

• $500 million in capital funding for NYCREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex to jumpstart a • $10 billion partnership to bring next-generation chips research to New York.
• $275 million investment over 10 years to support Empire AI, a one-of-a-kind consortium to secure New York’s place at the forefront of artificial intelligence research.
• $200 million for four ON-RAMP workforce developments centers in Upstate New York to train workers for jobs of the future in advanced manufacturing and other growing industries.
• $100 million to fund an additional round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
• $100 million to fund an additional round of NY Forward.
• $100 million to fund an additional round of FAST NY.
• $50 million to fund an additional round of Restore NY.
• $80 million in capital funding for the New York State Council on the Arts to support New York’s arts and cultural sector.
• $30 million in tax relief to support newspaper and broadcast journalism jobs.

Modernizing Infrastructure and Investing in Transit Throughout New York

Governor Hochul has made critical investments in infrastructure and transit across the state, including establishing the record $33 billion five-year Department of Transportation Capital Plan and rescuing the MTA from the fiscal cliff. From reconnecting communities divided by highways to expanding subway service and filling potholes statewide, these investments have made New York more connected, accessible and safer for all.

Building on this record of success, the FY 2025 Budget includes:

• More than $8.7 billion in mass transit operating support statewide, including $884 million in operating support for non-MTA transit systems.
• Nearly $7.7 billion for the third year of the record $33 billion, five-year DOT Capital Plan to improve highways, bridges, rail, aviation infrastructure, non-MTA transit, and DOT facilities including $1.3 billion for local roads and bridges.
• This includes $598 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), $140 million for state touring routes, and $100 million for Governor Hochul’s Pave our Potholes Program.

Fight Climate Change and Promote Resiliency

The Enacted Budget includes actions to accelerate New York’s transition to clean energy, plant 25 million trees and safeguard clean water. The Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act will create a one-stop-shop for the environmental review and permitting of electric transmission and improve the interconnection process.

Environmental initiatives in the FY 2025 Budget include:

• $500 million for clean water and $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund.
• $200 million for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and an additional $100 million in funding for the celebration of the New York State Parks’ Centennial.
• $150 million invested in NY SWIMS to address the disinvestment in swimming facilities and lifeguards in underserved communities.
• $40 million to create the Resilient & Ready Program and $15 million to equip localities with tools to fend off floods and keep the lights on during storms.
• $15 million to plant over 25 million trees across New York by 2033.

Helping Members of Every Community Grow and Thrive

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a series of actions to help New Yorkers from every community grow and thrive as part of the FY 2025 Budget. These actions include securing funding to expand abortion access, recognize the needs of military veterans, support First Nations, and invest in TGNCNB New Yorkers.

Actions include:

• Investing $36 million to support abortion providers and support abortion care in New York.
• Expanding access to doulas.
• Strengthening mental health care and support services for veterans.
• Expanding dental care access for First Nations.
• Increasing state investment in Lorena Borjas fund, which provides resources and opportunity to TGNCNB New Yorkers

Bolstering New York’s Agriculture Industry

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, investments in New York State’s agriculture priorities and farmers have gone up by 60 percent since 2022. The FY 2025 Budget builds on the Governor’s progress by:

• Investing $55 million to advance New York State as leader in the dairy industry.
• Providing $50 million for Nourish NY to help families access fresh food and support local farmers.
• Supporting restaurants and bars by extending the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages for an additional five years.
• Investing over $60 million in local assistance to support farmers and producers.
• Providing $19.5 million to expand the New York State Animal Heath Diagnostic Center at Cornell University.
• Allocating over $15 million to grow New York State’s bioeconomy and support additional agricultural initiatives.

Provided photos: Long-time Master Food Preserver volunteer Karen DesJardin will once again offer her popular Intro to Canning and Review class on May 1 to kick-off the workshop series.

Press Release, Orleans County Master Food Preserver

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension offers food preservation and food safety education by way of their Master Food Preserver Volunteer Group. Each year, the volunteers choose topics to present to the public in small hands-on workshops.  This year, the volunteers decided as a group to change the way they offer their classes in an effort to reach more people.

In the past, each Master Food Preserver class would focus on a specific method of food preservation, the volunteers who lead the classes would choose 1-3 recipes to teach during class, and the public participants would create those products, following the step-by-step procedures taught to them by the MFP instructors.

This style of workshop was extremely popular, but the kitchen could only comfortably fit 9 participants plus the volunteer instructors and helpers.  As the program has gained in popularity over the years, the workshop registration would fill up within days of being announced, and then each class would have 10-20 additional people on waitlists, hoping for cancellations.

Eileen Sorochty, an active volunteer with both the MFP and Master Gardener programs, will offer a pie making class on October 23.  Participants will be able to bring home their own pie crust that they make in class.

This year, the MFP volunteers decided they wanted to reach a bigger audience, so all of their workshops will be held “demonstration-style” in a larger room instead of the hands-on classes in the kitchen.  In these demo-style classes, the instructors will be at the front of the room, showing participants each step in the process of that particular method of food preservation. Participants will be able to experience the food preservation process, handle and observe the various equipment needed, and receive printed handouts with detailed tutorials and relevant recipes.

“Due to class size limitations in the kitchen, we wanted to make the information accessible to more people in our community,” said Karen DesJardin, long-time MFP Volunteer and instructor of the annual Intro to Canning class, “By doing demonstrations instead of the hands-on classes, it helps to keep costs down, and allows the education to be available to all.”

Because each participant will not be making their own preserves to take home, the need for produce and class supplies is greatly reduced to just what the instructor needs for their demonstration activities. In this way, the group is able to offer the classes at a reduced cost to the participants. This year, all classes except pie making (where participants will be able to make their own pie crust to take home) will be offered for an optional $5 donation to the program.  These funds will help cover the costs of educational outreach, updated testing materials, and supplies for future workshops.

(Left) MFP volunteer Colin Butgereit will once again teach participants how to safely and effectively can low-acid foods in a pressure canner on August 24. (Right) On June 26, MFP volunteer Kevin Bedard will lead participants through the proper techniques in dehydrating and freezing.

Despite of the change in teaching format, participants can expect the same level of professionalism, education, and experience that Cornell Cooperative Extension public outreach is known for.

“There aren’t many workshops or events that are as in-depth and comprehensive as the workshops provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension,” said Eileen Sorochty, a long-time volunteer for both the Master Food Preserver and Master Gardener programs. “We present a science-based learning experience for anyone who has an interest in knowing about and/or doing themselves, proper and safe food preservation.”

The classes in this year’s series include the annual Intro to Canning and Review class on Wednesday, May 1 at 6 p.m.; Freezing and Dehydrating on Wednesday, June 26 at 6 p.m., Pressure Canning on Saturday, August 24 at 10 a.m., and Pie Making on Wednesday, October 23 at 6 p.m.  The Pie Making class will be offered for a required class fee of $15 – participants will be able to make their own pie crust to bring home (they will need to bring their own rolling pin) – all other classes are offered at an optional donation of $5 to benefit the Master Food Preserver program.

Please call 585-798-4265 ext 125 or email klo54@cornell.edu to register.  Pre-registration is requested to allow for enough seating and handouts.