Photo by Sue Cook – Alex Feig, left, and Matthew Fuller hold up one of the posters for their website, OrleansRadio.com.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

MEDINA – While local bands have found new listeners at local venues, there is a new place where their original music is available for anyone to listen to online.

OrleansRadio.com is a new website that streams local music of different styles, providing the county with an opportunity to hear several talented groups.

Life-long friends Alex Feig, 28, and Matthew Fuller, 27, worked together to create the website because there isn’t a big central music scene in the county like there is in Rochester or Buffalo. Feig, a delivery person for Avanti’s Pizza, is self-trained in recording and music. Feig conceptualized the idea of a place for local bands to be featured online. Fuller, a self-trained web designer, offered to create and test the website.

“We’re looking at the community and taking every single possible opportunity and blowing it up to the most potential within the community, as far as the artists, as far as the businesses, as far as the events. Those are the three things that we’re focused on,” said Feig.

Fuller added, “It’s a tool for everyone’s benefit. There hasn’t been something where people can relate to it or interact with in area. Everything’s always been separate, like so-and-so has this event and so-and-so has that event. It’s just chance to bring everyone together.”

Fuller created the site with a mobile-first approach, which means that it works on all phones and tablet devices, as well as on desktop computers. Fuller says they will be working on creating a mobile app to expand the number of listeners even further.

The website streams genres from hip-hop to country to pop and more. There are 24 artists currently featured on the site including Dave Viterna and New Rage, Jonesie and the Cruisers, Experimental Sandwich and The Lisa Zelazny Band.

Feig commented, “We’re trying to stay very local, very original. We kind of want to keep our own homegrown thing going here. Even if a band is not current, but they have a good recording that’s original, we’ll put it up there. We have stuff that’s 30 or 40 years old.”

All of the music is pre-screened for content and quality to provide a good listening experience. Anyone can submit original music for consideration and can also talk to Feig about recording if the band doesn’t have audio to provide. Currently, there is about four hours of music on the site, but more bands are being added.

“I’m kind of filtering through this stuff. There’s different criteria that I look for. The number one thing is we’re trying to make it is family-friendly.”

Feig says that regardless of genre, such as heavy metal, if the song is clean of inappropriate content and a good recording, it will be deemed usable for the site. He says it’s also an option if there is a swear word in it, the band may give permission for it to be edited out to make the music meet the site’s standard.

Besides music, the site also features local advertising. The ads are displayed on the site and are accompanied by 30-second audio commercials interspersed between songs. Feig records the commercials himself, but also employs his girlfriend Licia Decker to provide a female voice where it seems more appropriate for the advertiser and their product. He also offers businesses jingle-writing services.

Advertisers can also place coupon deals on the site, which Feig hopes will be a draw for listeners to come to the site to see what’s new.

There is also an events calendar. Event submissions for local events can help people who enjoy certain bands to find them performing live in the area, or find new local hangouts that feature live music.

The duo has heard lots of positive feedback and useful suggestions from users of the site. People from as far as Buffalo have told Feig that they’re listening.

“I feel like it’s something that Medina needs,” said Feig. “There’s great music around here. There’s tons of talent and it just needs to be given an opportunity to be noticed.”

Feig and Fuller are hoping that as the site gains in popularity, they will be able to branch out. They want to schedule talk shows and event promotionals, as well as possible news segments. They are currently planning a live broadcast from the O.C. Summer Jam on Aug. 2. They are hoping to play music, talk to bands and even get man-on-the-street interviews with attendees.

The website (www.orleansradio.com) has forms for submitting events and music, but other inquiries can be made to contact@orleansradio.com. Feig is hoping to hear from more bands and advertisers to grow the site further and give new material to listeners.

ALBION – The leaders of the 12 fire departments in Orleans County met tonight and supported a successor to Paul Wagner, the county’s emergency management director who is retiring July 18.

The Fire Chiefs Association, however, declined to say who they are backing. The appointment ultimately lies with David Callard, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. The group said it didn’t want to make its recommendation public for at least a few days so Callard wouldn’t feel undue public pressure about the job.

Wagner, a former Clarendon fire chief, has served in the role for 14 years. Three people have been pursuing the job in recent months, including current Albion Fire Chief Rocky Sidari, past Albion Fire Chief Dale Banker and past Holley Fire Chief David Knapp, a current county fire investigator.

The Fire Advisory Council, which includes representatives from the fire departments, also is expected to make a recommendation for Wagner’s successor.

ALBION – They have the dream and aspiration to run their own businesses. Soon they will be done with a 12-week class that will help them avoid pitfalls to success.

A new group of entrepreneurs on June 10 will graduate from the Microenterprise Assistance Program, a class offered by the Orleans Economic Development Agency. The class gives students tips on record-keeping, marketing, legal issues, social media and other issues. Each graduate needs to complete a business plan and some are eligible for low-interest loans through the program.

The EDA has been offering MAP since 1999 and nearly 400 people have completed the class since then. The new group of graduates will celebrate on June 10 by sharing their business plans during a reception at the Crooked Door Tavern.

The spring class includes the following: Kristina Adolph, gift basket business; Brooke Albanese, arts and crafts Etsy sales; Jon Conners, JC Signs; Charles D’Agostino, Cloud Clipper Tea; Larissa DeGraw, wine made with honey; Kathy Grimes, antique restoration; Evelyn Hurt, cleaning service; Eric Richmond, restaurant; Jason Ricker, meat cutter; David Stalker, Medina Transport; Chris Van Dusen, Trailside Bicycles; Nicole Washington, undecided; and Terry Wood, Lonowood Art Co.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Orleans County officials celebrated the completion of a new emergency communications system on Wednesday. Pictured from left includes Legislature Chairman David Callard, Legislator and Public Safety Chairwoman Lynne Johnson and Emergency Management Director Paul Wagner. Wednesday was also Wagner’s birthday.

ALBION – A project that was 10 years in the making was celebrated for a successful completion on Wednesday, with the finished product a much more reliable emergency communications system for firefighters, police officers and other first responders in Orleans County.

“We have a Cadillac here and we’ll have a Cadillac here for a lot of years to come,” Emergency Management Director Paul Wagner told county legislators.

The new digital Project 25 system replaces an analog system. Emergency responders often complained the old system had gaps in the county and didn’t work well with portable radios. Some firefighters were given portable radios over the weekend to test the coverage at edges of the county in western and eastern Orleans, which were prone to poor coverage.

“It worked beautifully,” David Knapp, a past Holley fire chief, told county officials about the new system.

He had a signal as far away as Mumford and Caledonia in Livingston County.

Mike Fuller, the East Shelby fire chief, said the old radios were notorious for dropping signals near the wildlife refuge. The new radios have strong signals throughout western Orleans.

“This will be a big improvement,” said Fuller, who is also the Town of Shelby highway superintendent. “This is state-of-art digital.”

David Knapp, a past Holley fire chief and current county fire investigator, said the new radio system has vastly improved coverage in the Holley area. He addressed Orleans County legislators during their meeting on Wednesday.

With the old system, when there was a signal the voices didn’t always come through clearly.

“Now there is a solid signal,” Fuller said. “You could talk to someone across the county and it’s just like you’re standing right next to them.”

The gaps in coverage worried first responders. Often the signal dropped when they went inside a house.

“It could be life-threatening if you don’t get a good signal,” Fuller said. “You need to be able to communicate.”

The new system includes three transmission towers, which is up from one with the old system. There are 1,100 portable radios and 550 that are mounted to vehicles. The dispatch center and backup dispatch received new consoles and other equipment. The total project was about $7.1 million with a state grant paying $2 million of the cost.

“It’s on and it works,” Wagner said. “In my opinion it is a superb system.”

Legislature Chairman David Callard said the system provides “vastly improved radio communications for all end-users in Orleans County,”making it safer for them to respond to emergency calls.

Legislator Lynne Johnson serves as chairwoman of the Public Safety Committee and pushed for the upgraded system. She praised Wagner and Chief Administrative Officer Chuck Nesbitt for their efforts in seeing the project to completion.

“The county really bit the bullet with this one,” she said. “We decided if we were going to do it, we’d do it right.”

County’s rate is still among highest in state

First, the good news: Orleans County’s unemployment rate dropped from 9.0 percent in April 2013 to 7.4 percent last month, according to the state Department of Labor.

The state reports that 1,400 were unemployed in the county, down from 1,700 a year earlier.

Despite that improvement the county still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. The state-wide rate is 6.7 percent, the lowest since December 2008, according to the state DOL.

Other similar-size GLOW counties have lower rates than Orleans, including Genesee at 5.4 percent, Livingston at 5.7 and Wyoming at 6.4 percent.

There are 62 counties in the state and eight have higher unemployment rates than Orleans in April. The counties with the five highest rates include: Bronx at 10.3 percent, Hamilton, 8.8; Lewis, 8.7; Jefferson, 8.2; and Kings, 7.9.

The counties with the lowest rates in the state include: Tompkins, 3.5 percent; Nassau, 4.2; Putnam, 4.2; Rockland, 4.4; and Albany at 4.5.

Paul Wagner led emergency management after 9-11, and through radio project

Photo by Tom Rivers – Paul Wagner, director of the Emergency Management Office in Orleans County, poses with a birthday cake for him today on his 68th birthday. The cake was shared before the Orleans County Legislature meeting this afternoon.

ALBION – The leader of the Emergency Management Office in Orleans County will retire on July 18 after seeing through a $7.1 million new emergency communications system.

Paul Wagner, 68, considered retiring sooner but he was committed to waiting until the new digital system was ready and working. Today the county switched from an analog system to the new digital one.

“I didn’t think it was fair to leave somebody else to pick up all of the pieces,” Wagner said today when county officials celebrated the radio system’s success.

He was praised for seeing the project through, while also working with firefighters to keep up with their training for numerous potential disasters, from dirty bombs to hazardous materials to ethanol tankers that catch fire.

“He prepared everyone for threats and worst-case scenarios, including weapons of mass destruction,” said Mike Fuller, chief of the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company.

Wagner started as a firefighter in 1964, when he joined the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company. He later moved across the county and joined the Clarendon Fire Company, serving as the fire chief.

He was appointed EMO director 14 years ago. Fuller said Wagner has the respect of the firefighters, partly based on a long commitment as a volunteer firefighter and past chief.

“You have to walk the walk before you can talk the talk,” Fuller said.

Three firefighters are vying to replace Wagner as the EMO director. Current Albion Fire Chief Rocky Sidari, Past Albion Fire Chief Dale Banker and Past Holley Fire Chief David Knapp, a current county fire investigator, are all pursuing the job.

The Fire Chiefs Association could recommend Wagner’s successor at its meeting June 5. Legislature Chairman David Callard and the Legislature will fill the opening by appointment.

The Orleans County Conservative Party has endorsed Steve Hawley of Batavia in his re-election effort for the 139^th Assembly District, which includes all of Genesee, most of Orleans and a portion of western Monroe.

Al Lofthouse, the party chairman, said Hawley pushes party principles for a smaller state government.

Hawley met with the local Conservative Party leaders on Thursday and received their support. He has served as Assemblyman since a special election in February 2006.

His district includes all of Orleans except the town of Shelby, which is represented by Jane Corwin of Clarence.

Photos by Tom Rivers – At 10:43 a.m. today, Kevin Doherty switched off the analog equipent and made a digital system the sole system after weeks of testing the new emergency communications system. Doherty is one of the county’s consultants for the project. The analog equipment is in front of Doherty and to his left. The digital equipment is much more compact and represents two racks to his right.

Keith Whitt, a consultant on the new emergency communications system, works in the Civil Defense Center this morning after the new digital system was activated.

ALBION – Firefighters, police officers, highway workers and other first responders in Orleans County now have a new emergency communications system.

The county officially made the switch from an analog system to a digital one at 10:43 a.m. today. The “cut over” was scheduled for 10 a.m., but a fire call in Holley delayed the change. The county wanted to wait until after that call before changing over to the new system.

The county has been working with contractors to test the new system in recent weeks. Users can expect better coverage, especially on the eastern and western edges of the county and along Lake Ontario where there were weak signals and often dead spots.

“I think everybody will be presently surprised,” said Paul Wagner, the county’s emergency management director. “The coverage is spectacular in my opinion.”

The county built the analog system in 1991-92. It included one tower on West County House Road by the Civil Defense Center and Fire Training Center.

As part of the new $7.1 million upgrade, the county added three towers: one by the Clarendon Highway Department near Route 31A, one in Albion by the Civil Defense Center and one in Shelby next to the Medina water tank on Route 31A.

Those towers help ensure nearly blanket coverage in the county, including on the edges. The towers also will expand coverage of the county’s signal into eastern Niagara, southern Genesee and western Monroe counties, where Orleans firefighters often respond for mutual aid calls.

The Harris Corporation is guaranteeing 95 percent coverage in Orleans, but Wagner said tests with radios show the system has about 99 percent coverage.

Paul Wagner, the county’s emergency management director, points to a rack that transmits signals from the radio towers to the consoles and the radios.

Paul Wagner listens to a portable radio while Dennis Rose, left, talks with Keith Whitt. Rose is the project manager for the harris Corporation and Whitt is a consultant on the project.

The upgrade includes emergency communications equipment at the dispatch center at the Public Safety Building in Albion and the backup location at the Civil Defense Center.

The upgrade also includes 1,100 radios for police, firefighters, Probation officers and other emergency responders. There are also 550 mobile systems that are mounted in police cars, highway vehicles, fire trucks and other vehicles.

The analog system that was at least 22 years old was designed for mobile units and not handheld portable radios. Users found the portable radios were often unreliable, especially when they were brought inside a house.

The new radios on the digital system were tested by firefighters over the weekend, and Wagner said they reported they worked fine inside houses, including many basements.

The county has been working on the upgrade since 2004. It was a challenging project that required permission from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and its counterpart in Canada.

The county needed to make the upgrade because manufacturers of analog system radios, tower equipment and other infrastructure have notified users that parts will soon no longer be available. The phase out of analog has prompted many municipalities around the country to push for new systems, said Keith Whitt, vice president of consulting services with Trott Communications Group in Irving, Texas.

He has been working as a consultant for the county for about four years, first with its rebanding, or its switch to a new approved signal and system. He has been a technical consultant the past year, inspecting the new equipment and making sure the system serves the county.

“There are still quite a few analogs but there has been a big shift to digital,” Whitt said. “The analogs are all at an end-of-life mode. The part supplies are running out.”

County officials are planning a celebration this afternoon in the Legislature Chambers at 3:45 to mark the transition to the new system.

Photo by Tom Rivers – American flags have been placed on the graves of veterans at Lynhaven Cemetery in Lyndonville.

The community will honor veterans with parades and services throughout Orleans County on Monday.

In Albion, a parade begins at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Main and State streets. The parade will go south on Main Street before turning east on Route 31 and ending at the front lawn of the Albion Middle School, where a service will follow the parade.

In Holley, a ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at the American Legion with a parade then starting at 10 a.m. It will go from the Legion and continue to the VFW on Veterans Drive. After the VFW, veterans will lay wreaths at Holley cemeteries.

In Lyndonville, a parade begins at 9 a.m. on Lake Avenue at the parking lot of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and continues to Main Street where it ends by the library at the Village Park.

In Medina, a parade begins at 11 a.m. on Park Avenue by the Olde Pickle Factory. It continues to State Street Park where a ceremony will follow. Both the VFW and American Legion will serve lunch following the ceremony.

Shelby leads for fire training; Lyndonville tops for EMS

File photo by Tom Rivers – Firefighters from Barre, Shelby and Ridgeway trained last October to douse a tanker on fire at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company.

Firefighters in Orleans County topped 9,000 hours of training for fire and emergency medical services last year.

The fire companies and departments were recognized for their efforts during the

Fire Chief’s Association meeting this past Monday at the Barre Fire Company. The County Legislature this Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. will recognize the fire company or department with the most fire and EMS hours.

The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company led the county with 1,163 fire training hours. The Lyndonville Fire Department had the most EMS training hours with 750.

County-wide there were 6,918 fire training hours and 2,589 EMS hours. A husband and wife from Fancher-Hulberton-Murray had the most individual training hours.

Gary Sicurella of FHM completed 217 total fire training hours and his wife Tracey Sicurella completed 192 EMS training hours.

Here are the training hours for each fire company or department: Albion, 563 for fire and 20 for EMS; Barre, 729 for fire and 399 for EMS; Carlton, 337 for fire and 196 for EMS; Clarendon, 410 for fire and 147 for EMS; Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance, 10 for EMS; East Shelby, 216 for fire and 390 for EMS; Fancher-Hulberton-Murray, 782 for fire and 503 for EMS;

Holley, 586 for fire and 40 for EMS; Kendall, 726 for fire and 42 for EMS; Lyndonville, 593 for fire and 750 for EMS; Medina, 227 for fire and 0 for EMS; Ridgeway, 586 for fire and 32 for EMS; Shelby, 1,163 for fire and 60 for EMS.

File photo by Tom Rivers – A state arts grant will provide $2,500 to the Lake Plains Players to help with the costs of putting on a musical in the fall. The group last October performed Les Miserables. One of the classic songs from the musical includes ‘The Innkeeper’s Song’ (Master of the House).

BATAVIA – The new round of state grants for concerts and art projects includes funding for a new canal concert series in Albion and other projects in the county.

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council announced the Decentralization Regrant recipients for 2014 in Genesee and Orleans Counties, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts.

GO ART! received 27 applications for the Reach Grant Program for total requests of $65,696. With $41,600 available, 26 of the applicants were awarded grants.

In Orleans County, the awards include:

$2,000 to Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in medina for the Finally Fridays Music Series.

$1,500 for Yates Community Library for More Than Just Books Music Series.

$1,200 to the Lyndonville Lions Club for Concert Fun for the Summer.

$4,000 to World Life Institute for Voices from the Earth – pottery program.

$2,500 to Lake Plains Players for its production of “Follies” in October.

$1,510 for the “A Tale for Three Counties” community reading project.

$800 to the Village of Albion for a new concert series by the canal.

$775 to Hoag Library for Art for Youth: Acrylics.

$500 to the Cobblestone Society Museum for “Stories at the Cobblestone.”

GO ART! also approved a $2,000 grant for artist Stacey Kirby to work with Holley first graders to create a mural for the school.

GOP candidate for governor says state is biggest enemy to business

Photos by Tom Rivers – Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, talks with reporters this afternoon after touring Precision Packaging Products in Holley. Astorino is the Republican candidate for governor against Andrew Cuomo.

Precision Packaging Products VP of Sales Steve Langdon, left, and Andrew Moreau (chief financial officer for Precision) show some of the plastic packaging the company makes for bakeries and the produce industry. Rob Astorino, second from right, toured the factory with State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, right.

Rob Astorino, front left, gets a tour of Precision Packaging Products from Steve Langdon, the company’s vice president of sales.

HOLLEY – Rob Astorino said the state’s high taxes, burdensome regulations and costly worker’s compensation in the state are causing an exodus of residents out of New York.

The Westchester County executive is making a more business-friendly state a focus in his run for governor against incumbent Andrew Cuomo.

Astorino made three stops in Orleans County today and he saw three success stories: Precision Packaging Products in Holley, Western New York Energy in Medina and the Olde Pickle Factory in Medina. The three have all made major investments in the county.

“They’re winning despite the odds,” Astorino said. “Businesses are begging for relief. New York is the worst in the country for taxes and corruption. The state policies that have been enacted are driving out residents and businesses.”

The state ranks 50^th or dead last in taxes in the country, and Astorino said 400,000 New Yorkers have fled the state in the past three years.

“It’s no secret it’s very hard to do business here,” he said. “The state has become the enemy.”

New York needs to get its tax burden to be less than other Northeastern states, which are competitors for businesses and residents, Astorino said. Then NY needs to push to have its tax burden below Texas and North Carolina, he said.

At Precision Packaging the company has done four major expansions in Holley in 12 years. The company now has 110 employees and 180,000 square feet of space. The company was acquired in March by the Waddington Group in Kentucky. The new owner has the resources to grow Precision in Holley, perhaps doubling the workforce in the next five years, said Andrew Moreau, the company’s chief financial officer.

He said the state can be a challenge for the company, particularly working through the “maze” of worker’s compensation. But Holley has proven a good site for the company, providing lower-cost municipal electricity. The company has room to grow in Holley and the local workforce has stepped up to meet the company’s personnel needs, said Steve Langdon, the company’s vice president of sales.

Astorino has twice been elected as county executive in Westchester where Democrats are far in the majority. He said the county dropped unemployment, added jobs and is in a much stronger position now that he’s in his second term as county executive.

“In Westchester County we lowered taxes,” he said. “We went from losing to winning.”

“We’ve had a net job loss in Western New York,” he said. “I’ll ask Western New Yorkers: Do you think we’re winning?”

Photos by Tom Rivers – Former State Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt, left, joined State Assemblyman Steve Hawley and State Sen. George Maziarz for the unveiling of a sign this afternoon that notes Route 98 is the Genesee and Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway. Another sign near the Genesee-Wyoming border in Alexander will be unveiled Friday morning.

POINT BREEZE – A new sign, proclaiming Route 98 as the Genesee and Orleans Veterans Memorial Highway, was unveiled today near the Point Breeze exit off the Lake Ontario State Parkway.

Several veterans and local and state officials gathered for the unveiling of the sign near the entrance of the Orleans County Marine Park.

“It’s a great tribute to the veterans,” said State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Another sign will be unveiled in Genesee County on Friday morning near the Genesee/Wyoming border. Hawley said he will push the state Department of Transportation to put up additional signs in Genesee and Orleans counties besides the first two.

State Sen. George Maziarz is pleased the signs are up before Memorial Day.

“We’re honoring the men and women who did not come home,” he said. “This is just a small way to say thank you.”

This is the second state route to be dedicated to veterans in Orleans County. Route 104 has signs in Jeddo and at the eastern edge of Murray declaring it as the American Legion Memorial Highway in Orleans County.

Paul Fulcomer, director of the Veterans Service Agency, said the designations are appreciated by veterans.

“It’s always nice to see a veterans’ memorial highway,” Fulcomer said.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley speaks at the dedication.

Astorino will visit sites in Holley and Medina on Thursday

The Republican candidate for governor will make three stops in Orleans County on Thursday.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino will first be at Precision Packaging Products in Holley at 2 p.m. for a tour of the manufacturing plant. He is scheduled to tour Western New York Energy’s ethanol plant in Medina at 3 p.m. He will then go to tour the Olde Pickle Factory in Medina  at 3:45 p.m.

Astorino was endorsed by Republicans last week to challenge incumbent Andrew Cuomo as governor.

A poll released today shows Cuomo has a commanding lead over Astorino, 57 to 28 percent. Cuomo today announced former Congresswoman Kathy Hochul was his choice for his running mate for lieutenant governor. Hochul represented a district that included Orleans County.

Astorino will spend nearly the entire day in Western New York on Thursday with an 8 a.m. meeting with Rochester area business leaders at the Rochester Business Alliance. After visiting three locations in Orleans County, he will be in Niagara Falls for dinner with the Niagara County Republican Party.