Photos by Tom Rivers – Orleans County Emergency management and Public Health officials today discussing a new app for “Orleans Aware” that includes information about hazardous weather, detours, evacuation routes, emergency shelters and the option for families to create their own disaster ready plan for their home. The group in photo includes, from left: Dale Banker, Emergency Management Coordinator for the county; Albert Cheverie, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator; and Paul Pettit, Public Health Director.

ALBION –  Orleans County, and its southern neighbor in Genesee, both debuted new apps today that are designed to encourage residents in both counties to be prepared and protect themselves and their loved ones in the case of a disaster.

The two counties are the first in the state with such mobile apps. Paul Pettit, the Public Health director in both counties, said more counties are working on their own apps, but Genesee and Orleans are the first to utilize the technology to inform the public.

“This is about getting the information out to the public in real-time fashion,” Pettit told Orleans County legislators today.

Orleans used grant money through emergency management and public health to develop the app with the Quickseries Publishing.

Genesee County unveiled the app for “Ready Genesee” and Orleans debuted “Orleans Aware” today. They are the first counties in the state to make such apps for community preparedness available.

The app includes interactive and instructional guides to help users prepare for emergencies. Residents can also develop disaster-ready plans that are specific to their own homes.

The counties can also send out news alerts, alerts on hazardous weather, evacuation routes and emergency shelters. The county will likely give details on upcoming rabies clinics, information on public health threats such as the Zika virus, and news about burn bans, for example.

The app has options to develop many other features for informing the public, but residents shouldn’t expect to be overly inundated with alerts, said Albert Cheverie, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

“There won’t be any chicken dinner announcements,” he said.

The new apps are free and available to everyone using an iOS or an Android device. It can be downloaded directly from the App Store or Google Play. Orleans Aware may not be available at the App Store until next week but it is ready from Google Play.

Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management coordinator, said the app will make it easier for the county to send clear messages in an immediate fashion to residents about emergencies and public health issues.

Photo by Tom Rivers – These purple tulips are pictured on Platt Street in Albion last Friday.

The State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an air quality alert for today from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for Orleans, Niagara, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

Today is forecast from a high of 82 degrees. The DEC says people should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.

The DEC says air quality levels in outdoor air are predicted to be greater than the air quality index value of 100 for the pollutant of ozone. When pollution levels are elevated, the State Department of Health recommends that individuals reduce strenuous outdoor activity.

People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young, and those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease, according to the DEC alert.

The forecast for the next few days includes highs of 83 with a chance for showers on Thursday, high near 85 and chance for showers on Friday, high near 88 with chance for showers on Saturday, high near 86 with chance for showers on Sunday, and a high near 81 with chance for showers on Monday, Memorial Day.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson, left, and Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey, leaders with the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance, update the Albion Rotary Club on the efforts bring more high-speed Internet to rural areas in the two counties. Rotary member Bruce Landis is at right.

GAINES – Officials from Orleans and Niagara counties continue to work to expand high-speed Internet access in the two counties.

The two counties have formed the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance, with the push for more broadband Internet a top priority for the two-county alliance.

However, the effort is “in a holding pattern” due to the merger of Time Warner and Charter Communications, Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson told the Albion Rotary Club last week.

As part of the merger, Charter needs to expand service to 145,000 homes that don’t already have high-speed access. The FCC on May 6 approved Charter Communications’ $79 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.

Charter has 45 days from May 6 to provide addresses for the 145,000 homes where it plans to extend service. Once those addresses are known, Orleans and Niagara officials can see how it effects service coverage locally.

The state has made $500 million in funds available to expand high-speed Internet. New York is seeking at least a matching commitment from private industry to extend broadband to underserved areas.

Orleans and Niagara have identified 4,300 homes without high-speed Internet access. The lack of service is a major deterrent to attracting and keeping residents and businesses, Johnson said.

“Our message is we haven’t given up,” she said. “As two counties we stand ready for what is so desperately needed on our rural roads for schools, residents and farms.”

The two counties last year approved a Memorandum of Understanding with vendors to develop a rural broadband network with the goal of making high-speed internet access available in every household.

The two counties, working together as the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance, have entered into an MOU with the team of Seneca Solutions and Resolute Partners. The companies developed a network on the Cattaraugus Indian Territory.

They are ready to pursue grant funding and to design, install, operate and maintain the rural broadband network for Orleans and Niagara, Johnson said.

Godfrey, the Niagara County legislator, expects the network will be mostly wireless. That is the wave of the future, and it is cheaper and more practical than installing cable, especially in rural pockets of the two counties with few homes, he said.

“We’ve been shovel-ready for two years,” he said about the broadband push. “We’ve done our homework, we’re just waiting for the money.”

Godfrey lives in rural Wilson. He said two families recently built new homes in that Niagara town, but moved out because there wasn’t broadband Internet. The families moved because their children couldn’t do homework without high-speed Internet, Godfrey said. Fast Internet also is needed for businesses to submit reports and residents to search for jobs and fill out applications.

“We’re more than disadvantaged,” Godfrey said. “We’re discriminated against.”

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, also is pushing for rural broadband money. Upstate New York could lose more than $170 million in federal aid for expanding high-speed Internet because Verizon has turned down the money.

Schumer and Gov. Andrew Cuomo want the federal aid to be available for other companies that would expand coverage in New York.

“We have a lot of very loud voices speaking on behalf of Orleans County,” Johnson said.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski – Delegates to the 81st Annual NYS 4-H Capital Days held in Albany from Sunday through Tuesday pose on the “Million Dollar Staircase” inside the Capitol building. The architectural wonder took 14 years to construct and is made partially of Medina sandstone. The delegates, including John Gabalski and Rachel Gregoire of the Orleans County 4-H program, pose with NYS Assembly Member Clifford Crouch (bottom right).

Orleans County 4-Hers John Gabalski and Rachel Gregoire sit in the NYS Assembly Chamber Monday morning prior to hearing from Assembly Member Clifford Crouch, who explained how the NYS Assembly works.

State Sen. Robert Ortt is pictured with Rachel Gregoire, John Gabalski and his mother Kristina Gabalski, a chaperone for the trip. She is also a correspondent for the Orleans Hub.

Two Orleans County 4-Hers traveled to Albany on May 15-17 for the 81st Annual 4-H Capital Days.  Rachel Gregoire of Murray and John Gabalski of Byron represented Orleans County at the 4-H teen program, which works to help participants achieve a better understanding of the NYS public policy process and state and local government relations.

4-H members also met with legislators, learned about career opportunities in NYS government, and met and exchanged experiences with delegates from other counties.

The event included meetings with State Senator Robert Ortt and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley in their offices as well as a visit to the NYS Assembly and Senate chambers, a tour of the Capitol Building, a visit to the New York State Court of Appeals, and agency presentations by NYSERDA, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the NYS Department of Education, the NYS Department of Health, the NYS Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the NYS Department of Corrections.

Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul addressed the delegates Tuesday afternoon.  A former 4-H’er, Hochul called herself, “the highest ranked 4-H’er in the State of New York. You are getting exposed to things that your peers cannot compete with,” Hochul told delegates.

As teen leaders, she advised participants to help guide their peers. “Your fellow New Yorkers need you,” Hochul said.  “You are in the right place in an organization that will give you skills to benefit you in the future.”

She said she learned many valuable life skills as a 4-H’er growing up in western New York, including public speaking.

“Seize every opportunity you can get,” the lieutenant governor said.

Participants were also able to visit the Corning Tower, the New York State Museum, the New York State Vietnam Memorial and other attractions in the area of the Empire State Plaza as time allowed.

The number of new houses built annually in Orleans County has been declining, with only 18 built in 2015 compared to 76 in 2003, according to county officials.

The 18 new homes last year is the fewest since 2003, except for the 16 in 2010, when the community and country were in the grip of an economic slowdown.

Orleans County Legislator Ken DeRoller, a former Kendall town assessor, shared the data during on building permits for new houses in Orleans County. DeRoller received the information from the Orleans County Planning Department. The information was discussed during Friday’s meeting with the board of directors for the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

Source: OC Planning Department

DeRoller said the housing starts have slowed in the county, partly because of the big reductions in the workforce at Kodak, Xerox and Bausch & Lomb. Those companies used to employ many Orleans residents.

“We took a real hit and haven’t recovered from that,” DeRoller said about the downsizings at some of Rochester’s major manufacturers.

DeRoller said the county still has lots of open affordable land that could be used for new housing. The local governments also should work on getting vacant homes occupied, he said.

DeRoller said he worries with the county’s falling population and students enrollments at local schools.

“We need to stabilize our student enrollments,” he said.

Some of the houses have been vacant for several years and have fallen into significant disrepair. Those homes will take big investments to make attractive to residents. Those deteriorating houses also are dragging down neighborhoods, EDA board members.

“It’s not very inviting in many of our communities,” said Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the EDA. She gives company CEOs tours of the local communities, and they often note the rough shape of the housing stock.

Some communities have stepped up property maintenance enforcement, and Paul Hendal, EDA board chairman, said that often comes with resistance from property owners.

“The pushback is unbelievable,” he said.

DeRoller said he expects the STAMP site just outside Orleans in the Town of Alabama to bring new residents looking to build homes and also revive existing houses. However, DeRoller said the appearance of the community needs to be improved to draw some of the STAMP workers as residents. It is an issue to be worked on for officials at all levels of the government, he said.

Photo courtesy of Ed Morgan – Donald Trump, left, poses for a photo with Ed Morgan, Orleans County Repbulican Party chairman, at a meeting in New York City in January 2014.

Ed Morgan, the chairman of the Orleans County Republican Party, has been picked as one of the delegates in the 27th Congressional District for the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Morgan has led the Orleans County GOP for the past decade. He serves as regional vice chairman of the NY Republican Party Committee. He is also the Murray town highway superintendent.

“It’s quite an honor,” Morgan said about serving as a delegate to the National Convention, which will be in Cleveland from July 18-21. The convention will host about 2,470 delegates.

Donald Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee. Morgan was an early backer of Trump for president, and the Orleans County Republican Committee may have been the first county in New York to endorse Trump for president.

Not all Republicans are behind Trump, and Morgan said there could be a push for another candidate during the convention.

“It will be exciting,” he said. “I’m definitely for Trump, but I’m not convinced it will be a rubber stamp.”

Morgan also attended the 2012 Republican National Convention when Mitt Romney was nominated as the party’s candidate.

The Orleans County Conservative Party has decided to withhold endorsements from long-term local elected officials seeking re-election this year. The Conservative Party Committee says it will no longer endorse candidates who have served more than three terms in their elected positions.

The Committee decided not to endorse Joe Cardone, the county’s district attorney for more than two decades, in his candidacy for another four-year term.

Conservative Party leaders also aren’t endorsing Charlie Smith and Scott Schmidt for additional terms as coroner due to their long service in the positions.

“The Founders never intended for a person to go into elected public service and make a life-time career out of it,” said Paul Lauricella, Conservative Party vice chairman. “Our committee strongly believes that the problems we have in this country are the direct result of career politicians that never know when to leave and will never vote to fix this problem.”

The Conservative Party did make one endorsement during its meeting last week. It is backing Rocco L. Sidari for coroner. Sidari, a former Albion fire chief, has served as coroner for about a year. He is seeking his first four-year term.

The Orleans County Republican Party Committee has endorsed Cardone for DA, and Schmidt, Smith and Sidari for coroner. The election is in November.

In addition, the local Conservative Party isn’t backing state legislators who have served more than three terms. That includes Steve Hawley of Batavia, who has been the assemblyman for 10 years. He is seeking another two-year term in the post. He was interviewed by the local Conservative Party Committee, but Lauricella said the group decided not to endorse him.

ALBION – The Orleans County Republican Party has endorsed Joe Cardone for another four-year term as district attorney.

Cardone of Medina has served more than two decades as the county’s top prosecutor.

“He’s done a great job,” said Ed Morgan, the county’s GOP chairman.

There are only four positions on the ballot in county elections this year. Besides Cardone, three coroners are up for election. The GOP Committee endorsed the incumbents: Charlie Smith of Ridgeway, Scott Schmidt of Medina and Rocky Sidari of Albion.

Schmidt is the current president of the New York State Association of County Coroners and Medical Examiners. Smith and Sidari are both active firefighters.

Provided photo – Members of the Middleport Community Choir rehearse this week for their upcoming concerts in Orleans County.

MEDINA – The Middleport Community Choir and The Middleport Belltones have two upcoming performances in Orleans County.

The choir will present “Down By The Riverside”on Sunday, May 15, and Friday, May 20. The May 15 performance will be at 4 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Medina. The May 20 performance will be at 7 p.m. in at Gaines-Carlton Community Church located at 14585 Ridge Rd. in Albion.

“I really wanted to perform a concert that would be fun for the choir and audience,” said Ric Jones, director of the community choir. “This performance is sure to get everyone’s toes tapping. It is full of recognizable spirituals and gospel songs.”

Besides the Middleport Community Choir, the concert will also feature The Middleport Belltones, under the direction of Debby Clark. The performance will also feature numerous soloists from the choir, a drummer, and a bassist.

A free will offering will be taken during the performance. For more information about these performances, please contact Jones, the musical director, at (716) 523-0846.

Jones is the owner of Imagine Music Publishing. In addition to being the musical director of the Middleport Community Choir, he also serves as musical director of the Brighton Symphony Orchestra and The Genesee Chorale. He is also the organist at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in Medina and Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolcottsville.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Ric Jones, director of the Middleport Community Choir, is shown here on Dec. 7, 2014, leading the Genesee Chorale in a concert at the First Presbyterian Church in Albion.

The Middleport Belltones is directed by Debby Clark, who has been an organist for over 35 years. During that tenure, she has accompanied and directed numerous cantatas. Under Clark’s direction, the Middleport Belltones have travelled to Germany in 2002, 2008, and 2015.

Clark currently enjoys being a substitute organist for several churches. In addition, she has been an office facilitator for a financial advising firm for over 17 years.

The Middleport Community Choirs are “a community of churches that sings from the heart.” They are two choirs: the vocal choir (The Middleport Community Choir), and the hand bell choir (The Middleport Bell Tones).

The Middleport Community Choir is a voluntary organization made up of approximately 40 active members from Middleport, Medina, Gasport, Lockport, Akron, and Lyndonville. Their performance repertoire consists of a variety of mediums, including sacred, secular, Broadway, and contemporary choral works.

File photo by Tom Rivers – Dollinger’s Motel in Albion is decorated with lights in this photo from December 2013. Dollinger’s is among the lodging businesses in Orleans County that collect a 4 percent tax, in addition to the sales tax, from their customers.

ALBION – Lodging providers in Orleans County are invited to a May 19 seminar by county officials to discuss marketing strategies, network with other businesses, and learn about bed tax compliancy.

The county has about 25 lodging providers, which include motels, bed and breakfasts, lodges and vacation rentals.

The 4 percent occupancy tax generates about $35,000 for the county to promote tourism, dollars that are matched by the state in the I Love NY program.

The May 19 seminar will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at the home of Gene Haines, 14361 Ontario St. That home, the former Barbary Coast, is next to the Oak Orchard Lighthouse at Point Breeze.

Lynne Menz, Orleans County tourism director, will lead the seminar, which will include County Attorney David Schubel and representatives from the Orleans County Legislature and Chamber of Commerce.

“This is not an enforcement tool,” Menz said about bed tax compliance. “It’s a learning tool.”

Menz is planning other seminars this year for tourism stakeholders, including travel businesses, event planners and museums.

Reservations for the May 19 event are required by May 17. To RSVP, email lynne@orleanscountytourism or call Menz at 585-261-3890.

Participants are welcome to bring brochures to exchange with other lodging providers.