DEC announces 6 free fishing days in NYS in 2026
Photo by Tom Rivers: Anglers try to catch salmon and trout in the Oak Orchard River in Carlton on Oct. 20, 2023.
Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today announced the 2026 dates for Free Fishing Days in New York.
The requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during the following six days in 2026: February 14–15, June 27–28, September 26 (National Hunting and Fishing Day) and November 11 (Veterans Day).
“Free Fishing Days provide the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to affordably explore, unplug, and get outside,” Governor Hochul said. “New York State’s waters offer some of the best fishing opportunities in the nation, hosting memorable fishing experiences that increase tourism and benefit the economy. In addition to the many health benefits associated with recreating outdoors, fishing can provide more opportunities to connect with family and friends, something that seems harder and harder to do with increasing demands on time in today’s world.”
DEC’s Free Fishing Days program began in 1991 to give New Yorkers who might not fish a chance to try the rewarding sport of freshwater fishing at no cost, introduce people to a new hobby, and encourage people to support conservation by purchasing a New York State Fishing License.
Free Fishing Day participants are reminded that although the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during free fishing days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect. Outside of free fishing days, anglers over the age of 16 must have a valid fishing license. For more information on purchasing a license visit DEC’s website.
OCH urges community to wear red on Friday to promote heart health
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has issued a reminder to the community that Friday is Wear Red Day.
“We encourage the community to show their support for heart health by wearing red on Wear Red Day this Friday,” said Scott Robinson, director of marketing at OCH.
This national day of awareness shines a spotlight on heart disease – the leading cause of death for men and women – and encourages everyone to take simple steps toward a healthier heart.
By wearing red, community members help raise awareness, spark conversations and demonstrate a shared commitment to preventing heart disease and stroke. Orleans Community Health is proud to stand with residents, patients and partners in promoting heart-healthy habits that can make a lasting difference, according to Robinson.
Following are simple tips for a healthy heart:
- Stay active by aiming for at least 30 minutes of movement most days of the week.
- Choose heart healthy food, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
- Manage stress through relaxation, mindfulness or enjoyable activities.
- Know your numbers. Keep an eye on your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
- Don’t smoke and limit alcohol consumption.
“Small lifestyle changes can have a bit impact on heart health,” Robinson said. “Wear Red Day is a great reminder to take care of your heart and encourage loved ones to do the same.”
Everyone is urged on Friday to “Go Red for Heart Health” and help build a healthier community for all.
At legislative luncheon, affordability remains strong theme
Residents, businesses worry about costs of taxes, health insurance, utilities
Photos by Tom Rivers: Kelli Nicholas Owens gave some of the highlights of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget during the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Luncheon last Friday at the Fair Haven Inn in Gaines. Owens is executive director of the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. Behind her are Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, and State Sen. Rob Ortt.
GAINES – Speakers at the annual legislative luncheon for the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce said costs of living and doing business in the state – from utilities, health insurance, taxes, child care – are all straining peoples’ wallets making in difficult to get ahead.
Gov. Kathy Hochul presented a $260 billion executive budget that includes $4.5 billion for childcare and also eliminates taxes on tipped wages up to $25,000. The governor’s budget does not include a tax increase and makes “unprecedented funding” in law enforcement, said Kelli Nicholas Owens, executive director of the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley said bringing down the costs to live and do business in the state should be a top priority for elected officials, especially for the governor and State Legislature. He said the state’s Medicaid program is a budget buster and some of the benefits should be reined in to reduce the costs. Medicaid provides health coverage to more than 7.5 million people in the state and costs about what Florida and Texas spend on the program combined, despite those states each having more people than New York, Hawley noted.
She provided some highlights of Hochul’s budget, including an additional $1.7 billion for prekindergarten and childcare, during the legislative luncheon last Friday that was attended by about 50 people.
“I think we can all agree that something needs to be done about childcare, especially in the rural areas,” Owens said.
Universal childcare is also an economic development issue, helping more parents to be able to work at a time when there are shortages of employees around the state, Owens said.
Hochul also is targeting fraud to lower vehicle insurance rates for New Yorkers, and aims to reduce rising home insurance costs by increasing accountability and transparency for insurers. She wants expanded discounts for homeowners and housing providers who invest in damage mitigation measures for their homes or multifamily properties.
The governor also is demanding strict fiscal discipline from utilities for lower bills.
“The governor is really trying to get to those pocketbook issues that affect everyday Americans,” Owens said.
Some attendees of the luncheon said the high costs in the state are causing people to go elsewhere.
State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt said the governor and State Legislature need to bring down the costs of living in the state, and resist bailing out Buffalo, New York City and other municipalities that get themselves into financial woes.
“The problem is everything is more damn expensive – cars, food, energy, insurance,” Ortt said.
State Sen. Rob Ortt, second from right, said Gov. Hochul and the State Legislature need to get serious about the affordability crisis in the state that is forcing many residents and businesses to flee to other states. Other speakers at the luncheon up front included, from left, Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and Allison Barkowski, representing Congresswoman Claudia Tenney.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley said the state needs to cut back.
“We cannot continue to be all things to all people,” he said.
He said the election of Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, as New York City mayor has concerned many in the state’s largest city and some have said they will move out of NYC. Hawley said he hopes those people will find their new homes in upstate New York, rather than another state.
Ortt would like the governor to do more to bring down costs, but he acknowledged it is a difficult state to govern and build consensus. However, Ortt said Hochul knows the small towns like Holley and Kendall and needs to be thinking more of those places when she pushes policies statewide.
Owens, the state official representing Hochul, urged the rural areas to build a strong coalition to bring a louder voice to Albany. Owens used to work for New York Farm Bureau and she saw how that organization reached legislators in Albany through its Taste of NY Reception and Lobby Day. This year it will be Feb. 9-10.
Owens suggested the chambers of commerce in rural areas band together and be part of the Farm Bureau outreach effort.
Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer, said Orleans has been able to consistently stay under the state-imposed tax cap that generally allows about a 2 percent tax increase. But Welch said the county budget continues to be dominated by state mandated expenses that are more than 100 percent of the tax levy.
The county has seen more than a million-dollar increase in one of those programs: Mental Health Law Expense 730.30, where people deemed unfit to stand trial are committed to a facility. That can cost $30,000 to $50,000 a month per person.
The “730” expense went from $57,000 in 2023 to $367,000 in 2024 (with $50,000 budgeted). This year the budget was increased to $550,000 but the county was at $1,267,000 in 2025 with December’s bill yet to arrive. The budgeted amount for 2026 is $1.5 million. The cost used to be a 50-50 split with the state, but the state made it a 100 percent county expense.
The county has expanded its work week from 35 to 40 hours a week for county employees to help make up for a worker shortage and also to lessen the need to buy more health insurance policies, which has been another big cost on the county budget, Welch said.
“We’re trying to get as much efficiency as we can with what we have,” he said.
Tony Cammarata, Kendall town supervisor, said there has been a gradual residential push from the Town of Greece going west into Hilton and Hamlin. He expects Kendall to see residential and business growth, especially with the expansion of public water and sewer in the town.
“We’re next in line,” he said about the western migration from Monroe County.
County Historian Catherine Cooper highlighted how the county this year will be observing the 250thanniversary of the United States declaring its independence. This follows a very busy 2025 when the county celebrated its own bicentennial and also the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal.
Extreme cold watch for Orleans, WNY from overnight Friday to Sunday morning
Photos by Tom Rivers: A road is plowed in Mount Albion on Wednesday, where the historic cemetery remains popular for walkers despite the bitter cold temperatures.
It is going to be brutally cold this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold watch for Orleans County and Western New York from late Friday night (1 a.m. Saturday) until 10 a.m. on Sunday.
There will be dangerously cold wind chills as low as 25 below zero with the coldest wind chills late Friday night through Saturday, the Weather Service said. Those wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes.
Today is forecast for a high of 22 with an overnight low of 13, followed by a high of 27 on Friday. The temperature then drops to 0 on Friday night with a high near 8 on Saturday with the overnight low of 1 on Saturday night.
The highs will then be 13 on Sunday, 24 on Monday and 28 on Tuesday.
The graves at the companion veterans’ section are covered in snow at Mount Albion Cemetery on Wednesday.
Lyndonville cagers down W-C
Pulling away in the second half, Lyndonville downed Wheatland-Chili 65-48 in a Genesee Region League boys basketball game this evening.
Colton Smith scored 22, Atticus Mank 16, Quincy McClinsey 10, Lane Woodworth 9, Devon Babcock 5 and Lyric Raduns 3 for the Tigers which held a narrow 29-28 lead at halftime.
In other G-R action, Attica edged Holley 52-47 and Alexander bested Kendall 50-43.
Josh Silpoch scored 17, Avante Walker 15 and Cam Mosier 6 for Holley.
For Kendall, CJ D’Agostino had 14, Vinnie D’Agostino 11 and Noah Morehouse 10.
Albion, Medina have All-League swimmers
Contributed Photos – Albion and Medina both had individual event winners at the annual Niagara-Orleans All League girls swim meet held at Newfane on Tuesday. Albion’s Keira Sidari, left was a double winner capturing both the 200 Individual Medley in a time of 2:22.53 and the 100 Freestyle in :57.98. Medina’s Madeline Mark won the 200 Freestyle in a time of 2:15.46. The girls swim season will conclude on Friday with the annual Niagara-Orleans League vs. Genesee Region League meet at Gates-Chili at 6 p.m.
Roy-Hart trims Barker for first N-O win
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Tysen McCaa puts up a shot over Barker defenders Carson Schwab (2) and Anthony Taliaferro. The action took place during the Rams home court win over the Bulldogs this evening.
Snapping a season long eight league game losing streak, Roy-Hart edged visiting Barker 61-57 in a Niagara-Orleans boys basketball make-up game this evening.
Trailing 51-46 early in the final quarter, Roy-Hart rallied to claim that elusive first N-O win by closing strong with a big 15-6 scoring surge.
Matt Aquilina scored seven during that key rally which also included threes by both Tysen McCaa and Vinny Fazzio.
Barker had grabbed the five point, 51-46, lead at the outset of the period as Anthony Taliaferro had a three and a two and JJ Prynn a three.
Fazzio finished with 18, Aquilina 17 and McCaa 15 to lead the way for the Rams as Jakob West added 7, Owen Maedel 3 and John Brigham 1.
Taliaferro took game high scoring honors with 23 for Barker as Donovan Hefferon had 15, Prynn 8, Carter DerSarkissian 6, Ashton Ark and Peyton Wagner 2 each and Keagan Schaal 1.
Anthony Taliaferro drives to the basket for Brker over the Roy-Hart duo of Tysen McCaa and Matt Aquilina.
It was a fast paced sea-saw contest with no less than 12 ties and 8 lead changes.
The opening period set that tone with 5 ties and 2 lead changes ending in a 17-17 tie. Aquilina had 8 for the Rams and Hefferon 7 for the Bulldogs during that stretch.
Roy-Hart went on to hold slender one point leads of 29-28 at the half and 44-43 at the end of the third period.
Fazzio scored 9 in the third period for the Rams as did Taliaferro for the Bulldogs.
Roy-Hart is now 1-8 and Barker 1-9 in N-O action.
N-O competition continues on Friday evening at 6:30 with Barker at Newfane, Roy-Hart at Akron and Medina at Albion.
N-O Standings: Wilson 10-0, Akron 7-2, Medina 6-3, Albion 5-5, Newfane 3-6, Roy-Hart 1-8, Barker 1-9.
Roy-Hart’s Vinny Fazzio goes in for a layup ahead of Barker’s Keagan Schaal.
State Senate GOP seeks tax relief for all New Yorkers
‘Keep What You Have Earned’ legislative package includes largest Middle-Class tax cut in NY history
Press Release, NYS Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt
Provided photo: State Sen. Rob Ortt speaks today at a news conference in Albany when the Republican Conference unveiled a plan for tax relief to all New Yorkers.
ALBANY – Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and other members of the Senate Republican Conference have proposed a “Keep What You Have Earned” legislative package that, if passed, would deliver real tax relief to all New Yorkers.
One of the key proposals, S.9110 introduced by Senator Steve Rhoads, would deliver $37 billion in state income tax relief to New Yorkers, the largest middle-class tax cut in New York State history.
Over a ten-year period, the proposal would eliminate state personal income tax on the first $50,000 of income for single filers and the first $100,000 for joint filers. New Yorkers that file jointly would see an estimated savings of up to $6,000 once fully phased in. This applies to all New Yorkers, not just those falling at or below a certain threshold.
“The average New York family is barely getting by, and that’s the main reason so many people have been fleeing this state,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “We lead the nation in outmigration and taxes, and that’s nothing to be proud of. Instead of ignoring these important issues and increasing taxes and state spending, the Senate Republican conference is offering a realistic approach to save New York and make life more affordable.”
Keep What You’ve Earned Legislative Package includes:
- S.9110 (Rhoads) – “The Taxpayer Rescue Plan” is aimed at providing much needed tax relief to hardworking New Yorkers. Eliminate state personal income tax on first $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for married filing jointly. Lower the tax rate to 4% for single filers up to $250,000 and $500,000 for married filing jointly. This proposal would provide a personal income tax cut for all New Yorkers. Any single filer making $50,000 or less and couples making $100,000 or less would no longer pay any state income tax. The proposal provides $37 billion in tax relief to New York residents over its 10-year implementation without having to cut funding from vital state programs as its cost would be absorbed through natural growth of the economy.
- S.1296 (Borrello) – Establishes an annual spending growth cap on the State Budget that limits the growth of state operating funds spending.
- S.1308 (Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick) – Requires a two-thirds vote from each house of the State Legislature to impose or extend taxes a two-thirds vote from local legislative bodies to impose or extend local taxes, and a two-thirds vote from local legislative bodies requesting an imposition or extension of taxes by the state legislature.
- S.1487 (O’Mara) – Reduces the amount small businesses and farms must pay in taxes by increasing the corporate tax threshold from $390,000 to $500,000 and lowering the rate to 2.5%. Expands the small business exemption to all PIT businesses regardless of whether they have employees, increases the threshold to $500,000, increases the exemption to 15%, and increases the exemption to 20% for farmers.
- S.3914 (Martins) – No state income tax on overtime.
- S.5519 (Ashby) – Reduce the property tax burden on homeowners by providing for a ten-year state takeover of the local share of Medicaid for local governments subject to the two percent property tax cap.
- S.8489 (Weber) – Freezes real property taxes for three years to provide relief to New York homeowners.
- S.587 (Martins) – No state income tax on tips.
This package is part of the Senate Republican Conference’s broader 2026 legislative agenda entitled “Save New York,” a plan to improve affordability, enhance public safety, and build a stronger New York for today and future generations.
Albion ESL teacher charged with sex abuse, forcible touching
Josefino Paz not allowed at school after charged with 3 misdemeanors
Josefino Paz
ALBION – An English as a Second Language teacher at Albion Central School been charged with forcible touching, endangering the welfare of a child and sexual abuse in the third degree.
Josefino Paz, 58, of Brockport surrendered at the Orleans County Jail today following a criminal investigation conducted by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Chris Bourke said.
The alleged incident involved a juvenile victim and occurred within the Town of Albion, the sheriff said.
“Due to the age of the victim, no identifying information will be released,” Bourke said.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office coordinated this investigation with Albion School District officials, School Resource Deputy Ashliegh Stornelli, and Sheriff’s Investigators Kevin Colonna and Devon Pahuta.
Upon becoming aware of this incident, Albion School officials removed Paz from any access to the school district property.
Paz was processed at the Orleans County Jail and held pending CAP court arraignment for the charges, which are all misdemeanors. A temporary order of protection has been issued. Additional court proceedings are pending, Bourke said.
Anyone with additional information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office at 585-589-5527.
In a message sent to parents of Albion students, District Superintendent Mickey Edwards said Paz was placed on administrative leave last week when the district was told he may have been involved in a criminal incident.
Edwards said the investigation from the Sheriff’s Deartment has not found any misconduct from Paz that occurred on the school campus. The district’s attorneys are also conducting an internal investigation, Edwards said.
“The safety of Albion CSD students is always and remains a top priority,” Edwards wrote in his message. “Discussions related to student safety can be difficult to navigate with children but are important to have. District counselors and social workers, as well as Orleans County mental health counselors, are available to students and families who would like additional support processing this or any other challenging safety issue.”
Sponsored Post
Data centers latest scam for rich to get richer at others’ expense
Editor:
The citizens of Orleans and Genesee County need to understand the big money behind the proposed Data Center at the Genesee County STAMP site.
In August 2025 Stream Data Centers was acquired by Apollo Global Management, one of the largest private equity firms in the world. Founded by three former investment bankers one of whom resigned as CEO (Leon Black) in 2021 after he faced abuse accusations and was found to have paid $158 million to Jeffrey Epstein.
Data Centers are the latest scam being foisted on communities. They will cause great harm to the environment, use millions of gallons of water, raise your electric rates, and for what? To make billionaires even richer? To collect more data?
They sell this as a money maker for the county for the next 30 years. It’s a short sighted investment as the scam unfolds data centers will be obsolete and Genesee County will have a big block of concrete sitting on land that once was farmland.
Do we really want this dystopian behemoth in our community? Do we even stand a chance in this fight against one of the world’s largest private equity firms?
Darcy Beeman
Kent
Kendall FD hosts kids for pizza party after shoveling out fire hydrants
Photos courtesy of Kendall Fire Department: The Kendall Fire Hall hosted a pizza party for children who shoveled out a fire hydrant or a neighbor’s driveway during a snow day on Jan. 26.
Press Release, Kendall Fire Department
KENDALL – What started as a simple snow-day contest for kids last week quickly turned into something special for the Kendall Fire District and the entire Kendall community.
During the snow day, the Kendall Fire District posted a challenge on Facebook inviting children in the community to shovel out a fire hydrant or help clear a neighbor’s driveway. Any child who participated and shared a photo would have their name placed into a hat for a live Facebook drawing, with the winner earning a ride to school in a fire truck.
Kendall Deputy Fire Chief Mike Cole, back left, and Fire Chief Randy Davis greet kids who will get a ride to school on a fire truck.
“We honestly thought we might get four or five kids to take part,” said James Fox, Captain with the Kendall Fire District. “Instead, it turned into more than 40 kids stepping up to help others.”
The overwhelming response caught the attention of the district’s Public Relations and Community Outreach Team. Impressed by the number of young participants and their willingness to serve, the department decided they wanted to do more to show their appreciation. A pizza party was planned at the firehouse to recognize every child who gave their time to help the community, as well as the parents and guardians who ensured the activities were completed safely and shared photos with the department.
As soon as the pizza party was announced, local businesses began calling the firehouse asking how they could help. Community support poured in. Partyka Farms donated an ice cream cone for each contestant. J&M Auto Service paid for all of the pizza, while Hamlin Pizza Shack donated fried dough, soda and water, and provided free delivery of all the pizza.
The recognition continued at school as well. The Kendall School District honored every participant during its Student of the Month ceremony. District Chief Randy Davis and Deputy Chief Mike Cole attended the ceremony and presented certificates of appreciation to each child.
The pizza party was held yesterday evening at the firehouse and was filled with food, laughter, and fun. Kevin Watson, the elementary school principal, was the guest of honor and pulled the winners’ names from a hat. The district then decided why stop at just one winner?
Instead of selecting a single child, the District chose to fill three large fire apparatus with winners. As a result, four children will now receive a full escort to school in a fire truck. The winners are Jeffery Lutes, Nora Rasmusson, and siblings Presley and Brantley Cole.
What began as a fun snow-day activity became a powerful reflection of what Kendall represents: One Family, One School, One Community. District Chiefs Davis and Cole say they are excited about future events involving the community and encourage residents to be on the lookout for more fun and meaningful ways to get involved.
Gillibrand introduces legislation to require side guards on new tractor-trailers to prevent underride crashes
Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN-9), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), and Deborah Ross (D-NC-2) introduced legislation to help prevent deadly truck underride crashes.
An underride crash occurs when a car slides under a large truck, such as a semi-trailer, during an accident. When these crashes happen, a car’s safety features are rendered useless because most of the car slides under the trailer and the trailer undercarriage crashes straight through the windows and into the passengers. The passengers in the car often suffer severe head and neck injuries, including decapitation. These accidents are frequently fatal, even at low speeds.
Studies and pilot programs show that a simple barrier attached to the lower area of a truck, called an “underride guard,” would help prevent a car from sliding underneath a truck in an accident. Under current federal law, unlike the rear of a truck, underride guards are not required to be on the sides or front of trucks. The Stop Underrides Act 2.0 would expand on current restrictions by instructing rulemaking to require side underride guards on new trucks, improving data collection, and directing additional research on underride crashes.
“Truck underride guards are one of the best and easiest solutions for protecting passengers during collisions with large trucks,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Stop Underrides Act 2.0 is commonsense legislation that will protect passengers and make our roads safer. I look forward to working across the aisle to get this passed.”
Specifically, this bill would:
- Require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to finalize rulemaking requiring side underride guards on commercial trucks.
- Restart the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Advisory Committee on Underride Protection, to provide recommendations for how to reduce underride crashes and severe injuries and fatalities caused by underrides.
- Require the DOT to publish a website making underrides research accessible to researchers, industry, and advocates.
- Instruct the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the prevalence of underride incidents, including those involving the fronts of large trucks.
- Instruct the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of the implementation of NHTSA’s 2022 rear underride rule and provide suggestions to better improve the rule.
- Instruct NHTSA to review its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and correct crashes in the database that should have been classified as an underride but were not.
- Instruct NHTSA to create free, on-demand web-based training for state and local law enforcement to better identify and document underride crashes.
In the Senate, the Stop Underrides Act 2.0 is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
This bill is supported by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, America Walks, AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety, Cascade Bicycle Club, Casey Feldman Foundation, Center for Auto Safety, EndDistractedDriving.org, Families for Safe Streets, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, League of American Bicyclists, Institute for Safer Trucking, Kids and Car Safety, Ride Illinois, Ride of Silence, Road Safe America, Sylvia Bingham Fund, Safe Routes Partnership, Stop Underrides, and Truck Safety Coalition.
Orleans sees big sales tax growth in 2025
County revenues increase 9.3 percent or by $2.2 million
ALBION – Sales tax revenues for Orleans County jumped 9.3 percent in 2025 or nearly $2.2 million from $23.42 million in 2024 to $25.59 million in 2025.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has a report showing the sales tax revenues for the counties in 2025. Orleans had one of the strongest growths in the state.
The county has seen steady growth in sales tax in recent years. It has now gone up nearly $8 million from the $17.7 in 2019 to the $25.6 million last year.
Orleans County sales tax revenues
- $25.6 million in 2025
- $23.4 million in 2024
- $23.1 million in 2023
- $22.5 million in 2022
- $21.8 million in 2021
- $19.4 million in 2020
- $17.7 million in 2019
In Orleans County, nearly all of the local sales tax generated stays with the county government. The 10 towns and four villages collectively have remained at $1,366,671, the same amount they have received since 2001. The town and village share amounts to 5.3 percent of the $25.6 million total.
Among counties, sales tax revenue increased 4.0 percent in 2025, with 52 of 57 counties seeing an increase. Among the rural GLOW counties, Wyoming and Livingston both went down slightly.
GLOW counties
- Genesee – $55.81 million in 2024 to $59.91 million in 2025, 7.4 percent increase
- Livingston – $48.13 million in 2024 to $47.99 million in 2025, 0.3 percent decrease
- Orleans – $23.42 million in 2024 to $25.59 million in 2025, 9.3 percent increase
- Wyoming – $26.82 million in 2024 to $26.77 million in 2025, 0.2 percent decrease
Chenango County saw the biggest increase at 11.8 percent, followed by Yates (11 percent), Hamilton (10.9 percent) and Delaware (10.7 percent).
Sullivan County had the steepest decline at 5.2 percent, followed by Schoharie (3.9 percent) and St. Lawrence (3.0 percent).
State-wide sales tax growth was up 3.9 percent, up significantly from the 0.6 percent in 2024 and higher than the average pre-pandemic growth rate (3.0 percent), the state comptroller’s office stated in its report.
New York City accounts for about half of the state-wide sales tax revenue. NYC saw a 5.0 percent increase in sales tax revenue, totaling $10.9 billion, which was up by $521 million.
Oak Orchard Health announces Gerald Archibald as Chief Administrative Officer
Press Release, Oak Orchard Health
Gerald Archibald
BROCKPORT – Oak Orchard Health, a leading healthcare provider in rural, upstate New York has announced Jerry Archibald as its Chief Administrative Officer.
Archibald spent 12 years at Arthur Anderson & Co. before joining The Bonadio Group in 1986. Jerry has more than 35 years of experience delivering high‑quality advisory, assurance, compliance, and consulting services to over 300 government-based, tax‑exempt, and healthcare organizations.
In his new role, Archibald will be responsible for overseeing aspects of the company’s finances and operational framework.
He is certified as a Fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association and is a Certified Managed Care Professional.
His expertise in the health and human service industries provides him with a unique perspective on all aspects of health and human service delivery systems. He has been involved extensively in health and human service client engagements, which involve the evaluation, assessment, and implementation of operating improvements.
“Jerry brings his exceptional pedigree that is unparalleled in the human services arena. Oak Orchard is lucky to have such a compassionate, intelligent executive join our organization,” said Marco Altieri, CEO.
John Slenker, chairman of the board, said, “With his extensive background and vision for the future, we are confident that he will help lead Oak Orchard to new heights and drive our mission.”
