Among the proposals includes exempting tips and overtime from state taxes

Press Release, NYS Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt

Photo courtesy of Rob Ortt’s office: State Sen. Rob Ortt speaks at a press conference today with his Republican colleagues on the Million Dollar Staircase in Albany.

ALBANY – In the wake of a staggering $259 billion budget proposal passed by Senate Democrats last week, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and members of the Senate Republican Conference today called for the inclusion of several pieces of legislation in the enacted budget that would provide relief and help ease the affordability crisis being faced by New Yorkers.

These bills, part of the Senate Republican Conferences “Liberate New York,” 2025 Legislative Agenda– are aimed at helping families and businesses who are struggling under high taxes and skyrocketing costs on everything from utilities to housing.

“The Senate Republican Conference understands that we can’t make New York more affordable by continuing to increase spending and taxes the way our colleagues across the aisle are doing – it’s unsustainable,” Ortt said. “In contrast, our plan looks to cut taxes for individuals and businesses, lower utility rates, and help New Yorkers keep more of their hard-earned money in their own pockets. We can’t spend our way to affordability, so it’s our hope that our colleagues will join us in these real actions that will have real results.”

A key component of the Senate Republican agenda is legislation that will help make New York more affordable by allowing hardworking New Yorkers to keep more of their own money in their own pockets. Included in the affordability agenda highlighted today are bills that would:

• S.587 (Martins) – Exempts state taxes from cash tips.

• S.850 (Helming) – Establishes the First-time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act.

• S.1031 (Rolison) – Directs the Public Service Commission and the Comptroller to determine the cost of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates for each ratepayer and to establish a credit for ratepayers and businesses to cover those costs.

• S.1487 (O’Mara) – Providing a $464 million tax cut to support small businesses by raising the corporate tax threshold from $390,000 to $500,000 and lowering the rate to 2.5%; expanding the small business exemption to all PIT businesses, regardless of whether they have employees and increasing the threshold to $500,000, raising the exemption to 15%, and setting the exemption at 20% for farmers.

• S.3914 (Martins) – Exempts state taxes from overtime compensation.

• S.4487 (Ashby) – Supplementing the State’s existing child tax credit by providing a $1,000 “baby bonus” refundable tax credit for all parents of newborns.

• S.1559 (Palumbo) – Enacting the “Affordable New York Act,” which is designed to lower the tax burden on individuals in New York State. Specifically, this legislation doubles the current School Tax Relief (STAR) exemption and lowers the income tax rate on middle-income taxpayers by 2%.

Press Release, Master Gardeners of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans Community Seed Share (OCSS), a program of the Master Gardeners at Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, will be hosting their first annual Seed Swap this Saturday, March 22 from 1 to 4 p.m.

The OCSS is a new project for Master Gardeners, spearheaded by Master Gardener Julia Bender.  In addition to the Seed Swap this Saturday, the project includes a monthly education series dedicated to all topics in growing and saving seeds as well as the seed library housed in the Orleans County CCE office building.  Learn more about the project at the Orleans County CCE website (click here).

An example of some of the donated seed packets that will be available at the Seed Swap Saturday.

The Seed Swap this Saturday will be an informal way for community members in Orleans County to share their own seeds as well as take some new-to-them seeds home. The Swap is open to anyone, but in the true spirit of a “swap,” Master Gardeners request that if people are planning to take seeds home, they should try to bring some seeds to donate in exchange.

“I think the Seed Swap this Saturday is more about community – connecting in real time with your neighbors and friends, discussing different plants and what and how you like to garden,” explained Julia Bender, a Master Gardener volunteer, who was asked why people might choose to come to the Seed Swap instead of just utilizing the Seed Share library on their own time,  “It’s also an opportunity to chat with Master Gardeners, learn more about the classes we offer, ask questions, etc.”

Donated seeds can include hand harvested seeds from residents’ own gardens or purchased seed that they are not planning to use. There is no charge for the Seed Swap, and it is an open event- people can come and go at any time within the 1-4pm timeframe.

“The Seed Swap is about sharing the heritage of our community’s gardens and taking home the promise of tomorrow’s harvest,” summarized Bender, who started the project in memory of her mother, Sally Bender.

This first Seed Swap will be held this Saturday, March 22 from 1 p.m to 4 p.m. in the “Buzz Hill” Education Center at the Orleans County CCE Office. Please contact Katie Oakes, Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener Coordinator,  at klo54@cornell.edu or 585-798-4265, ext. 125 with any questions.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today, alongside Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7), introduced the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act to ensure that rural and remote communities maintain access to critical emergency services.

This legislation aims to provide adequate Medicare reimbursement for emergency service providers, helping them hire and retain EMT staff and modernize their equipment to continue delivering lifesaving care.

“Access to emergency services is critical in rural areas across the country, including NY-24, which spans 14 counties,” Tenney said. “However, lifesaving ambulance transports are often costly, placing a burden on patients and providers alike. The Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act will help reduce these costs while ensuring that emergency care providers can continue delivering vital medical services to rural communities nationwide.”

Additional cosponsors of the legislation include Representatives Carol Miller (WV-1), Cliff Bentz (OR-2), Mike Carey (OH-15), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Marie Gluesenkemp-Perez (WA-3).

“When medical emergencies happen, we should feel confident that our first responders have the resources they need to deliver life-saving care,” said Congresswoman Sewell. “Unfortunately, inadequate Medicare reimbursement rates are putting a strain on ambulance service providers in the most vulnerable communities. The problem is particularly severe for rural communities like the ones I represent. This bill would adjust Medicare reimbursement practices so that vital ambulance services are available and accessible to all Americans.”

MEDINA – The Medina Rotary Club has $2,500 available for a scholarship for either one Medina senior or it will be shared with two recipients at $1,250 each.

The award is based on a combination of academic achievements, community service, and work within the community. Conor Crandall was the recipient of the 2024 scholarship.

The club in 2022 boosted the scholarship amount from $500 to $2,500. The deadline to apply is June 30. The award of the scholarship(s) will be determined shortly thereafter.

Completed applications can be submitted via email to: medinanyrotary@gmail.com or by dropping off in person at Rotary Club of Medina, c/o Jennifer Hill at Art Hill Excavating, 4040 Bates Rd., Medina, NY 14103. Click here to see the application.

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

ALBION – Are you 50 years or older and have a history of smoking for 20+ years? Don’t miss this opportunity for a life-saving lung cancer screening close to home.

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is bringing their Early Detection Driven to You (EDDY) mobile screening unit to Orleans County. Screenings will take place on March 25, 26 and 27 at Albion Probation Department (456 West Avenue, Albion, NY 14411).

To find out if you are eligible, visit Roswellpark.org/Eddy or call 1-800-ROSWELL (767-9355).

If you can’t attend but are interested in lung cancer screening, contact Medina Memorial Hospital at (585) 798-8054 for more information on their services.

12 Canadian companies have sites in Orleans County

Photo by Tom Rivers: Michael Dobell, Orleans EDA chief executive officer, chats with John Misiti, the EDA board chairman, after Friday’s board meeting.

ALBION – The Orleans Economic Development Agency said it has heard from several of its manufacturers that they are concerned about tariffs, especially between the United States and Canada.

For some companies, the tariffs will significantly increase their operating costs because they use materials, including steel, from Canada. The Trump administration has imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum from Canada.

Canada responded with a  retaliatory 25 percent tariffs on $30 billion worth of imported U.S. goods, including orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics and certain pulp and paper products. Canadians are also boycotting many American products and canceling travel plans to the US.

The EDA facilitated one phone call between a local manufacturer and a representative from Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s Office, to share the negative impacts of the tariffs on the American business.

“We want to be responsive to our businesses,” said Gabrielle Barone, vice president of development for the EDA. “This is one way we can do it.”

Barone told the EDA board during its meeting on Friday that Canadian manufacturers have 12 sites in Orleans County. The EDA will continue to market Orleans County to Canada as a great location to operate on the other side of the border.

One company from Canada, BOMET Recovery, has an electronics recycling operation in Albion and has plans to build a new facility in Medina.

But Barone said the businesses are likely to hold off any big investments during a trade war.

“I think they are being extremely cautious,” she said.

John Misiti, the EDA board chairman, acknowledged many of the manufacturers in Orleans County are concerned about the tariffs. He is hopeful there won’t be more escalation of tariffs. More could be coming on April 2.

“Hopefully the bark is worse than the bite,” Misiti said about the impact. “It’s is creating uncertainty.”

Michael Dobell, the EDA chief executive officer, said he hears from local manufacturers and economic development officials in the state that there is worry over the tariffs, leading to higher operating costs.

“The ongoing theme among local manufacturers and across New York State is concern,” Dobell said.

James White

LYNDONVILLE/MEDINA – Voters went to the polls in two villages in Orleans County today.

Lyndonville elected a write-in candidate, James White, over Steven Colon, who was on the ballot for a two-year trustee term.

White, a deputy with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, received 53 of the 78 votes cast. Colon received 19, followed by 2 for Thomas Goetze, and 1 each for James Smith, Valerie Wells and Dennis Seekins.

White will fill a vacancy on the board created when Terry Stinson stepped down as trustee in August.

White’s term starts on April 1.

James “Scott” Bieliski, left, and Jess Marciano

Medina had two positions up for election but only James “Scott” Bieliski turned in enough petitions to be on the ballot. He was elected today with 201 votes.

The other two-year trustee position was determined by write-in ballots. Jess Marciano, an incumbent with nearly four years on the Village Board, was elected with 90 write-in votes, followed by 30 for Mike Maak. Others received one or two votes, said Judy Szulis, chairwoman of the election inspectors.

“I am very excited to serve the people,” said Bieliski, co-owner of a communications services business for hospitals and the healthcare system.

The trustees will be faced with putting together the village’s 2025-26 budget by the end of April. Bieliski said he is eager to get to work and join the board when the term starts April 1.

“I’ve already gone over the village budgets,” he said. “I have a good overview of where we’re at.”

Marciano didn’t circulate petitions to run for trustee. She instead was considering going for the Ridgeway Town Board. But she said she is happy to have two more years as a village trustee.

“I’m incredibly excited for the next two years,” she said.

Marciano won’t be pursuing the Ridgeway position this upcoming election “because that would be a disservice to the 90 people who voted for me today.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Tara Thom, owner of the Town & Country Quilt Shop at 10 East Bank St. in Albion, works on the Orleans County bicentennial quilt at her shop today.

Thom and a group of quilters have been working on the quilt that will be presented to county officials during an April 15 celebration of the county’s 200^th anniversary. That bicentennial ceremony is at noon at the County Courthouse.

Thom is shown putting a feathering pattern of stitches in the top of the quilt.

Each of the 10 towns in Orleans County are featured on the quilt.

There is still binding to put on the outer perimeter of the quilt, which include blocks of all 10 towns in the county and the year they were established, as well as three other blocks that are dedicated to “Farming,” “Faith” and “Family.”

The bottom of the quilt also says “1825” and “2025.”

Thom opened the Town & Country Quilt Shop in 2017. She and a group of volunteers have been working on the quilt for several months. They did it in a classic pattern. The quilt will be nearly 6 feet by 6 feet when it is finished.

The quilt is done with a design that was common in the 1800s.

EAST SHELBY – The AES Corporation presented the east Shelby Volunteer Fire Company with a $45,000 donation for 12 new turnout gear suits for firefighters.

AES will be the owner/operator of the proposed 200 MW Hemlock Ridge solar facility in Barre and Shelby. The company is expected to soon start clearing land of that project, which the facility becoming operational in about two years.

The new turnout gear are the protective clothing required by firefighters to shield them from extreme heat, flames and other hazards.

“These suits are essential equipment shielding our firefighters from extreme heat, flames, and other hazards, ensuring their safety in the field and compliance with New York State fire codes and regulations,” said Debbie Taylor, East Shelby fire chief. “We are grateful for our partnership with AES and its support of crucial emergency response efforts in East Shelby.”

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

ALBANY – Members of the Senate Republican Conference penned a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul calling for her to rescind Executive Order No. 47.3. Enacted in response to her failure to properly address strikes at correctional facilities statewide, the order bars 2,000 terminated state corrections officers from working for the State of New York or local agencies.

“(This order) is punitive and will only have a ripple effect, impacting not only the 2,000 correction officers but also the members of the National Guard that must continue to serve in our prisons,” the letter reads.

“Whether it be the thousands of corrections officers out of work without health insurance or the brave men and women of the National Guard being sent to hold our prisons together– the whole situation has been seriously mishandled since the start,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “While the state is pandering to laid-off Federal workers and sticking it to the current administration, they are turning their backs on the brave public servants who have dedicated themselves to protecting their communities and our state.”

“This governor has sealed criminal records for the express purpose of helping felons find jobs, but she doesn’t believe in any second chances for correction officers who were enduring record violence and mandatory 24-hour shifts. It’s insulting,” said Senator Jake Ashby, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs. “The sooner our correctional facilities reach safe staffing levels, the sooner we can get our National Guard Troops out of a dangerous mission they were never properly trained for in the first place.”

Legislators also want HALT Act repealed in prisons

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Courthouse dome was illumined in blue on Feb. 25 in a show of support for corrections officers.

ALBION – The County Legislature is planning to go on the record opposing an executive order from the governor that prohibits counties from hiring terminated corrections officers.

The County legislature is calling a special meeting for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and will vote on a resolution calling for the governor to rescind its prohibition for counties to hire terminated corrections officers.

The state fired 2,000 COs on March 10 who refused to report for work after beign on strike for about three weeks.

A draft of the resolution from the County Legislature states the county “has experienced significant staffing shortages for county employees,” and has received several applications from corrections officers who were fired from the prisons.

The corrections officers were on strike due to unsafe working conditions, the resolution states. Due to the Taylor Law, COs aren’t legally allowed to go on strike.

The resolution from the Legislature states Gov. Kathy Hochul imposed the executive order, prohibiting counties from hiring the COs “to punish striking New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision employees—and to chill such labor strikes—by imposing strict, punitive, and arbitrary barriers on their ability to obtain future employment, without affording such employees due process of law and in violation of the New York State Constitution and statutes.

Legislators, the resolution, said the governor’s executive order “is an abuse of authority and discretion, and unlawfully intrudes upon the County’s powers of Home Rule secured by Article IX of the New York State Constitution, and illegally impacts the hiring efforts on all levels of government.”

Legislators said counties should have their own discretion in who they hire.

“This overreaching executive order unjustly punishes Corrections Officers by wrongfully preventing them from gaining future employment,” the resolution states. “These former Corrections Officers are members of our community and counties should be able to decide who they hire and the reasons for said hire.”

Legislators also plan to vote on a resolution calling for the repeal of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (HALT Act), which was signed into law on March 31, 2022, and took effect the following day.

The HALT Act was one of the main reasons for the strike, saying it has made prisons less safe for staff and inmates.

The HALT Act limits segregated or disciplinary confinement of inmates to the Special Housing Unit (SHU) or in a separate keeplock housing unit to a maximum of 15 consecutive days, or 20 total days within any 60-day period, according to the draft resolution from the County Legislature.

“Under the HALT Act, these time limits may not be meaningfully extended even where an inmate has committed such serious acts as attempted escape, physical or sexual assault on staff and other inmates, or even homicide,” the resolution states. “The HALT Act essentially eliminates any meaningful disciplinary sanctions for inmates who commit violent acts.”

Legislators say assaults in state prisons have increased 124% over the last 10 years, reaching a record number of 1,173 assaults on staff in 2021.

“Since the HALT Act went into effect on April 1, 2022, the number of daily assaults in NYS correctional facilities has gone up from 6.8 to 8.1 a day, an increase of 25%,” according to the resolution.

Prior the HALT Act, inmates in solitary confinement and confined to the Special Housing Unit (SHU) still had access to outdoor recreation, personal visits, and commissary, the resolution states.

The HALT Act prohibits segregated confinement for “special populations,” inmates who are 21 or younger, who are typically the most unpredictable and violent population, the resolution states.

“The HALT act is causing meaningful programs for general population inmates to be canceled due to lack of staff,” according to the resolution. “The staff that should be instructing these programs are being redeployed to cover the HALT law mandated programs, thus punishing the general population inmates that are complying with facility rules, which causes more idle time and friction inside the facility.”

Steve Colon faces write-in challenge from James White

LYNDONVILLE – Village residents will go to the polls today to choose a trustee for a two-year term. The polls are open from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall, 2 South Main St.

Steve Colon of the Village of Lyndonville Party is the lone name on the ballot, but he faces as write-in challenge from James White, a deputy with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.

Colon has pursued public office before on the Town Board and the Republican Committee but so far hasn’t been elected. White also ran for the County Legislature when he was 21 in 2015, losing to Don Allport.

Colon has written many letters to the editors in recent years, and is staunchly conservative, saying he wants the government out of private lives. He also has written about being in Washington, DC on Jan. 6, 2021, saying he was expressing his displeasure with voter fraud against Donald Trump.

Colon has lived in Lyndonville since 1998. He said he cares deeply for the community and touts the local architecture, fishing and hunting resources, the public library and school system. He said he often reaches out to public officials at the local, county, state and federal levels.

“I am not afraid to express myself,” he said. “I want to work for you, to hear your grievances and to address those things that are important to you, to work with you when issues arise in order to work things out. Let me be your voice in local government and we will work hard to improve things that you and our fellow neighbors can see. Together we will make a positive difference.”

White said is committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, proactive leadership and being accessible to the community if he is elected to serve on the Village Board.

White said he has budget management experience, including when he was treasurer for the student government in college, managing finances for more than 30 campus clubs. He earned a master’s degree in business management from D’Youville University.

A former school resource officer at Kendall Central School, White said he has “extensive experience ensuring departmental compliance with organizational policies and procedures” during his time at Iroquois Job Corps for three years.

“Under my leadership, external independent audits consistently confirmed that standards were not only met but exceeded,” he said.

White is a 2012 Lyndonville graduate who grew up in the village. He and his wife moved to Lyndonville with their young son about a year and half ago.

“This community has always been special to me, and I believe there is no better place to raise a family,” he posted on social media. “As Trustee, I will work with people, not against them. The best solutions often come through collaboration and compromise, and I am committed to listening, understanding, and working together to make Lyndonville the best it can be.”

Press Release, GLOW With Your Hands

BATAVIA – More than 650 students from 31 school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (GLOW) counties experienced hands-on healthcare career exploration on Monday.

The annual GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare event returned for a third year at Genesee Community College, supported by business and educational groups and sponsors led by Triple Platinum Sponsor ESL Federal Credit Union and volunteers from numerous local organizations and businesses.

Willow Hoover, a sophomore at Alexander High School, said the experience attending GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare ignited a passion for a career in healthcare as a sonographer.

“This event gives you an opportunity to learn about careers outside of a classroom, even though I would like to pursue a career as a sonographer,” Hoover said. “I have learned about so many new careers and skills that I did not know about until I was able to interact with the companies here.”

Since 2023, GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare has connected students to dozens of career paths and employers, municipal agencies, non-profits, and educational institutions. The healthcare event and GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing with the goal of exciting, educating, and empowering youth to seek success in careers.

“GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing and Healthcare have connected over 6,000 local students to local careers, transforming their interests into great career opportunities in the GLOW region,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands co-chair. “Supporting organizations and sponsors are addressing the healthcare needs of our local communities, and students attending this event want to be a part of the solution, educating themselves in the desired fields they hope to enter and ultimately serve.”

Many local healthcare organizations met with students during the event at Genesee Community College.

In addition to hands-on demonstrations, every student participated in a pair of self-selected workshops with a variety of healthcare careers led by medical, emergency response, and training professionals.

Sessions covered careers in EMS, pharmacy, healthcare administration, physical therapy, healthy living, physicians/residents, holistic medicine, radiology/sonography/ultrasound, mental health and social work, research science, nursing, respiratory therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physician’s assistant/nurse practitioner, surgery, and vet technician.

“Our goal is to help students turn aspirations into full-time rewarding careers available in their backyards,” said Karyn Winters, GLOW With Your Hands co-chair. “Our participants are the reason why vendors and local organizations continue to support GLOW With Your Hands.  It is encouraging to hear the questions asked, see the hands-on demonstrations and interactions and the resulting learning that sparks interest in careers for the next generation of the regional workforce.”

Zachary Baron, an Albion High School senior, attended a respiratory therapy workshop where he and his classmates learned about life-saving measures and proactive steps taken in respiratory emergencies. This workshop reinforced the impact these careers can have on others in the local community.

“Coming to this event can help you understand the different services that make up the healthcare sector,” Baron said. “I enjoyed experiencing the many careers that assist and help others in need, now I know the different opportunities I have available after graduation.”

Representatives from hospitals and health systems and professionals in nursing, mental health, social services, and emergency responders interacted with students to discuss their careers and pathways into their respective fields.  Along with immediate career opportunities available after graduating high school, attendees will also be able to explore educational pathways in the healthcare sector through BOCES and degrees available at local colleges and universities.

“GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare provides students a unique opportunity to interact with and acquire a deeper understanding of the variety of careers our organization and the GLOW region has to offer,” said Justin Bayliss, Wyoming County Community Health System, skilled nursing administrator. “Retaining our brightest minds within our region results in family-sustaining careers that uplift our local communities.”

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands, please visit www.glowwithyourhands.com/healthcare.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Betty Sue Miller, director of Hoag Library in Albion, holds one of the buttons that were given away today on the 125^th anniversary of the library opening.

Albion’s public library was called Swan Library from 1900 to 2012, and then became Hoag Library when the new library opened at 134 South Main St.., increasing the size from 6,000 square feet to 14,600.

The first library was chartered by the state on Dec. 21, 1899. Swan Library opened March 17, 1900 in a former mansion on 4 North Main St. The library was named for its benefactor, William G. Swan.

The new library that opened in July 2012 was named for Albion native Maurice “Mo” Hoag and his wife Courtenay who gave $1 million towards the library, which is legally the Hoag Library of the Swan Library Association.

Library staff meet two young patrons by the ox statue which is on display as part of Orleans County bicentennial this year. Brothers Mikey Madison, 11, in blue shirt and Timmy Madison, 8, were happy to try some of the cookies given out for the library birthday. The treats were compliments of the Friends of Hoag Library. The library also had a contest to guess the jelly beans in the container held by Mikey.

The staff pictured include, from left: Michael Magnuson, Adult Services librarian; Betty Sue Miller, director; and Elizabeth Haibach, assistant director.

“For 125 years, we’ve been a cornerstone of the community — a place for stories, learning, and connection,” the library posted on its social media accounts. “From books to programs, local history to friendly faces, we’ve grown alongside Albion, and we couldn’t have done it without you!”