Photo by Tom Rivers – Sheriff Randy Bower talks with deputies and members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office last week when Jim DeFilipps was recognized at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds as NY Deputy of the Year.

ALBION – Sheriff Randy Bower was elected last November with some bold initiatives, including drug treatment services for inmates in the County Jail.

Bower said the Sheriff’s Office has met many of his goals in his six months of office, including a new Sheriffs Transition Addiction Management Program (STAMP), which provides inmates with drug and mental health counseling. Inmates approved for the program also receive Vivitrol, a drug that helps block opiate cravings.

Bower went over some of the highlights of his first six months in office in a report last week to the Orleans County Legislature.

• The Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division K9 Unit to have a drug-sniffing dog come through the jail to search for drugs. Bower said it has made the jail safer and been a deterrent for people trying to smuggle in contraband.

• In the first months of the year, deputies have made 526 traffic stops, served 501 papers, responded to 317 motor vehicle accidents and 167 alarms, executed 57 warrants, and responded to 18 assaults, 45 burglaries, 106 larcenies, 116 calls for harassment or aggravated harassment, and 61 overdoses or psychiatric calls.

• The Sheriff’s Office has pushed to bring a “STOP DWI” traveling display to local school districts. The display includes victim statements, personal items from crashes, newspaper clippings and aftermath accounts.

Provided photo – Chief Deputy Michael Mele and Holley Principal Sue Cory are pictured with the STOP DWI “Courage to Serve” traveling display at the Holley school in April.

• The Sheriff’s Office has collected more than 1,000 pounds of prescription narcotics during drug take-back days. There is a drug take-back bin in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office and Bower said he wants drug take-back collections sites to also be available at the Albion, Holley and Medina police departments.

• The Sheriff’s Office has boosted participation in community events, including DWI crash simulations at local school districts during prom and graduation season.

• The Orleans County Marine Division added patrols along the Erie Canal, using an $8,000 state grant. The Marine Division also patrols 24 miles of Lake Ontario shoreline and Lake Alice.

• On June 15, the Sheriff’s Office and County Highway Department erected a roadside sign on Gaines Basin Road in memory of Deputy David Whittier, who was struck by a drunk driver on the road. He died on Sept. 8, 1989. Bower said Whittier is believed to be the only Orleans County deputy to die in the line of duty.

Photo by Tom Rivers – This sign was installed on Gaines Basin Road, about a quarter mile south of Route 104. The marker is a memorial for Deputy David Whittier, who was fatally injured here in 1989.

• The Sheriff’s Office added a part-time animal control officer, Ariel Strickland, to help with a high call volume, Bower said. Starting June 1, the county assumed animal control duties in the Village of Medina.

• Bower, in his campaign for sheriff, wanted public safety dispatchers to have access to school cameras in case of an emergency inside schools. Medina has partnered with dispatch to allow access to its cameras, and Bower said he is working to have all school districts in agreement by the start of the new school year.

“The men and woman of the Sheriff’s Department have really stepped it up,” Bower told county legislators in highlighting the initiatives.

The sheriff has other goals including establishment of a K9 service to be led by Deputy Jeff Cole. Bower also said he is pursuing grant funding for a bomb-sniffing dog.

Bower has also reached out to the faith community and has about a dozen chaplains, from a diversity of faiths and denominations, available to assist staff on calls.

“A lot has happened and we’re excited about some of the new programs being developed,” said David Callard, Legislature chairman.

ALBION – The paint has been flaking off the historic Orleans County Courthouse in recent years.

The iconic building, the centerpiece of the Historic Courthouse Square, will soon be repainted. The County Legislature on Wednesday approved a bid from Panek Coatings of Albion to paint the building, as well as the neighboring County Clerks’ Building, for $106,450.

Construction of the courthouse was completed in 1858 in the ornate Greek Revival style. The dome is 36 feet wide.

The courthouse and 34 other buildings are part of the Courthouse Square Historic District, which was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Most of the $106,450 bid by Panek is focused on the courthouse, but the Clerks’ Building will also be painted. That building was built in 1888 and brought the Eastlake architectural style to Albion’s Courthouse Square.

The unemployment rate in Orleans County fell to 5.0 percent in June 2016, that’s down from 6.2 percent in June 2015, according to the state Department of Labor.

The state-wide unemployment rate was 4.5 percent last month, compared to 5.2 percent in June 2015.

The DOL reports there were 17,200 people working in Orleans last month, compared to 900 unemployed. That compares to 17,300 working in June 2015, and 1,100 who were unemployed.

The unemployment rates for other nearby counties include: Niagara, 4.8; Monroe, 4.3; Erie, 4.4; Genesee, 3.8; Wyoming, 4.1; and Livingston, 4.4.

Columbia County has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in the state at 3.2 percent, and the Bronx has the highest at 7.0 percent.

The state DOL reports the state’s private sector job count increased by 120,700 since June 2015. In June 2016, the number of private sector jobs in the state was an all-time high at 7,918,400, according to the DOL.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Main Street lift bridge in Albion is slated for rehabilitation in 2018-19 as part of the DOT’s capital plan. The Albion bridge, plus the one on Route 19 in Brockport, are scheduled for $7.8 million in rehab work.

ALBION – A five-year capital by the State Department of Transportation includes repairs to the lift bridge on Main Street in Albion, $13 million to rehab six other canal bridges in Orleans County, and money to pave the Lake Ontario State Parkway.

Orleans County officials have been pressing the state to spend money to fix bridges and pave the Parkway. The DOT plan includes more than $14 million for Parkway work and nearly all of it is in Monroe County.

The Parkway paving includes $8.97 million to pave the parkway from Route 19 east to Payne Beach, and $5.2 million to pave the Parkway from Route 19 in Hamlin to Route 237 in Kendall. The Parkway paving projects are slated for 2017-18.

Some of the other projects in Orleans, identified in the capital plan, include:

• $430,000 in preventive maintenance for 8 bridges in Orleans County (2016-17)

• $3.13 million to pave Route 98 in Albion (2017-18)

• $13 million to rehab six bridges over the Erie Canal in Orleans County (2017-18)

• $1.63 million for Holley pavement preservation on Route 31 and 237 (2018-19)

• $7.8 million for lift bridge rehab on Route 98 in Albion and Route 19 in Brockport (2018-19)

• $1.35 million for bridge rehabilitation on Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek (2019-20)

State Senator Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) highlighted the list of projects. He said he was pleased to see several canal bridges in the five-year DOT capital program plan.

In addition to the bridge construction work, the state will install sensors on weight restricted canal lift bridges to monitor the structural integrity and to better assess appropriate corrective measures, Ortt said.

“For years, our local roads and bridges have been dangerously underfunded by the state,” Ortt said. “For the first time in more than a decade, the State Legislature has achieved true parity in transportation funding between upstate and downstate – the DOT and the MTA – with $27.1 billion for each entity over a five-year period.”

There are 16 lift bridges on the canal and seven of them are in Orleans County. There are more than a dozen other steel truss canal bridges in Orleans that are about a century old.

“This money is a good start to help fix the structural problems in our region,” Ortt said. “The infrastructure improvements to the two canal lift bridges will contribute to economic growth while maintaining the safety of the individuals who use them, including our farmers and emergency personnel. We need reliable infrastructure to stimulate the economy, create jobs and protect future generations.”

A complete list of DOT projects can be found by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Sharon Gavenda – People are pictured at Point Breeze during sunset on Thursday.

The severity of the drought conditions in Orleans County and Western New York has intensified, according to a weekly update released Thursday by the United States Drought Monitor.

Last week Orleans County was considered to be in “moderate drought.” Now, much of the county is in “severe drought,” according to the Drought Monitor.

State-wide, 11.39 percent of the land mass is considered in severe drought, while 44.39 percent is in moderate drought and 89.57 percent is considered at least abnormally dry, which is an improvement from a week earlier when 93.67 was considered at least abnormally dry.

Click here for more from the Drought Monitor.

Provided photo, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office  – Sheriff Randy Bower, left, and Undersheriff Chris Bourke are pictured with a new radar speed sign.

Press Release, Sheriff Randy Bower

ALBION – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has a new radar speed sign. Sheriff Randy Bower issued this statement today about the sign:

“In our continuing attempt to provide for the safety of Orleans County residents, the Sheriff’s Department has recently purchased a new radar speed sign using grant money secured by State Senator Robert Ortt. Using radar technology, the sign detects and displays the speed of oncoming vehicles, thus alerting drivers to check their current speed to the posted speed limit and adjust accordingly.

“These traffic control devices have been proven very effective in improving traffic safety, especially in transitional speed zones, work and school zones, residential neighborhoods, and on roadways adjacent to special events such as concerts, carnivals, festivals, and fairs. Researchers believe that a majority of speeding occurs when drivers become complacent or distracted.

“While motorists may overlook ordinary speed limit signs, they are more likely to see and pay attention to these traffic-calming innovations. The device’s electrical system is supplemented with solar energy and the entire unit is very mobile and can be easily moved to different locations as needed.”

File photo by Tom Rivers – In this photo from last October, Jay Pahura, a motor equipment operator for the Albion Department of Public Works, runs a roller over fresh pavement on Hamilton Street. The village will receive $22,775.05 in state paving funds, part of the $100 million fund state-wide.

New York State is making $100 million available to almost 1,600 municipalities throughout the state to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of local highways and roads.

This funding, provided under Governor Cuomo’s PAVE NY initiative, is being administered by the New York State Department of Transportation as part of its $21.1 billion five-year Capital Plan.The PAVE NY program emphasizes projects that improve the physical condition of local roadways, create jobs and enhance local economic competitiveness.

“From replacing the Tappan Zee Bridge to the transformative redesign of LaGuardia Airport, New York has been leading the way in reshaping our infrastructure to meet the demands of the 21st century,” Cuomo said. “PAVE NY funds strategic investments in local roadways, helping ensure roadways across the state are in good repair, remain reliable for motorists and able to help foster regional economic growth for years to come.”

PAVE NY funds are awarded to New York City and cities, counties, towns and villages for activities such as roadway resurfacing, widening and realignment; construction of turning lanes at intersections; and new drainage to mitigate the harmful effects of flooding.

In Orleans County, the funds add up to $573,186.38. That includes the following: County of Orleans, $294,362.76; Town of Albion, $13,926.46; Town of Barre, $35,103.49; Town of Carlton, $28,017.44; Town of Clarendon, $24,172.92; Town of Gaines, $9,150.03; Town of Kendall, $15,135.70; Town of Murray, $16,431.93; Town of Ridgeway, $26,726.17; Town of Shelby, $25,454.18; and Town of Yates, $20,231.67.

The shares to the four villages include: Village of Albion, $22,775.05; Village of Holley, $6,145.02; Village of Lyndonville, $3,963.36; and Village of Medina, $31,590.21.

News site sees big jump in readers

Provided photo – Nearly 100 Medina teachers wore ribbons with Notre Dame blue and gold, and a small green ribbon during the June 24 commencement in honor of Jeff Evoy, the school superintendent who died on June 23 at age 50. Evoy was a big fan of Notre Dame and he was also proud of his Irish ancestry. His death was mourned by the community.

MEDINA – Orleans Hub saw a big jump in traffic in June, setting a new record high for readership. Orleans Hub had 780,920 page views in 30 days, an average of 26,031 per day.

That breaks the record of 765,677 page views in September 2015, a daily average of 25,523.

September was also our previous high for average daily users. We had a 7,671 daily average in September during a heated primary season for sheriff and other local elected positions.

We’ve consistently stayed over a 7,000-average, but hadn’t eclipsed the September standard until June, when the daily average was 8,424. That is the first time we’ve been over an 8,000-daily average for a month. For the first six months this year, the daily average was 7,054 in January, 7,135 in February, 7,108 in March, 7,556 in April, 7,530 in May and 8,424 in June.

Jeff Evoy, a well-regarded superintendent of schools for Medina, died on June 23 at age 50. Evoy had been battling a serious illness, but continued to be active in running the district while he was in the hospital. He checked email and was often on the phone in the last month before he passed away the day before graduation.

The story about his death was the most-viewed during the month, and by far the most-viewed story of the year on the Orleans Hub.

Here are top five most-viewed stories of the month:

1. Jeff Evoy, Medina school superintendent, dies unexpectedly

2. Injuries in head-on collision in Barre

3. Holley man dies in motorcycle accident in Town of Greece

4. Carlton home badly damaged in fire

5. 3-car accident at 5 Corners; 1 taken by Mercy Flight

Photo by Tom Rivers – This home on Sawyer Road in Carlton was badly damaged in a fire on June 6.

Local sports also continues to be popular on Orleans Hub. Mike Wertman, a long-time local sports writer, provides a daily update on local high school athletes and other local sports. His wife Cheryl has photos from many of the games.

The most-viewed sports story was on June 4, featuring Medina High sophomore Jalin Cooper. He scored an impressive sweep by capturing both the 100 and 200 sprints at the Section VI Division 2 championships.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Jalin Cooper was a double winner at Sectionals.

Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – This photo last Sunday shows a soccer field at Albion with yellowed grass. Many of the lawns, crops and vegetation are suffering with a shortage of water so far this growing season.

The United States Drought Monitor on Thursday announced that nearly all of Orleans is in “moderate drought” conditions. Niagara, and portions of Erie and Genesee counties also are considered to be in “moderate drought.” Many other counties in New York are considered “abnormally dry,” according to the Drought Monitor. (Click here to see the map.)

The Orleans County did get some rain late this afternoon when a severe thunderstorm briefly passed through the area.

File photo by Tom Rivers – The Orleans County Legislature approved hiring the Wendel firm to design an addition on the County Administration Building on Route 31, behind The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has approved an agreement with the Wendel firm to design an addition on the County Administration Building, new space that could be used for relocated county offices and perhaps as a meeting room and offices for the Legislature itself.

The Legislature on April 27 announced that is was considering new construction on the County Administration Building at 14106 Route 31 West.

The Legislature on April 27 authorized paying Wendel $30,000 for a feasibility study for an addition to the County Administration Building.

The county may shift several offices to the addition, including the Board of Elections and Public Health Department, which is leasing space from Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services.

Comprehensive purchased the former county nursing home for $7.8 million in January 2014. The county has been leasing space from Comprehensive for Elections and Public Health because those offices are part of the nursing home complex.

The county could also shift information technology (currently in Treasurer’s Office), the legislative chambers (in County Clerk’s Building), the county’s administrative office (also in Clerk’s Building) and create large multi-use rooms to accommodate training for large groups, conference rooms and offices.

The Legislature last week approved paying Wendel up to $70,000 to design the addition to the Administration Building. That scope of work not only includes designing the building, but determining parking and circulation needs, site access, utility service requirements, energy efficiency and sustainability requirements, and other analysis of the site.

David Callard, the County Legislature chairman, said in April that moving Elections and Public Health from leased space will free up money that could go towards the addition, perhaps making the project cost neutral to county taxpayers.

Callard said he and county officials have looked at existing buildings, including sites in Albion’s historic downtown, but those sites wouldn’t improve efficiency of the county government operations.

ALBION – A steering committee that will study law enforcement services in Orleans County will meet today at 7 p.m. and is expected to pick a vendor to assist with the project.

The committee will meet in Conference Room C of the County Administration Building on Route 31, and will interview two consultants interested in working on the study.

The county received a $36,000 matching state grant for the law enforcement shared service and efficiency study. The county is paying the other $36,000.

The committee will include police chiefs and elected officials from the four villages and Orleans County, which all provide police services. The steering committee and a consultant will explore the efficiency of current local law enforcement operations and compare them with alternative policing models, including the potential consolidation of all local departments into one.

County officials have set May 2017 for completion of the report with recommendations and alternatives for the community.

The study will look at the operations at the Sheriff’s Office, and the Albion, Medina and Holley police departments. Lyndonville also has a part-time officer.

There may be opportunities for shared administration, joint purchasing and other initiatives that would keep the existing village police departments. Or the committee may suggest the village departments be dissolved with a county-wide force taking the lead.

If the villages dissolved their police departments, it would provide significant tax relief for villages. However, county taxes would likely then go up.

Holley has talked before of dissolving its police department and Medina, as part of a failed dissolution proposal last year, said a town-wide force in Shelby and Ridgeway could be created.

County Legislature Chairman David Callard has said he wants to be proactive in looking at policing services and not be caught off guard by a village that dissolves its force, expecting the Sheriff’s Office to assume village road patrols and calls.

The study will look at alignment of current compensation and benefits agreements, determining the costs of a combined police force. The committee will look at potential obstacles to consolidation and provide guidance to overcome those obstacles, according to the county’s Request For Proposals for the study.