Photo courtesy of Orleans County Crime Victim’s Office: Pictured in photo include Holli Nenni, commissioner of DSS; Terra McGaffick, DSS; Judianne Gearing, DSS, Alex Eaton, District Attorney’s Office; Don Draper, undersheriff; James DeFilipps, OCSD chief deputy; Cyndi Stumer, deputy commissioner of DSS; Susan Howard, district attorney; Dan Punch, first assistant DA; Michelle Werth, Crime Victim coordinator.

Press Release, Orleans County Crime Victim’s Office

ALBION – The Orleans County District Attorney’s Office, Department of Social Services and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department on Monday gathered outside of the Public Safety Building to take part in the National Red Sand Project to help bring awareness to human trafficking and exploitation.

Today, 50 million people worldwide are being trafficked.  Overlooked populations, most at risk of being trafficked, need support to not fall through the metaphoric cracks.  The Red Sand Project fills sidewalk cracks to encourage people to question, connect, and take action against vulnerabilities that lead to human trafficking and exploitation.

To learn more, visit www.redsandproject.org.

Photo courtesy of Orleans County: Officials from 18 counties gathered for a group photo after being recognized by New York State Association of Counties for money management. Jack Welch, the Orleans County chief administrative officer, is shown in back row, third from right.

Press Release, Orleans County Legislature

Orleans County was recognized at this week’s New York State Association of Counties Fall Seminar, held in Niagara Falls, with “cashVest 90+” Award.

This award is given to counties that receive a score of 90 or better for four consecutive quarters on several money management benchmarks. The honor recognizes counties that have taken proactive steps to maximize the value of every public dollar, strategically investing funds to generate new income and help ease the burden on property taxpayers.

“This award is really a testament to the hard work of County Administrator Jack Welch and Treasurer Kim DeFrank to mitigate risk while maximizing return on investment of public dollars that help fund county services,” said Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson.  “At a time when every level of government is faced with tight budgets, their sound fiscal leadership and ability to maximize revenue streams outside of tax dollars is more important now than ever.”

Orleans County was one of 18 counties across the state to receive the honor.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce is shining a light on food/beverage businesses in Orleans County with a “Taste of Orleans” promotion at 20 locations.

“We are encouraging people to support local food and beverage establishments here in Orleans County,” said Darlene Hartway, the Chamber director. “We are hoping this social media event will showcase the multitude of wonderful restaurants, bars, farm markets and ice cream shops we have here in Orleans County.”

Taste of Orleans started on Aug. 24 and continues through Sept. 14. The Chamber and co-sponsor Orleans County Tourism encourage people to visit many of the local food/beverage businesses and post pictures of what they are eating and drinking, using the hash tag #tasteoforleans.

The Chamber will draw winners after Sept. 14 for participants to win gift cards from the participating businesses.

The businesses in the promotion include the Black North at Point Breeze, Coffee Pot Cafe in Medina, Dubby’s Tailgate in Albion, Confection Connection in Albion, Gilligan’s Galley in Kent, Mariachi De Oro on Medina, Mark’s Pizzeria and Tapped on Main in Medina, Mark’s Pizzeria in Albion, Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, Partyka Farms in Kendall, Red, White & Moo in Holley, Roadies Pizzeria in Carlton, Serenity Spa in Albion, Shirt Factory/Newell Lounge in Medina, Sourced Market & Eatery in Medina, Tavern on the Ridge in Albion, Village House in Albion, Webber Cafe in Lyndonville, White Birch in Lyndonville, and Zambistro in Medina.

In the future, Hartway said she would like to see an event where people could taste food from many of the local businesses at one location at a festival. But, for now, she said the social media campaign highlights many of the food and beverage businesses around the county.

Press Release, Orleans County Legislature

TextMyGov provides information about the county government, and allows residents to report concerns.

ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson urged residents to take advantage of the TextMyGov system that allows people to quickly reach Orleans County government to report issues and access information.

This is a free service and residents just need to text “Hi” to 585-774-4111 to get started.

“We have been running TextMyGov for a few years now and it has proven to be a great way for people to interact with county government,” Johnson said.  “It allows people to skip the phone call and send us a text message to find information and report issues on the go.”

The county’s IT team has been working upgrades and recently rolled out the new and improved system, she said. TextMyGov works through smart technology which identifies keywords in texts to provide immediate assistance and can relay information back to residents to help report an issue.

“Residents can text words like JOBS or DMV to get information or POTHOLE or TRASH to report an issue,” said Johnson.  “The response is very quick and the process is very efficient.”

In addition, Johnson said residents can also opt-in to receive county alerts by texting OCCLOSURE to 91896.

“We have implemented these systems to keep residents better informed and help them interact with county services so I hope people will take just a minute to join,” she said.

Click here to learn more about TextMyGov.

Press Release, Orleans County Youth Bureau

ALBION – Orleans County is accepting applications for New York State Office of Children and Family Services grant funds related to Youth Development Programming (YDP), Youth Team Sports (YTS) and Youth Sports and Education Funding (YSEF).

Funding for the new program year begins Oct. 1, 2025 and continues through Sept. 30, 2026.

Kelly Kiebala, Orleans County Youth Bureau administrator, said there are separate applications and the required documents for each funding source which can be found on our Youth Bureau website (click here).

Programming and/or services must be provided within Orleans County.  Applications are due by Friday, Sept. 26, to OrleansCountyYouthBureau@OrleansCountyNY.gov.

“We are hopeful that youth organizations will pursue these funds and encourage proposers that may have never received funding through the Youth Bureau are encouraged to apply,” Kiebala said.  “We appreciate the great work our youth organizations do to serve our youth and these funds are available to assist them in their programming.”

Those with questions can call 585-589-2767 or email OrleansCountyYouthBureau@orleanscountyny.gov.

Dr. Lamb says GCC has $86 million economic impact in GLOW

Dr. Craig Lamb, president of GCC

ALBION – The president of Genesee Community College said the local college is adapting to changing needs in the community to better prepare students for the workforce and their educational journeys.

Dr. Craig Lamb said GCC has expanded beyond traditional academics to meet workforce development needs. It is offering technology training programs in industrial electric, plumbing, CNC machining, welding, HVAC-R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration).

GCC also has redesigned a two-year associate degree in cybersecurity, which Lamb said prepares students for high-demand careers in digital security.

“These programs are designed to connect students directly to good-paying jobs and support the economic vitality of our region,” he said during a recent presentation to the County Legislature.

Lamb said GCC strives to make college affordable. Tuition and student fees were not increased in 2025-26, he said.

GCC is also part of the SUNY Reconnect program, which opens the door for students ages 25 to 55 to return to college. Eligible students in the select degree programs will have their tuition, fees, books and supplied covered through SUNY Reconnect.  Lamb said the initiative “removes financial barriers and makes college more accessible than ever.”

The GCC programs included in the program include Alcohol & Substance Abuse Studies; Computer Information Systems; Computer Support & Operations; Computerized Drafting & Design; Cybersecurity, Systems and Networking; Health Studies; Liberal Arts & Sciences: Teacher Education Transfer; Nursing; Physical Therapist Assistant; Respiratory Care; and Web Design. Click here for more information.

He noted GCC has a total economic impact of $86.4 million in the GLOW region.

“That includes student spending, workforce development and the ripple effects of ur graduates contributing to local industries,” Lamb said. “GCC is not just an educational institution – it’s an economic engine.”

GCC has a campus center in Medina which is the busiest of the campus centers in GLOW, not including the main campus in Batavia.

The college is eager to partner with the community by supporting local initiatives or developing customized training programs, Lamb told the legislators.

“We are proud to maintain a strong relationship with Orleans County, and we’re always open to new partnerships,” he said.

Treasurer collects taxes for Albion, Lyndonville and Medina

Press Release, Orleans County Treasurer’s Office

ALBION – Orleans County Treasurer Kim DeFrank today said that school tax collection for the Albion, Lyndonville and Medina school districts will begin on Tuesday, September 2.  The Treasurer’s Office will collect and accept US-postmarked payments until Sept. 30 interest-free.

For those paying in person, DeFrank reminded residents that her office relocated last year to 156 South Main St. in Albion.

“Last year was our first tax collection at the new office and people really appreciated how much better parking and building access compared to our old location,” said DeFrank.  “And even better, many people took advantage of the drive-thru window to pay their bills without leaving their cars.”

The Treasurer’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Anyone with questions regarding payment can contact the Treasurer’s Office at 585-589-5353.  The office can accept cash, check and VISA, MasterCard and Discover cards, although credit card payments have an additional fee.

New this year, the office can accept online credit card payments, with an additional fee.  To pay online, go to the county’s website at www.orleanscountyny.gov and click on Treasurer under the departments tab.

Press Release, Orleans County government

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Planning and Development today urged residents to be aware of a scam targeting individuals with active applications submitted to their local town or village that require review by the county Planning Board.

According to Planning and Development Director Corey Winters, individuals are receiving fraudulent emails impersonating county planning officials. The email requests wire transfers, claiming payment is required as part of the planning board’s review process.  The emails appear to be coming from a fake email address planning-commission.OrleansCounty@usa.com

“These scams emails look very official and catch people off guard,” Winters said.  “The important things to remember are that county planning board review is free, no Orleans County office would solicit for wire transfer payments and any email from Orleans County will end with @orleanscountyny.gov.”

Winters said if you are unsure about suspicious emails, you should always contact the government office from which it purportedly came to directly to verity its authenticity.  The Planning Department can be reached at 585-589-3197.

Brett Sobieraski, retired sergeant from the Rochester PD, also hired as investigator

Todd Draper, left, and Brett Sobieraski have been hired as investigators in the Orleans County Major Felony Crimes Task Force.

ALBION – The Orleans County Major Felony Crimes Task Force has filled two vacant investigator positions with two well-known law enforcement officers.

Todd Draper, who is retiring as Medina police chief on Aug. 30, will join the task force. Draper has worked for the Medina Police Department the past 21 years. Before being police chief he was a lieutenant and the K-9 officer. During his career he completed a 10-week management/leadership program from the FBI’s National Academy in 2022.

Susan Howard, the Orleans County district attorney, oversees the task force. She said she didn’t recruit Draper to leave the Medina PD. He had already made that decision to retire from Medina when he applied to work with the task force.

The County Legislature also approved hiring Brett Sobieraski, a retired sergeant from the Rochester PD, as an investigator.

Sobieraski has served in law enforcement for 32 years, including time with the Lockport Police Department before transferring to the RPD.

During his time with the RPD, he worked in narcotics and on the SWAT team, as well as being an instructor at the Police Academy. He also supervised the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team. Sobieraski ran for Orleans County sheriff in 2019, with Chris Bourke winning the race.

Sobieraski has raised more $300,000 towards charitable causes with endurances feats. He has pushed himself in challenges to raise money for fallen police officers and also the Special Olympics organization.

In 2023, he completed “8 States for Maz” and ran 1,310 miles through eight states over 50 days to honor fallen RPD Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, who was killed in the line of duty. Sobieraski ran a marathon every day in a journey that started in Florida and ended in Rochester. One of his marathons was in Orleans County.

He wrote a book about the experience – “8 States for Maz- The Humanity Tour” – where he describes all the acts of kindness he witnessed from friends and strangers.

He has also swam nonstop across Lake Ontario, ran 175 miles along the Erie Canal and completed the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, California.

The Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force recently received a national award for its collaborative efforts with local and regional law enforcement agencies.

The Task Force has made over 1,250 arrests and participated in 2,800 investigations since 2007, and has a near 100 percent conviction rate, Howard said.

“The specialized unit is especially adept in the application and execution of search warrants, and is poised to assist other local law enforcement agencies in the effort to ensure successful prosecutions at all levels,” she said.

The National Association of Counties presented Orleans County with a “2025 Achievement Award” during its national meeting July 11-14 in Philadelphia, Pa.

The task force is led by supervising investigator Joe Sacco. It works with local state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as the State Police, Drug Enforcement Agency, Immigration and Custom Enforcement, the Office of Special Investigations, the Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.