KNOWLESVILLE – Now that winter is in the rearview mirror, residents may be looking to work on their houses and properties. This weekend they can connect with professionals at the annual Home & Garden Show.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the event at the 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $1.

Several new vendors have already signed up for the event. There will be more vendors specializing in home décor for this Home & Garden Show, said Samantha Roskowski, administrative assistant for the Chamber.

There will also be a wine-tasting on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and a chance to win a $1,500 landscaping package.

“It’s a nice opportunity to see what’s available in the area and the surrounding area,” Roskowski said.

There is still time for additional vendors to be a part of the Home & Garden Show. For more information, call the Chamber at (585) 589-7727 or click here.

ALBION – The state Department of Labor is offering more resources to Orleans County, which is among the 10 counties in New York with the highest unemployment rates.

Those 10 counties are part of an “Unemployment Strikeforce” that will offer more job training assistance and tax credits for businesses that add employees. Those incentives helped bring down unemployment in the Bronx, and that success has prompted Gov. Cuomo and the state to expand the program to 10 counties.

Orleans is the only one in the Finger Lakes Region. Other “Strikeforce” counties include the Bronx, Jefferson, Lewis, Kings, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Montgomery, Franklin and Steuben.

“Our department is focused like a laser on Orleans County,” Joe Hamm, DOL regional director, told the Orleans County Legislature. “The focus will be to connect people to work and drive down the (unemployment) rate.”

Eligible businesses could receive tax credits for up to $7,900 per employee they hire, with a cap of $100,000 in incentives per business.

Hamm said there will be funding for classroom and apprenticeship training for residents looking to improve their job skills.

The state has made $5.4 million available to help businesses in the 10 counties with training so they are hire formerly unemployed individuals.

“Access to a well-trained workforce is critical for the private sector to grow and create jobs,” Governor Cuomo said in February, when he announced the expanded program for the 10 counties. “With this funding, we’re encouraging businesses in some of the most economically distressed parts of the state to invest in their workforce and help formerly unemployed New Yorkers get back to work. This is another way that we’re working to increase employment and bring new opportunities to communities across New York State.”

This $5.4 million is available to businesses looking to expand their workforce and can be used for On-the-Job, Apprenticeship or Customized training, depending on the individual needs of the employer. The Governor’s Unemployment Strikeforce has staff who will work with all interested parties to develop programs best suited to their business and secure all funding and other incentives for which that business is eligible.

Orleans County’s unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in February, above the state average of 6.4 percent and the national average of 5.8 percent.

For more information on the “Strikeforce,” visit labor.ny.gov.

ALBION – Two long-time employees at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department are vying to be the next sheriff.

Scott Hess, Orleans County’s sheriff for nearly 12 years, will retire after Dec. 31, ending a 31-year career in law enforcement.

Chief Deputy Tom Drennan and Randy Bower, a public safety dispatcher, are both meeting with Town Republican Committees around the county, seeking their support for their campaigns. The full county GOP Committee will meet on May 7 to make an endorsement.

The sheriff oversees the criminal investigations, the road patrol, marine patrol, jail, dispatch, animal control and a civil division. There are about 100 employees in the Sheriff’s Department.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion head coach Brennan Meakin is hugged by assistant coach Tim Archer as the players run out on to the court to celebrate a 65-57 win over Maryvale on March 7, giving the Albion boys basketball team its first Sectional title in 43 years. Orleans Hub has been busy covering the community since the site went live on April 2, 2013.

ALBION – Two years ago Orleans Hub started as an on-line news site, committed to covering Orleans County, highlighting successes and challenges in the community.

The site continues to grow, adding readers and advertisers. (We set a new record in March with a daily average of 7,000 unique visitors, up from the 6,780-average in February.)

Last year, we had 6.1 million pageviews, up from the 2.8 million in the first year. We posted 2,265 news articles between April 2, 2014 and April 1, 2015, and 1,135 sports articles during that time frame.

We also posted 6,400 photos, 90 letters to the editor, and lots of other community news, including obituaries, police blotter and local achievers. We have 7,800 followers on social media.

The Orleans Hub operates under Lake Country Media, which also owns the Lake Country Pennysaver. Karen Sawicz is the publisher of the Pennysaver and Orleans Hub.

The following were named Orleans Hub’s Outstanding Citizens for 2014. The group includes, front row, from left: Melissa Ierlan of Clarendon, president of the Clarendon Historical Society; State Assemblyman Steve Hawley; and Jim Hancock, Parade of Lights organizer in Medina. Back row: Erik and Marlene Seielstad, leaders of the 4-H Robotics and Legos program; Kim Corcoran, leader of the Kendall Lawn Chair Ladies; Al Capurso, pioneer enthusiast; and Bilal Huzair, leader of a food dispersal program in Medina.

We’ve tried to report the news and offer some commentary on local issues. We are pleased one of the Hub editorials – pressing local governments to seek more Aid and Incentives to Municipalities – has been formally endorsed by many of the local villages, towns and the County Legislature. They have passed resolutions for the state to provide a fair funding formula for AIM.

Hub readers can expect this site to continue to push that issue and many others in a county where residents pay some of the highest taxes in the country as a percentage of home values. We also continue to rank near the bottom in the state in visitor spending and sales tax per capita (We need to shop locally). Our health statistics are among the worst in the state, and we have high concentrations of poverty, especially in the villages.

We will continue to highlight these challenges, and also feature the many positives of the community, mainly the residents who are committed to solving some of these problems and who contribute in other ways to building a stronger community.

It was an honor to have a recognition ceremony on Feb. 4 when we presented “Person of the Year” awards to local volunteer firefighters. We also honored “Outstanding Citizens,” a tradition we hope to continue for years to come.

Closing of Brown’s Berry Patch’s retail operation is most viewed

Photo by Tom Rivers – Brown’s Berry Patch announced on March 3 it would close its retail operation, a popular site along Route 18 in Carlton for about three decades.

ALBION – The top story in Orleans Hub’s second year was about a farm shutting down its retail operation. Brown’s Berry Patch announced on March 3 it would close its ice cream stand, gift shop and popular playground.

The story went viral on social media across Western New York. It was the most viewed story in Orleans Hub’s second year with 23,585 “clicks.” That popularity is indicative of Brown’s Berry Patch’s reach in the region. The site on Route 18 in Waterport has won numerous awards as an agri-tourism draw.

Bob and Deborah Brown are retiring from the business. The Browns will continue the fruit farm that has been in the family for more than 200 years.

Only one other time has Orleans Hub had a story break the 10,000 mark. “A love story until the very end” also topped 10,000 clicks and was a world-wide phenomenon. The story featured Ed and Floreen Hale and their 60-year marriage. That story on Feb. 16, 2014 had to be taken off our server because it was so popular and kept crashing our system.

Here are the top 10 stories in Orleans Hub’s second year:

1. Brown’s Berry Patch will close retail operation

2. Father of 12 leaves legacy of love in Medina

3. Crooked Door closes in Albion

4. Firefighters battle to put out blaze in Carlton

5. Friends raise funds for funeral of 22-year-old Albion man

6. Man arrested after manhunt in Holley

7. Teen dies in apparent accidental shooting

8. Bear is spotted in Kendall

9. Albion doctor has license revoked

10. Doctor says billing irregularities at Medina hospital

ALBION – The Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance is very supportive of Governor Cuomo’s $500 million initiative to bring broadband access to the entire state.

This is a problem that both of the counties have been working diligently on for the past three years, said Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson, who is the lead county representative on the alliance.

Presently, both Niagara and Orleans counties have approximately 50 percent broadband coverage, NORA officials said.

Recognizing that the lack of broadband availability hampers business and educational development, NORA has taken the initiative to survey broadband coverage and identify vertical assets as first steps in bringing countywide broadband to the area.

Orleans County representatives were heartened with the visit of David Salway, director of the NYS Broadband Program Office, to the county last week, said David Callard, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.

At that conference Salway heard the need for expanded coverage for rural businesses and residents.

In June, Johnson and Callard will be attending a broadband conference in Albany along with Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Lyndonville Central School campus is pictured last week by the waterfalls near Route 63.

The numbers are in and they look good for local school districts. The state budget would give the five local school districts about $3 million more in operating aid, a 4.3 percent increase.

State-wide, the governor and legislative leaders agreed to 6.1 percent increase or $1.4 billion more to $23.5 billion in education aid.

The five local districts would get a combined $71,673,201 in operating aid, a $2,942,582 increase.

School leaders throughout the state have been waiting the past 10 weeks for school aid numbers. The governor typically includes those in the January budget proposal. State legislative leaders have historically bumped up the numbers from the governor.

Local school districts were penciling in 0 percent increases as part of their budget preparations. Local school budgets will be finalized in April, with the plans going before voters on May 19.

The districts in Orleans County all will see boosts in aid.

Here is a breakdown of the state aid for local school districts:

 
Source: NYS Division of the Budget

Medina would see about a half-million dollar increase in operating aid.

“We are pleased with the projection of state aid as we used very conservative estimates trying to plan for unknown revenue streams,” said Jeff Evoy, superintendent of Medina Central School.

The $337,220 increase for Lyndonville is good news, said Jason Smith, district superintendent.

“The district is pleased to see the state reduce the Gap Elimination Adjustment, and we are also pleased with our state aid increase,” Smith said. “We will work with our Board of Education to utilize this increase to reduce our reliance on reserves and explore ways to enhance our academic programs.”

An issue to be resolved in Albany is Cuomo’s controversial push to link the aid to revamped teacher evaluations. The governor wants 50 percent of a teacher’s evaluation to be tied to student performance on standardized tests. Right now, 20 percent of a teacher’s evaluation is reflected in those test scores.

“I have some serious concerns with the proposed changes to the teacher evaluation system, specifically forcing districts to negotiate an agreement in order to receive additional state aid increases,” Smith said. “This has been tried before, and was not successful.”

Robert Reidy Jr., executive director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents and Timothy Kremer, executive director of the New York State School Boards Association, issued a joint statement about the new teacher evaluation law within the New York State Budget.

“The well-known definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” the two said. “Since 2010, legislation to change the teacher evaluation system in New York has been passed three times. The proposals currently under consideration as a part of state budget negotiation will be the fourth attempt in five years.”

Reidy and Kremer said the governor forced new teacher evaluation protocol during the budget deadline in 2012, and that led to deficiencies in the evaluation system the governor now opposes.

Reidy and Kremer also are critical of push to have independent evaluators, instead of school administrators, do the reviews for teachers.

“Introducing an unaffiliated ‘independent’ evaluator to this practice would undermine the one successful piece of the current evaluation law,” Reidy and Kremer said. “Together these proposals represent yet another costly unfunded mandate on local school districts, while jeopardizing their ability to access needed state aid.”

Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Laura McBride, author of “We Are Called To Rise,” led a book discussion about her novel tonight at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.

McBride of Las Vegas wrote the 13th book to be featured as “A Tale for Three Counties,” a community reading project in Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties.

McBride led presentations on Thursday in Batavia at Genesee Community College and Richmond Memorial Library. She had lunch today with winners of a writing contest through The Daily News of Batavia.

She met with readers at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library for two hours today. On Saturday she will lead a discussion at 2 p.m. in Perry at the elementary-middle school auditorium.

Jan Albanese of Albion, left, gets her picture taken with Laura McBride.

“We Are Called To Rise” focuses on an immigrant boy whose family struggles to assimilate in Las Vegas. A woman wrestles with an imploding marriage and troubled son. A wounded soldier recovers from an injury.

The book was used in 18 classes at GCC.

The topics in the book – returning veterans and PTSD, domestic violence, refugee family adjustment, police brutality and child advocacy – may all sound grim, but McBride writes a story that is “remarkably tender, touching and ultimately optimistic and uplifting,” said Catherine Cooper, the director of the Medina library. She introduced McBride to about 75 people for tonight’s presentation.

McBride, a community college teacher, took a sabbatical to write the book. She wanted people to see beyond the stereotypes of Las Vegas as a gambling mecca and to see the shared humanity of people across different backgrounds and cultures.

She praised the “Tale” community for its hard work in organizing the reading initiative. Leslie DeLooze, a community services librarian at Richmond Memorial, is co-leader of the effort.

She said organizations, businesses and individual sponsors keep the program, which costs about $15,000, going strong. She was pleased to see the enthusiastic turnout so far for McBride. That includes about 125 people for each of her talks in Batavia, and then about 75 in Medina.

For more on the “Tale” program, click here.

About 75 people attended McBride’s discussion at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library tonight.

Project would make Orleans system interoperable with neighboring counties

Photo by Tom Rivers – Dale Banker, Orleans County emergency management coordinator, talks on his radio during a fire on Monday at a garage on Fancher Road in Clarendon.

ALBION – Orleans County has completed a $7.1 million upgrade to its emergency radio system, it’s first big overhaul in about two decades.

The county wants to continue to improve the system and will seek a $1.9 million state grant to make the system interoperable with emergency communication systems in Monroe, Niagara and Genesee counties.

The funding would also add vehicle repeaters for deputy patrol cars, giving them a stronger radio signal. In addition, the project would include bidirectional antennas and equipment for stronger signals inside school buildings at the five local districts as well as the BOCES site in Shelby.

“This would definitely enhance public safety,” Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management director, told county legislators during a conference about the grant on Wednesday.

The state has $50 million available through the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Counties are welcome to submit applications by April 15.

The four counties – Orleans, Genesee, Monroe and Niagara – could coordinate their applications, and that effort would increase their chances for funding from the state, said Dan Sullivan, a salesman with Harris RF Communications.

The state has capped the grants to counties at $3.5 million. Orleans will seek $1.9 million.

The county’s new system provides at least 95 percent coverage in the county. The additional upgrades could take that to 99 percent.

“It’s an enhancement of an already state-of-the-art system,” Sullivan said.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.”

James Ellis

Press Release
Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess

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.