Photos by Tom Rivers: Fireworks reflect in the Erie Canal on July 2 after a performance by the Albany Symphony in Medina as part of the celebration for the Erie Canal’s 200th anniversary. That concert attracted 1,000 people. There were many special events last year in the county for the bicentennial of both the canal and Orleans County.

ALBION – Orleans County set a new record high for bed tax in 2025, despite concerns that some Canadians might cut back on their traveling to the region.

Last year was a big year for celebrations in the county with the bicentennials of both the Erie Canal and Orleans County, as well as an active year for concerts, festivals and other events.

The Seneca Chief travels along the Erie Canal between Middleport and Medina on Sept. 25. The vessel is a replica of the maiden canal boat that carried Gov. DeWitt Clinton on the canal in 1825. There were celebrations along the canal system during the Seneca Chief’s 33-day journey last year from Buffalo to New York City.

The county imposes a 4 percent occupancy tax on lodging establishments, and that bed tax generated $119,501.51 in 2025, said County Treasurer Kim DeFrank.

 This is the fourth straight year the tax has topped $100,000 for the county.

Here are the totals in recent years:

• $119,502 in 2025
• $116,712 in 2024
• $119,003 in 2023
• $111,548 in 2022
• $79,102 in 2021
• $58,438 in 2020
• $58,424 in 2019
• $51,002 in 2018
• $45,374 in 2017

There are about 200 rooms for rent in the county, including at hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and short-term rentals.

Orleans County imposes a 4 percent bed tax on top of the 8 percent sales tax.

The county sets aside the bed tax to fund the tourism department and initiatives to bring in visitors. The increase in funds allowed the county to hire a sportsfishing coordinator in December 2022, filling a position that had been vacant for nearly five years. Ron Bierstine promotes the county’s top tourism draw of sportsfishing attending more of fishing shows, including in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The county also has stepped up its digital advertising on Facebook to promote events in Orleans to attract more visitors to the area. The tourism department promotes local festivities, museums and other attractions.

Press Release, Orleans County government

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Social Services (DSS) is reminding families, even those without earned income, to file a New York State income tax return so they can take full advantage of the Empire State Child Credit.

New this year (for Tax Year 2025), households with the lowest income, or even no income, can receive the maximum for this credit.

Families can receive up to $1,000 per child under age 4 and up to $330 per child ages 4 to 16. They may also be eligible for other federal and state tax credits. These funds can be used to pay taxes owed, if any, and provide additional cash back to families.

“This program is specifically targeted to families with children, regardless of income, but in order to receive the benefit, you have to file a tax return,” said Orleans County DSS Commissioner Holli Nenni. “It is important that families understand they can receive this cash back even if they don’t normally file taxes or haven’t filed taxes in a while.”

Nenni stressed that filing a tax return for the Empire State Child Credit and receiving cash back will not impact Medicaid, SNAP, Cash Assistance, SSI, or Housing Assistance benefits.

For more information on the program, including how to get assistance in preparing a tax return, visit www.otda.ny.gov/childcredit.

Photo by Tom Rivers: These kids enjoy the splash pad at Bullard Park last year on June 4 when temperatures were in the 80s. The Village of Albion runs a six-week summer recreation program.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has approved $86,658 towards youth programs and services in the county.

The Youth Bureau Resource Allocation Plan was developed by the Orleans County Youth Bureau and Department of Social Services. The joint plan makes the county eligible for state aid from the State Office of Children and Family Services.

The money is awarded to municipalities and community-based agencies. The county received funding requests for about $260,000, said Kelly Kiebala, the Youth Bureau administrator. There is a small amount of additional money that is expected to be awarded for youth programs in addition to the $86,658, Kiebala said.

The allocations are for three different programs: Municipal Youth Development Program, $44,768; Municipal Youth Sports & Education Opportunity Funding, $23,252; and Municipal Youth Team Sports, $18,638.

Here is a breakdown of the funding:

Municipal Youth Development Program:

• Arc GLOW Camp Rainbow – $4,152.80
• GLOW Works, Inc. (GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare) – $500
• GLOW Works, Inc. (GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing) – $500
• Hoag Library Summer Reading – $500
• Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension – $1,500
• Orleans County Probation Juvenile Adjustment Services – $16,000
• PTA New York Congress – Albion Elementary PTA – $900
• Town of Kendall Recreation – $2,000
• Village of Albion Recreation – $2,000
• Village of Holley Recreation – $2,000
• Village of Medina Recreation – $1,500
• Orleans County Youth Bureau Annual Awards – $2,000
• Orleans County Youth Bureau Family Game Night – $2,000
• Orleans County Youth Bureau – $6,715.20

Municipal Youth Sports & Education Opportunity:

• Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension – $1,500
• Village of Albion Recreation – $17,264.20
• Village of Holley Recreation – $1,000
• Orleans County Youth Bureau – $3,487.80

Municipal Youth Teams Sports:

• Albion High School Alumni Foundation for the Albion Soccer Club – $3,500
• Albion Youth Football and Cheerleading – $3,500
• Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy – $8,842
• Orleans County Youth Bureau – $2,795

Photo by Tom Rivers: Workers from Upstate Tower Construction in West Seneca are shown putting up a 180-foot-high tower in Carlton on Feb. 5, 2024. The tower is next to the Town Hall and highway garage on Waterport-Carlton Road. The tower was paid for as part of $2,990,000 grant from the state to the county through the Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant. That grant pays for the new tower in Carlton, a new tower and equipment at the Orleans County Emergency Management Office on West Countyhouse Road in Albion, and two backup 911 dispatch consoles at the EMO site. A separate $11.5 million grant is paying for more towers and high-speed internet equipment.

ALBION – Two new towers for high-speed internet service will be built in Ridgeway and Carlton, and equipment also will be going on a grain silo in Clarendon.

Those projects are part of a build-out of the wireless internet system in the county. The county in November 2024 was awarded a $11,562,698 state grant to upgrade wireless internet service throughout the county.

The funding came through the Empire State Development’s ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Program. This will allow the county to increase wireless internet speeds from the current 25 Mega Bit Per Seconds (Mbps) to 100 (Mbps).

There are currently 19 towers for the high-speed internet system. The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday gave its support for two new towers plus the equipment on a grain silo in Clarendon. Those additions should fill gaps in internet coverage.

The county approved a $11,216,500 contract from North Shore Networks LLC in Medina to implement the faster internet service. That company is led by Duston Ellis, who worked over a decade in Kentucky for Broadlinc, helping run a high-speed internet service in a rural area. Ellis moved to Medina to be near his wife’s family.

• The new 150-foot-high tower in Carlton will be a monopole at 961 Wilson Rd. near the Village of Albion Water Treatment Plant.

• The 150-foot-high tower in Ridgeway will be at 2490 Townline Rd. on land owned by Panek Farms. The tower will be on a site that is not being actively farmed.

• In  Clarendon, an antenna array will be installed atop an existing 140-foot-high grain silo at 5122 Soth Holley Rd., near Glidden Road. The property is owned by Kevin Wolf, LLC.

The equipment includes four radios and a network cabinet. The radios will broadcast out at 90 degrees in each direction.

Provided photo:  County Legislator John Fitzak, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson and Legislator Skip Draper meet in Tenney’s office in Washington, DC.

Press Release, Orleans County Legislature

WASHINGTON, DC – Orleans County legislative leaders joined nearly 2,000 county leaders from across the country for the 2026 National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference this week in Washington, D.C.

The conference featured speakers from the Trump Administration and Congress including of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Lee Zeldin, head of the Environmental Protection Agency.  Conference attendees shaped NACo’s legislative agenda, received updates on key federal policies and advocated for county priorities on Capitol Hill.

“Each year, we use this conference as an opportunity to collaborate with county leaders from across the country on our shared priorities and then advocate for those policies and the specific needs of Orleans County with federal leaders,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “In previous years, our advocacy efforts have been key to securing federal funding for local projects.”

Joining Chairman Johnson at the NACo conference were Legislators Merle “Skip” Draper of Medina and John Fitzak of Carlton.  The conference touched on several key areas of importance to Orleans County including data centers, artificial intelligence, workforce development and public safety. There was also a Federal Agency Expo, with nearly 50 federal program offices sending representatives to meet with conference participants and build intergovernmental partnerships.

“Federal policies have direct and long-lasting impacts on county governments and our residents,” said NACo President J.D. Clark. “NACo’s Legislative Conference is an important opportunity for county leaders to strengthen relationships with our intergovernmental partners, tell our county story and advocate for county priorities that help our communities and residents thrive.”

The conference culminated in an Advocacy Day of Action, positioning attendees to advocate for county federal policy priorities.  Orleans County officials spent time on Capitol Hill meeting with staff from Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s office. In addition, Orleans County officials met with Congresswoman Tenney and staff from the USDA.

Orleans County leaders thanked federal representatives for securing funding for the future Emergency Management Operations Center and the Public Safety Building rehabilitation.  This year’s priorities included funding for the modernization and upgrades of the former Genesee Community College building in Albion for the Probation Department; support for the regional dredging initiative that includes Oak Orchard Harbor; and funding for Marine Park dock repairs to support public safety.

“We know we will not get everything we ask for, but it’s important to continue to beat the drum for our funding priorities and hope our federal representatives can deliver,” Fitzak said. “Sometimes it takes years of asking before a funding pot is identified for a project, so our job is to keep it on the front burner until that happens.”

Press Release, Orleans Economic Development Agency

ALBION – Applications are now available for the Spring Microenterprise Assistance Program (MAP), a 10-week business development course offered through the Orleans County Local Development Corporation.

The MAP program supports aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage small business owners by providing practical training in business planning, finance, marketing, and operations. The program is designed to strengthen the local economy by expanding access to small business education across Orleans County.

Classes will be held Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., beginning April 2 through June 4. Sessions will take place at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The course fee is $300. Financial assistance is available based on demonstrated need.

Graduates from recent MAP cohorts pursued local ventures ranging from retail to beauty and wellness, landscaping, property management services, and specialty manufacturing.

Applications will be accepted through March 13, and can be done online (click here).

For questions about MAP program requirements contact Matt Holland at the Orleans Economic Development Agency, (585) 589-7060 ext. 1.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Orleans County Legislator Don Allport last week presented a proclamation declaring March as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.” He presents the proclamation to representatives from the Arc GLOW.

From left include Arc board member Marlene Hill of Medina; Mary Lou Touhey, mother of person supported; Nicole Touhey, a person supported; and Lisa Bors, VP of Public Relations and Development for Arc GLOW.

March is Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month highlights the inclusion, contributions, and potential of people with developmental disabilities.

The former Arc of Genesee Orleans and Arc of Livingston-Wyoming merged in 2021 to form the new Arc GLOW. This is the first four-county chapter of The Arc New York. This follows the merger in 2016 of the former Arc of Orleans and Genesee Arc.

In Orleans County, Arc GLOW has three homes for individuals with disabilities, operates Orleans Enterprises Work Center in Albion, day habilitation programs, Meals on Wheels/Nutrifare in Albion and Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway. Several programs and departments also share space with the finance department on Caroline Street in Albion, Arc GLOW officials said.

The original ARC of Orleans County formed about 60 years ago.

“March is designated as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to highlight the abilities and achievements of people with developmental disabilities, while raising awareness of the challenges they face,” according to the proclamation form the County Legislature. “People with developmental disabilities are an essential part of our community, bringing unique talents, perspectives, and strength to Orleans County.”

Planning Board on Thursday also will review proposals for broadband tower installations

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday and will review the site plan for a new Dollar General in Albion and also will see an application for a special use permit for a cannabis growing operation in Carlton.

The meeting is in the legislative chambers of the Orleans County Administration Building on Route 31.

The Dollar General is located at 327 East Ave., across from the high school. The County Planning Board will make a recommendation to the Village of Albion Board on whether to accept the site plan. The county board also could suggestions to improve the site plan.

The County Planning Board also will review an application for a special use permit to grow cannabis in a storage building on an existing property in Carlton. The project is located on 13353 Kendrick Rd., Waterport.

There are three applications for special use permits and site plans for broadband tower installations. In Clarendon, a tower is proposed for the top of a grain silo at 5122 South Holley Rd.

In Ridgeway, the tower is proposed for 2490 Townline Rd. and another tower is proposed to be in Carlton at 961 Wilson Road, Waterport.

Planners also will review a proposal for a special use permit to build housing for seasonal H2A workers at 2162 Lyndonville Rd., Lyndonville.

There also is an application from the Town of Yates for a home business for repairing hydraulic cylinders, heavy equipment, and possible part sales at 11916 Roosevelt Hwy.

Photo by Tom Rivers: This welcome sign for Albion is shown along the towpath just east of the Ingersoll Street lift bridge. The village would get an additional $8,145 in state funding through Temporary Municipal Assistance.

The governor has announced a $150 million increase Temporary Municipal Assistance with the lion’s share going to cities of all sizes in the state.

Orleans County doesn’t have any cities and its 10 towns and four villages would receive a total of $80,148 as part of the allocations. The county has a population of 40,343 so the temporary aid amounts to about $2 per person.

The state began offering the Temporary Municipal Assistance in the 2024-25 budget at $50 million. It kept that $50 million in the 2025-26 budget and will triple it in the new state budget.

The temporary aid is on top of the AIM payments of Aid and Incentives to Municipalities, which distributes $715 million statewide to towns, villages and cities outside of New York City.  With AIM, the cities get $647.1 million or 90.5 percent of the total, while towns statewide receive $47.9 million, and villages share $19.7 million.

The Temporary Municipal Assistance follows the same percentages with the cities getting nearly all of the money.

Here is the breakdown of AIM and Temporary Assistance for Orleans County municipalities:

• Village of Albion – $38,811 AIM, $8,145 TMA, population 5,637
• Village of Holley – $17,786 AIM, $3,732 TMA, population 1,754
• Village of Lyndonville – $6,251 AIM, $1,311 TMA, population 791
• Village of Medina – $45,523 AIM, $9,555 TMA, population 6,047

• Town of Albion – $46,944 AIM, $9,852 TMA, population 7,639
• Town of Barre – $12,486 AIM, $2,619 TMA, population 1,830
• Town of Carlton – $13,680 AIM, $2,871 TMA, population 2,823
• Town of Clarendon – $11,416 AIM, $2,397 TMA, population 3,305
• Town of Gaines – $21,323 AIM, $4,476 TMA, population 3,226
• Town of Kendall – $21,299 AIM, $4,470 TMA, population 2,614
• Town of Murray – $44,677 AIM, $9,375 TMA, population 4,806
• Town of Ridgeway – $46,273 AIM, $9,711 TMA, population 6,577
• Town of Shelby – $45,007 AIM, $9,447 TMA, population 4,878
• Town of Yates – $10,421 AIM, $2,187 TMA, population 2,567

The cities get a lot more in assistance from the state. Here are some examples of smaller cities and their AIM and TMA:

• City of Batavia in Genesee County – $1,750,975 AIM, $609,978 TMA, population 15,174
• City of Salamanca in Cattaraugus City – $928,131 AIM, $323,328 TMA, population 5,929
• City of Sherrill in Oneida City – $372,689 AIM, $129,831 TMA, population 3,077
• City of Lockport in Niagara County – $2,650,525 AIM, $923,349 TMA, population 20,876

Hochul in announcing the funds on Thursday said the additional Temporary Municipal Assistance will help the local governments minimize the burden on taxpayers.

“Having spent years in local government, I understand the unique challenges our local leaders are experiencing, which is why my Administration has worked closely with municipalities across the state to increase financial support from the State,” Governor Hochul said. “We want all of New York’s municipalities to succeed, and this funding is crucial to putting all of our cities, towns and villages on stronger financial footing and allowing them to keep their residents safe and continue providing the vital services they rely on.”

The New York Conference of Mayors represents cities and villages around the state. The organization praised the governor for the extra money. The organization urged the State Legislature to approve the funding increase.

“This additional aid will deliver meaningful relief not only to municipalities across New York grappling with mounting fiscal pressures, but also to taxpayers striving to balance household budgets amid the rising cost of living,” said NYCOM Executive Director Barbara Van Epps said. “We deeply appreciate the Governor’s recognition of the vital role local governments play in moving New York forward, and we urge the State Legislature to preserve this additional investment in the adopted state budget — because when our cities and villages rise, all of New York rises with them.”

New York State Association of Towns Executive Director Christopher Koetzle said commended the governor for the additional unrestricted aid.

 “This funding delivers critical fiscal flexibility, allowing towns to sustain essential public services and reduce reliance on real property taxes,” he said. “This proposal demonstrates a clear commitment to supporting municipalities with meaningful, direct assistance.”

Press Release, Orleans County Chamber of Commerce

ALBION – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the return of the annual Home, Garden & Outdoor Show, taking place March 28 and 29 at Dubby’s Tailgate, 165 S. Platt Street, Albion.

This two-day community event brings together local businesses, industry experts, and residents for a weekend focused on home improvement, gardening, outdoor living, and family-friendly activities.

The show will feature vendor exhibits, educational presentations, food vendors, raffles, children’s activities, and seasonal highlights including an Easter plant sale and visits with the Easter Bunny.

The Home, Garden & Outdoor Show provides an opportunity for local businesses to connect directly with homeowners and community members seeking products, services, and inspiration for their homes and outdoor spaces.

Vendor applications are now open, and space is limited. Businesses in home improvement, landscaping, construction, real estate, finance, décor, outdoor recreation, and related industries are encouraged to apply.

Applications are due by March 23, and interested vendors can access the application by clicking here.

For additional information about the event, vendor opportunities, or Chamber membership, please visit the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce website, email social@orleanscountychamberofcommerce.com or call 585-201-8676.

Income limit would stay at $24,700 but percentages of exemptions would go up

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature is looking to increase the maximum exemptions for low-income seniors from 50 percent off their property taxes to 65 percent.

The county, however, isn’t proposing to increase the income limits for people 65 and older to be eligible for an exemption. That will remain at a $24,700 threshold.

The Legislature will have a public hearing at 4:25 p.m. on March 24 at the legislative chambers of the County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 W.

The Legislature is proposing the following exemptions based on income levels:

• $16,000 or less – 65 percent exemption
• $16,000.01 to $16,999.99 – 60 percent exemption
• $17,000 to $17,999.99 – 55 percent exemption
• $18,000 to $18,999.99 – 50 percent exemption
• $19,000 to $19,999.99 – 45 percent exemption
• $20,000 to $20,999.99 – 40 percent exemption
• $21,000 to $21,999.99 – 35 percent exemption
• $22,000 to $22,899.99 – 30 percent exemption
• $22,900 to $23,799.99 – 25 percent exemption
• $23,800 to $24,699.99 – 20 percent exemption

Gov. Kathy Hochul in December signed legislation to allow local municipalities to increase the size of the exemptions from a maximum 50 percent to 65 percent.

“No New York senior should lose their home because they can no longer afford their property taxes,” Hochul said on Dec. 6 in announcing the higher exemption levels. “By signing this legislation, we are working to make New York more affordable for our seniors on fixed incomes and empowering them to age in place, at home, in the communities they know and love.”

Charlie will promote fishery at parades, other public appearances

Provided photo: Charlie the Chinook is shown on a trailer during last year’s parade in Carlton.

ALBION – For about 40 years a 13-foot-long fiberglass fish has promoted the fishery in Orleans County. Last year, the fish was named “Charlie the Chinook.”

Charlie rode on a trailer and appeared at the Carlton parade and other events. A banner declared Charlie to be “King of Orleans County.”

But Charlie has been falling apart. He was cracked and being held together with duct tape, said Ron Bierstine, the county’s sportsfishing coordinator.

The Orleans County Tourism Department is getting a new fiberglass body for a replica Charlie the Chinook float. The County Legislature on Tuesday approved spending $5,235 to Fiberglass Animals and Objects in Seward, Neb. A grant from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council will cover the cost.

County Tourism also received a $2,500 from Brookfield Power to go towards painting the fish and refurbishing a trailer for the new chinook.

Bierstine said the giant fish has been popular and well received by the public for nearly four decades.

“He jazzes people up,” Bierstine said.

The big fish was created in the early 1980s to promote a Rotary fishing derby. It was made by Jack Elam and Bob McGaffick.

For about 25 years it was on a  trailer on Route 279 in Gaines next to the Bait Barn run by the late Al Capurso. Students in the Medina FFA about a decade ago worked to bring the fish back to its original luster.

The Medina students needed to rebuild the tail, strip down and rebuild the fins, fix holes and re-do the interior wire structure. They applied many coats of paint and studied the right coloring to make the fish look like a Chinook salmon – it’s green and brown with some blue, with a gray belly and a pink stripe on the sides.

Bierstine said he looks forward to getting the new fish out to meet the public. Fishing is the county’s top tourism draw, generating about $28 million in economic impact, according to a 2017 report from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Here’s how the fish looked about a decade ago when it was outside the Bait Barn, Al Capurso’s shop in Gaines. The late Capurso had the fish for about 15 years before giving it to the county tourism department to promote the fishery.

Van service transporting 818 veterans to appointments in 2025

Photo by Ginny Kropf: The Medina chapter of Sons of the American Legion donated $2,000 to the Veterans’ Van Service in Albion on Thursday. Presenting the check to Phyllis Schrader, chair of the Veterans’ Van Service, and David Kusmierczak, president of the Joint Veterans Council, are, from left, Wayne Hale and Phil Rudnick, SAL members; and Scott Carlton, Medina SAL commander.

MEDINA – Maintaining a fleet of vans to provide free medical transportation to Orleans County veterans would likely be impossible without the support of many local organizations throughout the county.

One of these organizations is Sons of the American Legion, whose Medina chapter on Thursday morning donated $2,000 to the Veterans’ Van Service. Making the presentation to Phyllis Schrader, chair of the Veterans’ Van Service, and David Kusmierczak, president of the Joint Veterans Council, were SAL commander Scott Carlton and members Wayne Hale and Phil Rudnick.

Carlton said the SAL hold various fundraisers throughout the year, enabling them to support programs for veterans, such as the Van Service. One such fundraiser is clam night, starting at 4 p.m. today, until sold out, at the American Legion on North Main Street in Medina.

“We’ve supported the Van Service for many years,” Hale said. “This makes about $8,000 we’ve donated over the years.”

The Veterans Van Service has been in operation since 1997, an idea of local veteran, the late Jim Andre.

“Jim saw a need for such a service and the idea was developed by the late Frank Tower, then the Veterans’ Services officer, and the late Frank Berger, a legislator and a veteran,” Schrader said.

Initially, the service started Dec. 13, 1996 with a card table, a phone and one van, operating out of the county office building. The first year in operation they provided 5,184 hours of service by the all-volunteer drivers and office schedulers. They had driven 37,099 miles on the first van when a second one was acquired.

“We started with one driver and now we have 20 drivers and 10 office staff, all volunteers,” Schrader said.

For years, the late Owen Toale of Medina shopped for suitable vans.

“We only buy good, used vans,” Schrader said. “We can’t afford new ones.”

The fleet now consists of five vans.

The vans are available to transport any veteran from Orleans County to medical appointments in the Western New York area, namely Medina, Lockport, Buffalo and Rochester.

Veterans must give the Van Service two weeks’ notice of their appointment so office staff can secure a driver. The service is totally free to veterans.

Gas and maintenance of the vans is paid for by the Buffalo Veterans’ Administration, funded by private donations.

The Veterans’ Van Service operates under the Joint Veterans’ Council and now occupies its own office in the Orleans County Veterans’ Services office in Albion.

Schrader attends the Joint Veterans’ Council meeting the third Monday of each month and reports on the van service’s activity for the previous month.

Year-to-date figures for 2025 were 616 trips transporting 818 veterans; 27,334 total miles driven; and 3,874 hours by 26 volunteers.

In other news from the Veterans Service Office, clerk Jackie Lonnen announced the Jospeh P. Dwyer Peer to Peer Program will sponsor three free games of bowling for veterans on Feb. 28 at Medina Lanes. The event, from 1 to 5 p.m., will include pizza, wings and soft drinks. Veterans must RSVP by calling (585) 589-3219.

Also, on April 1 Lonnen said they will be giving away 100 hams to veterans for Easter. More details will be forthcoming.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Congresswoman Claudia Tenney speaks during Tuesday’s Orleans County Legislature meeting.

ALBION – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney spent 2 ½ hours meeting with Orleans County legislators and department heads on Tuesday, hearing about the challenges of providing services in a rural county.

Orleans is part of the 24^th Congressional District in New York, which includes all or parts of 14 counties, stretching from Niagara County to northern New York.

Tenney praised the team of county legislators and department heads and said some of the successes in the county should be emulated around the state.

Orleans County, for example, has one of the lowest error rates in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Tenney said. The federal government funds SNAP, which  provides low-income individuals and families with food benefits.

President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 changed how SNAP is administered, with states penalized that exceed a 6 percent payment error rate.

Tenney, during Tuesday’s County Legislature meeting, said New York State has one of the highest error rates in the country, but counties like Orleans “are significantly less than the state.” She doesn’t want Orleans to be penalized based on the overall state’s error rate.

She said the new changes imposed by the federal government have put more workload on the county’s DSS staff. She favors giving the smaller counties more time to implement the changes.

Tenney said the county struggles to provide services due to a limited tax base and the crushing weight of state mandated programs, including Medicaid, which costs the county more than $8 million a year.

She would like to see the state rein in the costs of Medicaid without hurting needy people around the state.

County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson thanked Tenney for spending the afternoon in Albion meeting with the department heads and county legislators.

“You spent a lot of time in Orleans County and we can’t tell you how much we appreciate that,” Johnson said.

The congresswoman said the Orleans County team “is hitting it out of the park” for local residents, finding cost savings in providing local services.

Johnson, contacted today, said the county reached out to Tenney about stopping by and hearing the concerns from the county level.

“We appreciate her willingness to take the time to truly listen and better understand the priorities of Orleans County,” Johnson said. “She spent two and half hours meeting with our department heads and legislators, attentively hearing firsthand about the challenges and needs facing our community. Her thoughtful questions, engaged presence, and approachable demeanor made the discussion both meaningful and productive.”

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney complimented the county’s team of department heads and county legislators.

Press Release, Orleans County Youth Bureau

Provided photo:  Kendall student and Youth Board member Emma O’Neill meets with Senator Rob Ortt during the ANYSYB conference in Albany.

Members of the Orleans County Youth Board traveled to Albany on February 2 and 3 to participate in the Annual Association of New York State Youth Bureaus (ANYSYB) Youth Leadership Forum. Approximately 250 students and Youth Bureau representatives from across the state attended

Kendall Jr./Sr. High School student Emma O’Neill and her mother Carrie O’Neill – both Youth Board members – and Orleans County Youth Bureau Director Kelly Kiebala took part in the two-day event which included leadership workshops, teambuilding exercises, and discussion groups.

On the second day, participants were encouraged to visit the offices of their state representatives. The Orleans County delegation visited with the offices of Senator Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Steve Hawley.