ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature today joined a growing number of county governments around the state that are formally opposing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to expand college programs for inmates.

The governor said the programs will reduce recidivism rates and at $5,000 per inmate are far cheaper than $60,000 taxpayer burden to keep an inmate in prison each year.

The governor announced the plan to boost college programs for inmates last month. Local state legislators – Sen. George Maziarz and Assemblyman Steve Hawley – have denounced the idea. Congressman Chris Collins is pushing legislation that would prohibit the use of federal taxpayer dollars to provide a college education to convicted criminals.

The Orleans Legislature said any state dollars that go to college programs for inmates should instead go to school districts.

“The purpose of prison is to punish those who have engaged in behavior that is morally and legally wrong, dangerous, threatening, or severely antisocial, including murder, rape, theft and distribution of narcotics, among other serious crimes,” according to the resolution approved the County Legislature today.

The Erie County Legislature on Thursday also formally rejected the governor’s proposal. Several other county government bodies have gone on the record against the proposal, which Collins has lampooned as “college for criminals.”

Courtesy of Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority – This is a rendering of the proposed new bus facility on West Academy Street, next to the Orleans County Highway Department. Construction is expected in 2015.

ALBION – Orleans Transit Service is planning big things in 2013, including a new bus shelter by Rite Aid in Albion, one by the County Administration Building on Route 31 and another in Medina.

The agency, part of the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, also is working towards a new bus facility that would house the OTS operations, including space for 10 busses and a two-bay maintenance wing. That facility would cost about $2 million.

RGRTA has secured federal transportation money for the design phases of the project and is applying for the construction money, Bill Carpenter, RGRTA chief executive officer, told county legislators on March 13.

The new bus garage would be built next to the Orleans County Highway Department’s garage on West Academy Street, where OTS currently rents space. Moving OTS out of the highway facility will free up room for county personnel and equipment. The buildings and grounds department about three years ago merged with the highway crew.

OTS, meanwhile, is working to boost ridership 6 percent from the 35,500 during its 2012-13 fiscal year, said Mike Patterson, OTS manager.

The agency has nine employees and operates on a $570,684 budget. Fares and contracts cover $86,825 of the budget. A local mortgage tax generates $118,894 for OTS, while government aid makes up the difference.

County Legislator George Bower said he doesn’t think the mortgage tax should be used to support OTS. But Carpenter said the state has allowed that tax to help support public transportation. He said RGRTA has secured $371,997 in other funding – three times the mortgage tax – to provide the service.

OTS runs a fixed route schedule in Albion and Medina. It goes off those routes with a Dial-A-Ride service, as long as reservations are made 24 hours in advance. Patterson said OTS is looking at changing the fixed route in Albion to run by the new health care center on Butts Road. Several riders each day go to the center owned by Orleans Community Health.

A travel advisory from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, saying there should be no unnecessary travel, remains in effect as of about 6:30 this morning.

The advisory is expected to be lifted soon.

The National Weather Service warns about bitter wind chills this morning with temperatures in the single digits. Today is forecast for a high temperature of 18 degrees. The Weather Service says it will reach 46 degrees on Friday.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Some of the Self Advocate All Stars at the Arc of Orleans County met on Tuesday at the Hoag Library for their monthly meeting. The front three include, from left: Amber Smith, Vice President Leslie Swanson, and President Robert Greer.

ALBION – Four years ago the Self Advocate All Stars were successful in swaying the Orleans County Legislature to officially oppose the “R-word.”

Legislators in May 2010 took a stand, telling local, state and federal governments to no longer use the word “retarded” in describing people with developmental disabilities. The R-word is a “vicious slang” that is insulting and hurtful to people with developmental disabilities and their families, legislators said in their resolution four years ago.

The issue was pushed then by the Self Advocate All Stars, who say they continue to be bullied by some in the community who use the R-word in name-calling.

“We don’t like being called the R-word,” said Gladys Hopper of Albion, one of the All Stars. “There is a community-wide problem with bullying,”

The All Stars are raising their profile this year with plans to be part of the parades at the Albion Strawberry Festival and Holley’s June Fest.

The group will have several fund-raisers, including car washes. They also want to reach out to others in the community with disabilities, welcoming them to become an All Star.

“We want more members,” said Jonathan Doherty, the group’s fund-raising chairman. He was one of the founding members in 2006.

The group has a pressing goal: restore funding for a recreation program in the Arc. That funding, for a few thousand dollars, was cut.

The program helped pay for outings for disabled residents to go to the bowling alley and the mall, and also to attend concerts and sporting events.

“It means a lot for me to get out and meet other people in the community,” Hopper said Tuesday during the All Stars’ monthly meeting at the Hoag Library.

All Stars include residents who live at home with their families, in apartments with supportive services or in Arc residential homes.

“We want to show the community we’re just like everybody else,” said Vickie Randall, the group’s advisor.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department has lifted the travel advisory as of 9 a.m. this morning.

Though the snowfall has ended, bitter cold temperatures and winds persist as Orleans county residents return to work and school. The National Weather Service is forecasting today’s high will be near 18, with wind chill values as low as -5 degrees.

Julie Miller of Barre took this photo at 10 a.m. of a farm on Eagle Harbor Road. The sky was dark and the onslaught of snow had just begun.

Nola Goodrich-Kresse took this picture at Shadigee, the beginning of Route 63 North in Lyndonville. It was windy before the snow started falling.

Jason Jones took this picture of the Walsh Hotel in Medina while blizzard-like conditions descended on the area.

Dave Ingerson took this picture of the intersection of South Main and Route 31A in Medina. The roads were so bad the county issued a travel advisory and Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for Orleans and several other counties.

Snowfall will pick up and temps will drop

Photos by Tom Rivers

A man walks along East Bank Street in downtown Albion this afternoon. The downtown was largely deserted due the nasty winter storm. A travel advisory also has been issued by the Sheriff’s Department.

David Nichols shovels in front of his house on East State Street in Albion.

The National Weather Service says there will be moderate to heavy snow falling this afternoon throughout Western New York, which is under a blizzard warning due to the snowfall and winds. The area could receive a foot or more of snow and winds could gust up to 50 miles per hour.

Traffic slowly moves along Main Street in Albion this afternoon in front of the First Presbyterian Church and the Orleans County Courthouse.

A blizzard warning is in effect until 2 a.m. tonight. Temperatures are expected to drop into the teens after 5 p.m.

Bonnie Velez shovels her sidewalk on East Park Street in Albion.

Stan Farone of Albion has a snowblower rigged to a tractor. It came in handy today so he could clear his driveway and sidewalk on East Park Street.

The Albion Department of Public Works has been busy plowing streets. Here the plow truck heads east on Bank Street near Platt Street.

James Fisher of the Albion Fire Department responded to a fire call on Ridge Road in Gaines. The chimney fire was quickly put out and brought under control. Fisher watches firefighters on the roof of the house.

Due to the inclement weather, Oak Orchard Health will close its health care sites at noon in Albion, Lyndonville, Brockport and Warsaw in Wyoming County.

The county remains under a travel advisory and a blizzard warning is in effect until 2 a.m. The National Weather Service says 10 to 16 inches of snow could fall today and overnight.

With a travel advisory in effect and the snow coming down fast and furious, Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina is taking an unusual step in closing at 2 p.m. today.

“We try to stay open but there are times when prudence must reign,” said Catherine Cooper, library director.

Lee-Whedon is usually open until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. Other libraries in Orleans County didn’t open today, including Hoag Library in Albion and Community Free Library in Holley. The Yates Community Library in Lyndonville is closed on Wednesdays.

Cooper said most of the libraries in the three-county NIOGA system are closed today.

Sheriff says no unnecessary travel until further notice

Photos by Tom Rivers – Motorists drive at the routes 31 and 98 intersection in Albion this morning.

Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess has issued a travel advisory for all of Orleans County from 10 a.m. today until further notice.

The sheriff said heavy snow and poor visibility make driving dangerous. He said there should be no unnecessary travel until further notice.

A motorist heads north on Route 98 in front of Tim Hortons this morning.

Employees should report to jail, nursing home, public safety

ALBION – Orleans County offices will be closed on Wednesday and all nonessential personnel are directed to stay home, Legislature Chairman David Callard decided tonight.

Employees are to report at the jail, nursing home, highway department and for public safety jobs with the Sheriff’s Department and dispatch.

The county has closed the County Administration Building, Mental Health Building, Legislative Office and Clerk’s Building for Wednesday. This is the first time the offices have closed since the storm in October 2006, said Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer.

Orleans is under a blizzard warning for Wednesday.

Five area schools will be closed on Wednesday

Update: Albion Central is closed on Wednesday.

Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina school districts have cancelled classes and activities on Wednesday due to the impending severe weather.

The National Weather Service has upgraded the Winter Storm Warning for Orleans and surrounding counties to a Blizzard Warning, in effect from 2 a.m. on Wednesday until 2 a.m. on Thursday.

The storm may result in accumulations of 9 to 17 inches with wind gusts up to 45 mph creating periods of whiteout conditions.

The National Weather Service warns, “Conditions will rapidly deteriorate Wednesday morning with relatively light snow becoming heavy by late morning. The combination of heavy snow and blowing snow will make travel extremely difficult to nearly impossible Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening. Visibility will be reduced to near-zero at times with deep snow cover on roadways during the peak of the storm along with significant blowing and drifting of snow.”

Two school districts announced this evening they were closing on Wednesday with the threat of a major snowstorm.

Orleans County is expected to get about a foot of snow on Wednesday. Both Holley and Kendall schools will be closed.

In addition, Albion town court has been cancelled for Wednesday.

Orleans Hub will update the list of closings if we get more from school officials.

The area will be hit with a major dumping of snow on Wednesday, with 10 to 17 inches in the forecast, according to the National Weather Service.

It has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Orleans and several counties, a warning that is in effect from 2 a.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday.

The storm will bring a mix of heavy snow and blowing snow. Northeast winds at 25 to 35 miles per hour, with gusts up to 45 MPH, will create near whiteout conditions at times, the Weather Service advised.

“The combination of heavy snow and blowing snow will result in severe winter travel conditions,” the Weather Service said. “Driving will become extremely difficult or even nearly impossible at times.”

ALBION – With blizzard-like conditions in the forecast for Wednesday, the County Legislature meeting has been cancelled. It had been scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and will be rescheduled, Legislature Clerk Nadine Hanlon advised tonight.

County officials have also closed the county office building, Clerk’s Building, and Mental Health Building. The jail, nursing home, highway department and public safety services will be open.

Albion Town Justice Kevin Howard also has closed court for Wednesday due to the weather conditions.