Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Luci Taylor-Welch was recognized during today’s Orleans County Legislature for her 35-year career with Probation. She started as a probation officer trainee. She served as the department’s director the past 23 ½ years.

County Legislator Don Allport, left, presents Taylor-Welch with a citation from the State Assembly and Assemblyman Steve Hawley for her “outstanding service” to the community.

County Legislator Skip Draper, right, presented a citation to her for “commendable service and dedication.”

Taylor-Welch, in a previous interview, said her career in probation combined her heart for the social work profession, wanting to help steer people to a better life, connecting them with services and support.

She also majored in criminal justice and believes consequences are needed for people breaking laws and putting the community in danger.

At probation she led a department with a probation supervisor and six probation officers. The department works with about 350 caseloads.

Sarah Osborne started as the county’s new probation director on July 10.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Goat superintendent Jamie Paratore talks to her husband Ben, who was doing some wiring for lighting and an outlet in the new judges’ booth of the animal barn.

KNOWLESVILLE – With only a few days left until the opening of the Orleans County 4-H Fair, staff and volunteers are in high gear with planning and preparation.

Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension director Robert Batt promises this will be one of the most exciting fairs, with nearly record-breaking entries, many new and returning vendors, exciting entertainment and unique events.

The 77th Orleans County 4-H Fair will officially open at 4 p.m. on Monday and run through July 29. Opening ceremonies will take place at 6 p.m. on the lawn of the Education Center, featuring Orleans County veterans from all branches of service.

Batt said this will be the first time that three organizations dedicated to historic preservation have had a booth – the Cobblestone Society Museum, Medina Railroad Museum and the Medina Sandstone Society.

Also a first will be United Way of Orleans County promoting low-cost internet and a booth by Lake Ontario Fruit, hoping to not only support the fair, but recruit employees.

GO ART! is a new vendor this year, sponsoring an innovative fundraiser, Chicken Poop Bingo, a take on cow chip bingo.

Batt explained the Towpath Trading Post is a unique feature, located on the porch of the fair office and offering all kinds of merchandise specific to Orleans County.

Entertainment will include the Doc Magic Show, Jim the Balloon Guy and Wonderland Circus every day; Down Home Country Cloggers; Where’s Waldo activity of all ages in the commercial exhibits building; music by The Who Dats on Friday and Skycats on Saturday; and a karaoke challenge.

Leadership Orleans will be back with rubber duck races.

Food will include JCH Food Tent, Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza, an ice cream truck, Dan Conrad’s Toyz n Candy, and Mann vs. Food Barbecue, in addition to the traditional waffles, fried dough, candy apples, Rob Renko with his homemade sausage and turkey legs, kettle corn and lemonade. A new addition this year are subs and donuts.

A new local vendor is Old Bear Candle Company from Lyndonville, whose owner Jason Helsdon is a former 4-H’er as well as fair king and prince.

The National Guard will be at the fair every day with a fitness challenge booth.

The midway opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday, with $30 wristbands available for unlimited rides.

On Wednesday noon in the Curtis Pavilion, Nutrifair will serve lunch for senior citizens, followed by entertainment by Craig Wilkins.

Thursday at 4:30 p.m. will be the annual chicken barbecue, featuring the famed Cornell barbecue recipe.

Nightly, visitors can watch or take part in the hay bale rolling contest, an event started to replace the greased pole when it had to be discontinued because of concerns from the insurance provider.

Friday night will feature a fireworks display at dusk.

(Left) Provided photo: Zachary Lord, 16, grandson of fair volunteers Gary and Dawn Marciszewski, paints the edging of the floor in the Senior Council stand. (Right) Photo by Ginny Kropf: Dawn Marciszewski watches her husband Gary apply sealer on the newly painted floor of the Senior Council stand, in preparation for the 77th annual Orleans County 4-H Fair.

Exhibits in the Trolley Building, animal shows, pony rides and psychic readings are among the free things to do.

Batt said 211 youths entered animals in the fair this year, not counting consumer science entries. In all, there are 1,288 entries in the animal division.

Youth from Monroe County are exhibiting at the Orleans County fair and staff from Monroe County Extension will be helping.

“We provide a 4-H experience for those 4-H’ers who don’t have a county fair, and I’m excited about that,” Batt said. “We also have a handful of 4-H’ers from Erie County who chose to exhibit here.”

Many of the fair’s vendors have been coming here for 30 years.

“They have formed friendships with us and keep coming back,” Batt said.

Admission to the fair is $3 for one day for 12 and older and $1 for 11 and under, or $5 per person for a week-long admission.

A full fair schedule is available on the Orleans County 4-H Fair website.

Residents can hear about new broadband service being rolled out in county

Press Release, Orleans County United Way and Orleans County government

ALBION – For the first time the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds will offer wireless connectivity at the fair from July 24-29.

Wireless access has been provided in partnership with Ambient Broadband, Connect Orleans, and the Orleans County United Way. Fairgoers, vendors, and exhibitors will all be able to utilize this service by logging on to one of two free WiFi networks throughout the event, and after the fair at other events held on the grounds.

The service is donated by Ambient Broadband, Orleans County’s partner in creating a spider web of wireless connectivity throughout the county. The first phase of implementing the new wireless service is reaching residents living in the villages of Albion, Holley and Medina and the towns of Albion, Gaines and Shelby.  These areas have an opportunity to take advantage of significant broadband subsidies currently available.

Some of the funding for the creation of the wireless network comes from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) with the goal of increasing access to affordable internet services throughout the county. Orleans County government, the United Way, Ambient Broadband, and Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative have partnered to create Connect Orleans, a coordinated outreach effort to inform residents of these communities of cost savings benefits from the CDGB funded project.

 “We have until mid-November to prequalify households for a grant that pays for free installation of wireless broadband service and free equipment, a $650 benefit,” said Nyla Gaylord, acting executive director for the Orleans County United Way. “We are also screening people to see if they qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which can save them $30 a month on the broadband service.”

Many households are saving more than $100 a month by switching to wireless internet and unbundling from expensive cable packages, Gaylord said.

“With a surge of interest in saving money on internet service, we wanted to provide fairgoers the opportunity to try the service and also to learn more about how they can embrace streaming media technology instead of continuing to pay inflated monthly bills for hundreds of TV channels they never actually watch,” said Kevin Reagan, the Managing Director of Ambient Broadband.  “Jack Welch, Orleans County’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), suggested the idea of making wireless service available at the fairgrounds. We thought that was a great way to let people try before they buy.”

Kevin Reagan will be at the Fair on Thursday through Saturday conducting workshops in the Education Center specifically on how to save money using the internet and streaming technology instead of a traditional cable service. In partnership with the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative, and the United Way, a publication “How to Unbundle from Cable” will be available free at the workshops and at the Connect Orleans table.

Robert Batt, Fair Coordinator and Executive Director of Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension, encourages people to check out the new “Cyber Café” at the Fair.

“Fairgoers can sit down and charge their phones and talk with the Connect Orleans team,” Batt said. “Digital Literacy mentors from the Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative will be available to answer questions about using internet-based technology.”

There will also be a free drawing for a 10-inch Amazon Fire tablet, as well as opportunities to receive free Google and Roku streaming devices and household HDTV antennas.

The United Way team of two Connect Orleans outreach workers, Sharon Quill and Karen Sanders, will be at the Fair in the Lartz building from 3 p.m. to closing, Wednesday through Saturday, answering questions about how to save money by using the new wireless service and helping low-to-moderate income households in the villages of Albion, Holley and Medina and the towns of Albion, Gaines and Shelby prequalify for cost savings benefits.

“It’s been a long time coming but Orleans County, through our partnership with Ambient Broadband, continues to rollout new wireless internet service across much of the county with residents being connected to the service every day,” said Welch, the Orleans County CAO. “We are so pleased that Ambient Broadband has established free wireless internet service at the Fairgrounds in time for the County Fair.”

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has set a public hearing for 7 p.m. on Wednesday to take comments about creating a district court.

The hearing will be in the legislative chambers at the County Office Building, 14016 Route 31.

(The public may also attend the hearing virtually through Zoom video conferencing or by telephone at 1-646-558-8656 – Meeting ID: 85336464419, Passcode: 476872.)

The Legislature in April authorized a committee to look at the potential implementation of a district court in the county, with the issue possibly going to a public vote in November.

The Legislature cited increasing complexities and frequent changes in state laws with the criminal justice system. Forming a consolidated district court could result in a more effective local court system, legislators said in authorizing the formation of a committee.

The committee includes District Attorney Joe Cardone, Sheriff Chris Bourke, Public Defender Joanne Best, Albion Town Justice Joe Fuller (representing the Orleans County Magistrates Association), Assistant DA Susan Howard, County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch, former Gaines Town Justice and Assistant DA Bruce Schmidt and county legislators John Fitzak and Skip Draper.

Press Release, Orleans County Clerk Nadine Hanlon

ALBION – Nadine Hanlon, Orleans County Clerk, wants travelers to be aware of the processing delays one may face when it comes to obtaining passports for travel plans.

Since March of this year, the U.S Department of State extended the standard processing time for a new or renewed passport to 10 to 13 weeks for routine service, or 7 to 9 weeks for those who pay a $60 fee for expedited service. However, many people are finding that the wait times are exceeding these time frames.

Hanlon urges travelers to plan ahead if travel plans require a passport. Passport information is available on the Orleans County website which provides details on passport fees, processing times, renewing passports and documents needed to apply. You can visit the Orleans County Passports page by clicking here.

The Orleans County Clerk’s Office employees are all acceptance agents who can accept new passport applications and prepare them to be sent in to the US Department of State for processing.

Hanlon asks that appointments be made for those that need their first-time issued passport by calling the office at (585) 589-5334.  Current passport holders are responsible for renewing their passports on their own through the mail. The Orleans County Clerk’s Office does offer to take passport photos at a cost of $10 per person.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Luci Taylor-Welch is shown at the probation department office on Friday, her last day of work in the office. Taylor-Welch has been the probation director in Orleans County for 23 ½ years.

ALBION – Luci Taylor-Welch has a heart for the social work profession, wanting to help steer people to a better life, connecting them with services and support.

She also majored in criminal justice and believes consequences are needed for people breaking laws and putting the community in danger.

She found a 35-year career in probation fulfilled both of those passions.

Taylor-Welch is retiring as the probation director in Orleans County. She started with the department as an intern 35 years ago and was a probation officer and served in other roles before becoming interim director in December 1999, and then the permanent director.

Taylor-Welch, a Kendall resident, earned her associate’s criminal justice degree at Genesee Community College and then her bachelor’s in social work at Brockport State College.

“This career has been a mix of criminal justice and social work,” Taylor-Welch said during an interview on Friday, her last day in the office at the Orleans County Public Safety Office. “The first priority is public safety and then rehabilitation as long as it keeps the community safe.”

Taylor-Welch leads a department with a probation supervisor and six probation officers. Sarah Osborne, a probation supervisor, will take over as probation director on July 10.

The department works with about 350 caseloads, who are juveniles who have broken laws, and adult sex offenders, drunken drivers and others who see probation officers, from either once a month to six times a month.

Probation officers do home visits of probationers, and meet with them at the Public Safety Building or talk with them over the phone.

Some of the probationers are not happy about  being assigned a probation officer. Some of those people say they weren’t at fault and don’t deserve to be in the criminal justice system, Taylor-Welch said.

People who deny responsibility don’t tend to make much progress while on probation. But others who participate in treatment – either drug and alcohol addiction counseling through GCASA, or domestic violence counseling – can make changes and lead better lives without putting others and themselves at danger, Taylor-Welch said.

“We see many troubled people who come from dysfunctional families,” she said. “Some people are able to rise above – they turn their lives around. They go to treatment. They get a job. They get married.”

Probation tries to work with the people by connecting them to treatment professionals and other services so they can break a cycle of destructive decisions.

“Some of the people are not ready to be helped,” Taylor-Welch said. “You have to recognize you have a problem and need help, and be amenable to that help.”

Probation can seek violations from a judge if people are violating terms of their probation by not going to treatment, by not communicating with probation, and by continuing to use alcohol and drugs.

If the judge determines probation has been violated, the probationer could be sent to jail or prison, or have probation extended with more oversight from the probation department.

If probation is seeking a violation from a judge, the probationer has likely missed many appointments and made many missteps, Taylor-Welch said.

She is a firm believer in consequences, or else people have little motivation to change.

“There has to be accountability,” she said. “People need skin in the game. You can’t do all the work for them. If people aren’t held accountable, it breeds more bad behavior.”

Taylor-Welch said the department has responded to the “Raise the Age” legislation from the state. The state raised the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18. The state used to prosecute 16 and 17-year-olds as adults.

Now they are largely kept out of jails. Some are sent to juvenile detention facilities.

She also noted she has seen juveniles who have broken laws and been in the criminal justice system get on the right track with guidance from teachers, coaches, friends and parents of friends. Sometimes having a job can provide the right direction and motivation, she said.

Taylor-Welch said new “Clean Slate Act” legislation is a concern because it seal prior criminal records after a certain time. She said a person’s criminal history is part of a treatment and supervision plan, especially with drunk drivers and sex offenders.

Taylor-Welch not only is retiring from Orleans County. She is ending a two-year tenure as president of Council of Probation Administrators in NYS, leading an organization of the probation directors from throughout the state.

Taylor-Welch said working in probation is a rewarding career, but she said there is a “cumulative stress” of a job where the workers see the impact of crimes, especially on young children.

Some of the former probationers she worked with have sent her messages, congratulating her on her retirement.

“Several have reached out and said thank you for helping us,” Taylor-Welch said. “It’s been a great career. I’ve had many great mentors and worked with many great people.”

ALBION – Orleans County legislators have passed a resolution criticizing Gov. Kathy Hochul over negotiating in secret with the Seneca Nation to possibly open a new casino in Rochester.

County legislators said such negotiations should include public comments and an impact analysis on existing casinos and gaming facilities.

Orleans is part of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. which operates Batavia Downs. A new casino in Rochester would likely have a negative impact on jobs at Batavia Downs and revenues to 15 counties as well as the cities of Rochester and Buffalo – all with membership stakes in Batavia Downs.

“The lack of transparency and closed-door manner in which this matter has been handled is not an acceptable way in which to conduct New York State affairs,” county legislators said in their resolution that was adopted on Tuesday.

The governor and the Seneca Nation are negotiating on renewing a Gaming Compact for the next 20 years. A Rochester casino hasn’t been approved, but many news reports say a Rochester site could be part of the new agreement.

ALBION – Orleans County legislators passed a resolution on Tuesday in support of the “Essential Caregivers Act” which would allow people considered essential caregivers to provide care and support for residents in nursing homes and long-term facilities during a pandemic.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney has introduced the “Essential Caregivers Act” in the House of Representatives. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities didn’t allow visitation for long stretches of the Covid pandemic, and because of that separation “far too many lost their will to survive, and many others have suffered untold and irreversible emotional, psychological and physical pain as a result of this separation,” according to the legislators’ resolution.

In Orleans County, the state reports there were 51 confirmed deaths from Covid at nursing homes, and another 16 who died from Covid away from the nursing home in a hospital or another facility. The state Department of Health said there are two additional presumed deaths from Covid among nursing home residents, according to state Department of Health data.

Tenney’s legislation defines an essential caregiver as an individual who provides direct care consisting of activities of daily living, emotional support, or companionship to a resident, and is chosen by the resident or the resident’s legal representative.

The “Essential Caregivers Act” allows that in a future public health emergency, designated essential caregivers will have their access to their loved ones protected in a manner consistent with all applicable health and safety protocols.

Mike Mele

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday appointed Mike Mele to succeed Kathy Case as an elections commissioner, representing the Republican Party.

Case is retiring on July 8. Mele in August 2021 retired as undersheriff in the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. He worked 22 years in law enforcement.

He also is a member of the Murray Town Board, and vice chairman of the Orleans County Republican Party.

The salary for the part-time position is $21,664 in 2023 and $22,097 in 2024.

Case served in the position for about seven years. That included the advent of early voting for primaries and the general election, and the challenges of the 2021 election season, when the board of elections had to mail out 24,000 ballots to registered voters in the county.

“She has been a great employee who has given the county many years of service,” said Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislature chairwoman.

Photos by Tom Rivers: During the Orleans County Legislature meeting on Tuesday, Sarah Osborne was introduced as the county’s new probation director.

ALBION – Sarah Osborne, a supervisor in the Orleans County Probation Department, has been named the department’s new director. She will succeed Luci Taylor-Welch who is retiring on July 10 after 33 years with the department.

Osborne has worked with probation the past decade. She started as a probation officer and for nine years supervised sex offenders. The past year she has been a supervisor for probation.

Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, on Tuesday welcomed Osborne to the county’s team of department heads. Osborne’s appointment was approved by the Legislature on Tuesday.

Johnson commended Taylor-Welch for her career in probation.

“She has been an incredible asset to Orleans County,” Johnson said.

Osborne said Taylor-Welch has been a strong leader for probation, which currently includes the director, a supervisor and six probation officers.

“She has a passion for community supervision,” Osborne said. “Probation is an alternative to incarceration. It’s necessary in a community for growth and as an opportunity for rehabilitation of offenders.”

The Orleans County Legislature also issued a proclamation on Tuesday recognizing July 16-22 as “National Pre-trial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week.”

Legislators said community corrections is an essential part of the justice system.

“Community corrections professionals are responsible for supervising adult and juvenile offenders in the community,” the proclamation states. “Community corrections professionals are trained professionals who provide services and referrals for offenders.”

Those working in probation often connect those on probation to other services in the community. Those workers also provide services, support and protection for victims of crimes, and advocate for restorative justice, legislators said.

Pictured at the Legislature meeting on Tuesday includes, from left: Officer Matthew Quider, Officer Katie Vick, Senior Officer Casey Gearing, Officer Karen Krug, Probation Assistant Michelle Coots, Officer Christian Burns and Supervisor Sarah Osborne.