By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – A bulletproof vest likely saved the life of Deputy James DeFilipps during a shootout on Saturday at about 3 a.m. with James Ellis.
DeFilipps was shot twice in the abdomen, but the vest prevented the bullet from seriously injuring the deputy. DeFilipps only suffered minor injuries. He is at home and in good spirits, Chief Deputy Tom Drennan said today.
Drennan attended today’s Orleans County Legislature meeting and he thanked the county for providing the resources to purchase the vests for deputies. Each patrol car also has rifle and deputies are trained to use it in active shooter situations.
The vests and rifles “were huge factors in the incident,” Drennan told legislators today.
DeFilipps, after being shot twice, fatally shot Ellis, a Wyoming County resident who pulled a handgun on an ex-girlfriend in Shelby. Ellis was then chased by law enforcement before crashing his vehicle into a telephone pole on Route 31A in Clarendon.
Drennan said Ellis open fired on responding officers, including deputies Josh Narburgh, Kevin Colonna and Brian Larkin. Ellis also fired at state troopers Scott Gregson and Kevin Bentley and Holley police officer Guy Burke.
Drennan said the officers and dispatchers involved in the situation should be recognized by county officials for performing their jobs in a very stressful situation. Legislators agreed commendations are in order.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2015 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Orleans County legislators voted today to hire lobbyist for $60,000 a year to advocate for county interests in the state capitol.
The decision to hire an outside public affairs firm was a first for the county, which wants to be more aggressive in pursuing grant funding and state resources.
“For quite some time, the Legislature has been concerned that the county’s legislative and budgetary priorities have often been overlooked in Albany,” said Legislature Chairman David Callard. “This has been particularly true as it relates to getting our priorities funded through the Regional Economic Development Council process.”
The county has retained Park Strategies, LCC, an Albany-based lobbying firm founded and chaired by Al D’Amato, the former U.S. senator who represented New York.
Orleans wants to push for more state funding for roads, bridges and infrastructure. Park Associates is well connected to leading state legislators and policy makers in Albany, said Chuck Nesbitt, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The firm, he said, will push for infrastructure funds, Broadband funding, a grant for additional upgrades to the county emergency radio system to make it interoperable with neighboring counties, and other projects.
The county is a member of the New York State Association of Counties, but that group advocates for the overall good of all counties. NYSAC doesn’t push for projects and specific needs for member counties, Nesbitt said.
The county also is represented by State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. Sen. Robert Ortt, whose districts include more than Orleans.
Nesbitt said the county has tried to advocate on its own behalf in recent years, and hasn’t secured the full grant amounts and other state assistance it has requested.
“We felt it was time to bring in some professional support,” Nesbitt said.
Orleans County has fared poorly per capita in the Regional Council awards. While nearby counties typically land several grants in excess of $100,000, Orleans and its municipalities see little of those funds.
In 2013, Holley received the only grant in the county: $65,776 for a canal park improvement project. Last year the county was expecting a $160,000 state grant for projects at the Marine Park. The final award was only $81,500.
“We need to align the needs of the county with available state programs and funding streams, and then make the case to both – the Regional Economic Development folks and decision-makers in Albany – that Orleans County deserves its fair share,” Nesbitt said.
The agreement with Park Strategies runs from March 26, 2015 to March 25, 2016. Nesbitt said county officials would evaluate the agreement in about a year to see if it was fruitful for the county.
“Working in concert with Park Strategies, I’m confident we will be well served, and more importantly, we will go a long way to ensuring that county residents get a return on the tax dollars they send to Albany every year.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2015 at 12:00 am
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County officials and residents can hear about a $500 million state proposal to expand broadband Internet throughout the state, including in rural pockets that do not have reliable service.
David Salway, director of NYS Broadband Program Office, will be at the 4-H Fairgrounds today at 10 a.m. to discuss the initiative. He will be at the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension on Route 31.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing for $500 million in state funds for internet service providers willing to match the state dollar-for-dollar. The companies will be required to offer 100 megabits per second download speeds for the expansion, however “in certain limited cases, providers may offer 25 Mbps speeds to the most remote unserved and underserved areas of the state,” Cuomo said in January.
Orleans and Niagara counties have been working together to improve broadband service in the two counties, especially in the sparsely populated rural areas.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson speaks about the disadvantages facing many Orleans County residents and businesses due to unavailable or low-quality Internet access. She addressed David Salway, director of NYS Broadband Program Office, during a roundtable discussion today at the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Tom Biamonte (left), owner of Shelby Crushed Stone, said his company suffers because there isn’t Internet on Blair Road in Shelby.
KNOWLESVILLE – The leader of the state’s effort to extend Broadband or high-speed Internet throughout the state heard this morning how the lack of service in parts of Orleans County puts residents and businesses at a disadvantage.
It also discourages many potential residents and businesses from coming to the county, said Skip Draper, town supervisor for Shelby.
“Commerce is driven by what is there and if it isn’t there, then we just have fields and woods,” Draper said during a Broadband discussion this morning led David Salway, director of NYS Broadband Program Office.
Gov. Cuomo is proposing $500 million in state funds to jumpstart the New NY Broadband Program. Private sectors companies would need to at least match the funding to extend and upgrade service.
That $1 billion-plus investment in public and private funds is far more than the $25 million the state has been setting aside recently to expand the service, Salway said.
Companies that provide the service will be required to offer 100 megabits per second download speeds for the expansion or at least 25 megabits in remote rural areas. That is far greater than the current standard of 6.6 megabits, Salway said.
“It’s a very ambitious goal, but a very achievable goal,” Salway told about 20 local officials and business owners during a roundtable discussion at the Cornell Cooperative Extension.
David Salway, director of NYS Broadband Program Office, speaks during a discussion about Broadband this morning at the Cooperative Extension. He is joined by Angela Liotta, the state’s Broadband outreach director, and Vinnie Esposito, director of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council.
Salway has been traveling the state to hear how inadequate Internet is a deterrent for businesses and quality-of-life issues. He heard from several officials how low-quality Internet is putting Orleans County at a competitive disadvantage.
“This is about emerging ag businesses and getting people to live here,” said Jim Whipple, CEO of the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
The county is seeing more wineries, hops operations and other small farming operations open, often in rural areas where there isn’t high-speed Internet.
Whipple said he talks with CEOs from bigger companies who are eyeing potential homes if they were to settle in the area. They are surprised when they learn some parts of the county don’t have Broadband.
That means they can’t stream Netflix, they can’t Skype, they can’t work remotely from home, and in some cases can’t complete filings for the government. If they have children, they can’t do on-line research for school projects.
Tom Biamonte, owner of Shelby Crushed Stone, is a mile away from high-speed Internet on Blair Road. He can’t do sales tax reports and regulatory filings from his main office, which is only a mile from Route 31.
He and his employees lack real-time capability for many reports and communication.
“We’re falling behind,” Biamonte told Salway during the discussion. “It’s harder for us to provide up-to-date training with our guys.”
He has asked Time Warner many times to run a line with the service down the road, but the company hasn’t moved on it.
Ward Dobbins, owner of H.H. Dobbins Inc. in Lyndonville, said relaible and adequate Internet is critical for his company. County Legislator Ken DeRoller is next to Dobbins.
Salway said the state funds should make running lines down many rural roads more financially doable for companies because they won’t have to bear the full costs. For very sparsely populated roads, Salway said the state may want to consider state funds, dollars from the Internet providers, and perhaps some money from people being served in that area.
Ward Dobbins, owner of H.H. Dobbins Inc. in Lyndonville, said the company is expanding its apple packing and storage business and needs reliable high-speed Internet to communicate with customers around the world. Employees could also monitor the facilities off site through their Smart phones with strong enough Internet.
“Even though we’re rural we’re global in agriculture,” Dobbins said. “Our needs have changed so much in five years.”
Orleans and Niagara counties have been working to together to identify gaps in high-speed coverage and to prepare a request for proposals for companies to provide service to 3,900 “unserved access points” in Orleans and seven towns in Niagara County.
The timing of the effort comes at a good time with the state funding push by the governor, said Evhen Tupis from BPGreene, the firm that worked with the two counties on the study. The counties are evaluating proposals from the Internet providers.
“This shows collaboration among counties and towns,” Tupis said.
Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson said the two counties have done the groundwork in establishing the need for high-speed Internet and reaching out to companies for the service. The state funds could bring the effort to a reality, and make the county a better place to live and work, Johnson said.
“We are competing against other counties and right now our hands are tied in this area,” she said. “We see the need from the local businesses. Hopefully we can leverage one of the first roll-outs in the area.”
This press release is an update to the deputy-involved shooting that occurred on Saturday in the Town of Clarendon that resulted in the death of James Ellis.
On Saturday at 2:46 a.m., James Ellis went to a residence on Mill Street in Shelby Center and confronted his ex-girlfriend. It is alleged that Ellis put the barrel of a handgun to her head in an effort to solicit information as to the whereabouts of her current boyfriend.
Ellis subsequently left that location causing no further harm to the ex-girlfriend or anyone else. Ellis was eventually located after crashing his car on Route 31A in Clarendon. That led to the exchange of gunfire with Sheriff’s Deputy James DeFilipps that resulted in Ellis’s death.
Later on Saturday, a search was issued at Ellis’s residence at 8 Durfee Rd. in the Village of Wyoming (Wyoming County). The warrant was subsequently executed by members of the Orleans County Major Felony Crimes Task Force, the Sheriff’s offices in Orleans and Wyoming counties, and the Wyoming County Probation Department. The search of the Ellis residence provided no evidence of any substance that explain the actions of Ellis earlier in the day.
Investigators have determined that the .45 caliber handgun in Ellis’s possession at the time of his death was recently reported stolen from a residence in Wyoming County.
The incident remains under investigation by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police. The results of an autopsy being conducted by the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rochester could take several weeks.
It is anticipated that the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office will present the results of the police investigation to a grand jury sometime in April.
Deputy James DeFilipps continues to recover from injuries he sustained as a result of being shot by James Ellis. Deputy DeFilipps is expected to make a full recovery after which he will return to duty.
The Sheriff’s Office is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support received from the citizens of Orleans County following this event.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Four teams competed in the semifinals of the GLOW region mock trials on Monday at the Orleans County Courthouse.
In the top photo, Dylan Beckman serves as an attorney for the team from Batavia and questions a witness.
Amanda Conrad, a witness for Attica, responds to questioning from Becca Canale, an attorney for Batavia.
The fictional case centered on the treasurer of a Booster Club who was accused of stealing $45,200 to feed a gambling addiction.
Albion and Medina both have mock trial teams but they did not advance to the semifinals. The competitions are held at courthouses in Batavia, Warsaw and Albion.
Monday was Orleans County’s turn to host the event inside its historic courthouse, built in 1858.
Becca Canale was one of the attorneys for Batavia. She presents her closing argument to Chad Murray, the judge for the competition.
Madhu Vihani, a lawyer for the Attica team, presents documents to the team from Batavia.
The smaller courtroom on the first floor was used for the competition between teams from Avon, on left, and Notre Dame in Batavia.
Nic Culver of Medina, a freshman at Notre Dame, was a witness for his team.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 March 2015 at 12:00 am
James Ellis
CLARENDON The man killed in a shootout with an Orleans County deputy late Friday night had a criminal record.
James J. Ellis, 44, was on Probation and in Drug Court in Wyoming County, an Orleans County law enforcement official said.
He has two prior felony charges. He was recently arrested on Dec. 23 when he was wanted on a probation violation and allegedly had drugs in his pockets. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance on Dec. 23 and was committed to Wyoming County Jail without bail at that time.
Ellis was living at 8 Durfee Rd. in Wyoming, about an hour’s drive from Orleans County. His mother and ex-girlfriend lived in Orleans County.
Police were called at 2:46 a.m. Saturday about a domestic disturbance a the ex-girlfriend’s house. Ellis allegedly had a gun. He sped away from the house in Shelby and was discovered in Clarendon after he crashed into a telephone pole on Route 31A.
He was in a wooded area when Deputy James DeFilipps responded to the scene. Ellis opened fire on DeFilipps, hitting him twice in the abdomen, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess said. DeFilipps was wearing a bullet-proof vest. He suffered minor injuries from the shots.
He fired at Ellis, fatally wounding him. The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Officer will do an autopsy.
Ellis had been arrested before in Orleans County, according to The Daily News of Batavia. He was charged with harassment, petit larceny and endangering the welfare of a child in Gaines after a domestic dispute at a house on Bacon Road, according to the newspaper.
Ellis was on probation in Wyoming County after being arrested in July 2013 for numerous traffic and penal law violations, including having 16 suspensions on his driver’s license, according to The Daily News.
Ellis was released from jail on Feb. 4 after his arrest on Dec. 23, The Daily News reported.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Martin Mackenzie, new administrator at The Villages Health and Rehabilitation Center, is pictured with Buddy, a popular Golden Retriever at the nursing home.
ALBION – The change from a county-owned nursing home to a private ownership hasn’t been without glitches, some nursing home employees and the union president for the employees have told Orleans Hub.
After a difficult beginning – payroll mistakes, supply shortages, understaffing and unsatisfactory food – the union leader said the situation is improved.
The union credits Martin MacKenzie, the new administrator for The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center, for working hard to address issues raised by employees and residents.
“Martin is a godsend,” said Dylan Miller, president of the employees’ union. “He is definitely working to better the facility.”
MacKenzie started on Feb. 2. He worked the previous three years as administrator for the nursing home owned by Wyoming County in Warsaw. He remains a consultant there.
He was hired to lead the 120-bed nursing home in Albion, which is now owned by Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC. That company paid $7.8 million for the nursing home and took ownership on Jan. 1.
The company is looking to renovate the lobby, a rehab/gym room, and some of the hallways on the western entrance that lead to the Board of Elections and the alternative education program for Albion Central School. There are also plans for new flooring and lighting, and expanded recreational programs including concerts.
MacKenzie said his top focus is care for residents, and that means he will work to make sure the employees have what they need to do their jobs.
MacKenzie is a registered nurse who has worked in the healthcare field for two decades. He started as personal care aide for patients with cerebral palsy in Niagara County.
He has pitched in at The Villages, helping to feed residents and walk them to activities. He has stayed late on bi-weekly payroll periods the past two paydays, making sure the paychecks were accurate.
“I think he does care,” Miller said. “I feel he is an advocate for the residents and the staff.”
Miller said the union still has issues with supplies – food, diapers, cleaning products – sometimes being in short supply.
He would like to see a full staff to make sure the place is clean and residents get timely care.
Miller and some employees interviewed said the nursing home lacked leadership the first month. It showed with dissatisfaction in food, payroll errors and piled up laundry. (Some workers didn’t get paid overtime and in some cases, straight time, issues that still need to be resolved, Miller said.)
A new food service provider was only offering one choice for meals, down from three choices from the previous operator. The new vendor is now offering two meal choices and will work to offer three.
MacKenzie said a new food supervisor is starting this week as well as a registered dietician. He is pushing to fill certified nursing assistant and licensed practical nurse positions.
This file photo shows the 120-bed nursing home in Albion, which was sold for $7.8 million to Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services LLC.
The facility had 148 employees under county ownership and now has 130. Miller said understaffing has made it a challenge for workers to get all of their work done. If they need to stay late for overtime the request is often not granted.
MacKenzie said filling the CNA and LPN positions is a priority.
“It’s the CNA that makes or breaks the place,” MacKenzie said during an interview on Tuesday.
He is pleased with the dedication from the employees, and the level of participation from residents and families. He established a Family Council and the first meeting had 28 people in attendance, up from the 6 to 8 that usually attend those meetings at the nursing home in Warsaw.
“The staff here has impressed me,” MacKenzie said. “It’s a top-notch crew. I’ve worked at a lot of places. This home has a very friendly atmosphere. I know that’s a cliché. Everybody here is polite, even the residents.”
MacKenzie said The Villages also is in good shape as a facility. The county spent about $10 million in a renovation and expansion in 2007.
Orleans, like many county-owned sites, began to see big deficits as government reimbursements failed to keep pace with the costs. MacKenzie said half of the county-owned homes have either been sold or closed in recent years, with more likely to sell, including in Genesee County.
“The heart of the story here is there are still 120 seniors being taken care of,” MacKenzie said.
He said he also is impressed with the principal owners at Comprehensive, who are looking to invest at the Albion facility.
“I believe they will have a premiere nursing home here,” he said. “I am part of a company that is growing.”
He acknowledged there is work to do at The Villages as the new ownership settles in. He expects many of the issues raised by the union to be resolved soon.
He said he keeps an open door to employees, residents and their families.
“My number one priority is the residents and the front-line caregiving staff,” he said. “Communication with families is a priority. I will not let them down.”
File photo by Tom Rivers – Zach Shaffer, an Albion High School student, waits for his cue to enter the stage when he played a waiter in “Follies,” a musical performed last October by the Lake Plains Players. The community theater group will receive $2,800 in grants from GO Art! this year for two different productions.
BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council will distribute grants for nearly 30 different cultural initiatives in the two counties during a celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. today in Batavia at Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St.
Several awards will be presented to arts efforts in Orleans County. The evening will kick off with a performance by the Genesee Chorale Children’s Chorus, a 2015 Reach Grant recipient.
Awards will be presented to all 29 grant recipients who have proposed artistic and cultural projects to occur within Genesee and Orleans counties throughout 2015.
Legislative representatives will be present from both counties to help present the awards. The evening will conclude with a musical performance by 2015 Ripple Grant recipient Bill McDonald and his wife Kay.
GO ART! approved $41,600 in state decentralization grants for 26 projects in the two counties. The agency also approved $5,000 in Ripple Grants to support local artists who wish to involve the community in their creative process.
GO ART! approved $2,500 in Ripple Grants to Alex Feig of Orleans Radio for a “Remembers Medina” music recording and video, and $2,500 to Bill McDonald of Batavia for the Travelling Towpath Troubadors, a concert series along the Erie Canal.
Albion native Stacey (Kirby) Steward was approved for a $2,000 Spark Grant for an arts project with Holley Central School students. Steward’s project is sponsored by the Orleans County Adult Learning Services.
“Seeing Like an Artist” will encourage students to see the world as an artist sees it – noticing details that many miss. Students will be introduced to observational drawing and encouraged to practice developing skills such as focus, patience and attention. Inspiration will be drawn from nature.
Third graders will have several sessions with Steward, including drawing sessions, scientific observations and sharing sessions. The project will culminate in a mural created by the students and Steward.
The decentralization grants for projects in Orleans County include:
Village of Albion, Concerts by the Canal, $2,530;
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, Finally Fridays concert series, $2,300;
World Life Institute in Waterport, Voice from the Earth, $3,440;
Bill Lattin, sponsored by Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, for Halloween Pictures and Pranks Show, $1,515;
Lake Plains Players, $2,000 for fall production and $800 for spring production;
The Cobblestone Society Museum for “The Lost Generation,” an exhibit about World War I, $2,300;
Yates Community Library, “More Than Just Books,” $2,800;
Lyndonville Lions Club for Concert Fun for the Summer, $1,500.
Provided photos
June Persia, an employee at the Save-A-Lot in Holley, waters bouquets of flowers for Hospice of Orleans. The agency had 60 volunteers selling flowers at 35 locations this past week.
Last year the fundraiser raised more than $8,000 to support Hospice services for residents of Orleans County.
Lynn Burgess, owner of Lynn’s Salon on West Park Street in Albion, is one of the new businesses selling flowers for Hospice. George’s Fancher Road Service in Albion also agreed to help sell the flowers for the first time.
At Sam’s Diner in Holley, Joe Andreano of Holley, 95, bought a Spring Bouquet for his wife. “I’ve got a good wife,” he said with a smile.
The local school districts sold flowers this week. The following businesses also supported the event by selling the flower bouquets:
In Albion – Ace Hardware, Albion Fitness Center, Arc of Orleans County, Cobblestone Country Federal Credit Union, Country Lane Veterinary Services, CRFS, Crosby’s, First Niagara, George’s Fancher Road Service, Fischer’s Newsroom. Heads Up Salon, Lakes Plain Medical, Lynn’s Salon, Rainbow Preschool, Village House, Save-A-Lot and Crosby’s in Gaines.
In Holley/Clarendon – Save-A-Lot, Crosby’s, First Niagara, JP’s Farm Market, Sam’s Diner and Stockham Lumber.
In Kendall – K & K Crosby.
In Lyndonville – EZ Shop, M & T Bank and Signature Styles.
In Medina – Bank of Castile, Bread Basket, C & H Computer, Cas-Nic Cookies, Crosby’s, Key Bank, Lake Plains Medical, Medina Memorial Hospital and The Book Shoppe.
The bouquets are available today at Save-A-Lot in Albion and Tractor Supply in Medina.
Provided photo – Participants in the “Just Roll With It” event are pictured last Saturday at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.
Press Release, Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern
ALBION – Just Friends, a youth mentoring program through Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern, held the “Just Roll With It” event last Saturday.
The event was held at Oak Orchard Bowl and about 60 people attended, including children participants, parents/guardians, mentors, volunteers and staff. Just Friends would like to thank Randy Hanks of Oak Orchard Bowl for being a wonderful host and providing a fun afternoon for all.
Just Friends is a youth mentoring program for children who live in Orleans and Genesee counties. Participants range in age starting at age 5 and are matched with positive adult role models in the community who act as a mentor.
Children are referred to the Just Friends program by social workers, school counselors, family members and friends.
Each child is welcomed into the program and invited to every event in Orleans County. The goal of the program is to match a child (mentee) with a positive adult (mentor) in the community.
The mentor is required to spend four hours a month with the mentee in addition to attending events held by Just Friends. Just Friends also provides “Back to School Days” every August, and backpacks and necessary school supplies are provided for every child in the program.
At the “Just Roll With It” event, all school supplies were replenished to get the children through the remainder of the school year. Just Friends encourages and assists children to be prepared for school as well as giving them confidence by having all needed supplies.
The next event for Orleans County Just Friends will be held at Hoag Library on April 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. This event is “Snacks & a Movie” and will include a family movie, popcorn and drinks, an Easter egg hunt and special Easter treats for each child participant.
Just Friends is accepting donations of Easter baskets, plastic Easter eggs, candy and small toys for this event. If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about Just Friends, please call Jacki Mowers-Sciarabba, program coordinator at (585) 589-9210.
MURRAY – A Hamlin man was arrested on Thursday following a three-month investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine in Orleans County and the Town of Hamlin, the Orleans County Major Felony Task Force reported today.
Joel E. Johnson, 31, of 15 Fox Hollow St. was charged with four counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree (a Class B felony).
Law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence and seized over 20 grams of cocaine, a quantity of prescription hydrocodone pills, over $1,100 in cash, and scales, packaging and other drug paraphernalia.
Johnson was arraigned in the Murray Town Court by Town Justice Theodore Spada. Johnson was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond. He is to return to Town Court on March 9 at 5 p.m.
Johnson faces further charges in Monroe County regarding criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminally using drug paraphernalia, the Task Force reported.
The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force executed the search warrant along with the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.
A delegation of SCOPE (Shooters Committee On Political Education) attended SCOPE Lobby Day in Albany on Tuesday. SCOPE members from Orleans, Genesee and Niagara counties rode a bus together to Albany and met with members of the Assembly and Senate who represent the area, including Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, pictured in this photo in center (in suit).
The SCOPE members boarded a bus in Le Roy at 4 a.m. In Albany, they pushed for full repeal of the SAFE Act, defunding of the SAFE Act and uniform pistol licensing requirements across New York State with no additional restrictions added by the local licensing, said Mattie Zarpentine of Holley, the WNY coordinator for New York Revolution, a group opposed to the SAFE Act.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 March 2015 at 12:00 am
February had highest average for unique visitors, daily pageviews
Photo by Tom Rivers – Jeremy Graham uses a snowblower on Feb. 2 to clear out his driveway on East State Street in Albion when a snowstorm hit the area, shutting down local schools for the day. February was a month of punishing winter weather.
Orleans Hub set a new record in February with highest daily average for unique visitors and daily pageviews.
The site was coming off a big month in January when we crushed our record for average daily unique visitors. The 6,650 average for unique daily visitors in January topped the December record of 5,650 by 17.7 percent or 1,000 “uniques.”
I was hoping we could stay above 6,000 for February, which is usually a slow news month. A lot of our January traffic was driven by interest in the Medina village dissolution issue. Village residents voted down that referendum on Jan. 20.
But we topped January’s numbers with a 6,780 daily average for unique visitors in February. We had 615,029 total pageviews over 28 days for a 21,965 daily average, which tops the 21,317 daily average in January, when we had 660,825 pageviews over 31 days.
We frequently posted winter weather advisories, wind chill warnings and hazardous cold outlooks from the National Weather Service. Orleans Hub frequently wrote about the brutal weather and school closings, which are always a draw for readers.
Photo by JC Photography (Jesse Colmenero)
A story about the life of Brian Bellan and his 12 children was the most popular story of the month in February on the Orleans Hub. The Bellan family is pictured last fall at Mount Albion Cemetery. The group includes, front row, from left: EmmaLee and Karina; Second row: MiKayla, Richie, Da’Ron, Austin and Elizabeth; Back row: Briana, Porter, William, Kyson, Bryce, Kim and Brian.
In February, brutally cold weather was often in the news. The temperatures set a new record for coldest month ever for Buffalo and Rochester.
But we didn’t just write about the weather. Nor did readers of the Orleans Hub. We’ve been receiving lots of letters to the editor, and one by Dr. David Stahl of Medina was the second most popular story of the month in terms of “clicks,” or how many times the story was clicked on.
Mike and Cheryl Wertman have also been busy covering the local sports scene. Mike’s story on Feb. 9 was the first story about Roosevelt Bouie being inducted in the Syracuse University Hall of Fame.
Bouie, a former Kendall High School star, had his No. 50 retired by Syracuse. He is pictured here with several of Kendall’s senior players. They include, from left, Mookie Nauden, Will Condo, Taylor Kingsbury and Tania Arellano. They are in front of the case that displays Bouie’s retired Kendall jersey.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 February 2015 at 12:00 am
Board backs zoning change for former NYSEG in Albion
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday backed two car sales and repair businesses, with one in Shelby and the other in Albion.
Shawn Cobb wants to relocate his business by Frank’s Auto on Route 31 across the street on vacant land currently owned by Griffith Energy, just west of the Environmental Construction Group.
Cobb wants to establish a 50-space lot for selling used cars and also build a 30-by-40-foot wood framed building as an office and for vehicle repairs.
Planners said the new setup will ease some of the congestion in Cobb’s existing location.
The Planning Board on Thursday also recommended the Town of Shelby approve the site plan and a special use permit for Lance Hudomint to operate a motor vehicle repair shop at 10666 Maple Ridge Rd., the former location for Medina Car Sales.
“I’ve wanted to open my own repair shop,” Hudomint told county planners. “It’s been a dream.”
Hudomint will fix vehicles out of a 32-by-60-foot building. The location will also be used by Jim Paxon of Rochester to sell used cars. Paxon said he would have a maximum of 18 cars for sale at the site.
Photo by Tom Rivers – The former New York State Electric and Gas building at 366 Washington St. had its zoning changed from commercial to residential after the building sat empty for more than a year. The new owner wants the zoning to be changed to allow for business uses.
The Planning Board also recommended the Village of Albion change the zoning for the former New York State Electric and Gas building at 366 Washington St. The site was long used for commercial and business purposes, but after it sat empty for more than a year the site’s zoned was changed to residential to reflect the neighborhood.
The 4,215-square-foot stone building has several truck bays. It would be an ideal site for businesses that do auto repair, construction, HVAC, roofing/siding, distribution, storage, landscaping as well as other uses, building owner Charles Maloy told the Albion Village Board in December.
The village favors the zoning change, including for two neighboring vacant parcels.
“There’s no way this will ever be residential,” Code Enforcement Officer Ron Vendetti told the County Planning Board.
The property abuts an existing General Commercial district that runs along West Avenue. The former NYSEG and two vacant spots would be the first General Commercial sites with frontage along Washington Street.
Planning officials noted that there has been little residential development on the street after a few starter homes were constructed several years ago. The Albion Correctional Facility is down the street to the west.
