Cuomo: “We can never replace the loved one lost, but we can lessen the hardship and make it a little easier to deal with the loss. And it is our honor, our obligation and our pleasure to do just that.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed the Higher Education Services Corporation to broaden the interpretation of eligibility for New York’s Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive and Tribute (MERIT) Scholarship.

Under the new interpretation, college tuition and related costs will be covered for all children, spouses, and financial dependents of members of the United States Armed Forces who die or become severely and permanently disabled, or missing in action while performing their military duties.

Under the previous interpretation of the statute, only children, spouses, and financial dependents of veterans killed in a combat zone were eligible for the scholarship. The announcement, made during the Month of the Military Child, honors the sacrifices made by military families every day.

“Military service is more than just the active military member – I believe the entire family is in service, and we will honor that sacrifice and respect that service not just in words, not just with symbols, but with deeds,” Cuomo said. “That is why New York is taking immediate action to extend benefits to all those lost or disabled while on active duty, period. We can never replace the loved one lost, but we can lessen the hardship and make it a little easier to deal with the loss, and it is our honor, our obligation and our pleasure to do just that. We hope this gesture helps bring some comfort, peace, relief and justice to those grieving their loss.”

The governor’s announcement comes eight days after legislation to expand the scholarships failed to get out of a committee in the State Assembly. Steve Hawley, the local assemblyman from Batavia, sponsored the bill that was rejected in a committee on April 9 by a 15-11 vote.

Hawley and other state legislators spoke out against the legislation’s defeat, citing the state’s push to provide $27 million in college aid to children of undocumented immigrants. Hawley also said the state supports college programs in prisons for inmates.

Hawley issued this statement this afternoon:

“Gold Star Families and disabled veterans have been neglected for far too long and today we are finally righting an injustice and fulfilling our obligation to them,” he said. “We will never be able to fully repay our veterans and servicemembers for their role in protecting our nation but I am proud to have led the statewide bipartisan effort to see that the MERIT Scholarship is expanded. It is paramount to cover all of our nation’s heroes and their families under this program, and I thank Gov. Cuomo for doing the right thing.”

Assemblyman Mike Norris (R-Lockport) issued this statement:

“The outrage New Yorkers have felt at the Assembly Democrats’ decision to block legislation I sponsored to give college scholarships to the children of fallen or disabled military stems from the fact that all too often it seems our government does not do the right thing,” Norris said. “Today, I am proud to say it has and the children of our Gold Star heroes will be able to attend SUNY and CUNY college for free. It’s about time our government did the right thing, and I am so proud to have helped make this scholarship program a reality.”

Created in 2003 just after the start of the War in Iraq in an effort to provide greater support to New York’s military service members, the MERIT Scholarship covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study (or five years in an approved five-year bachelor’s degree program) and includes the following components:

• Tuition: An amount equal to the actual tuition or the State University of New York’s (SUNY) in-state tuition, whichever is less.

• Non-tuition Costs: Includes room and board and allowances for books, supplies and transportation up to the average cost at SUNY Colleges.

• Residence: Students living on campus are awarded a higher room and board allowance than a commuter student. If housing is not available for students on campus they will receive the same allowance as students living on campus. For the current academic year, recipients will receive a maximum of $24,250 if living on campus and a maximum of $15,750 if commuting to college.

In 2018, an estimated 111 students received this award, totaling $1.8 million. Since its implementation in 2003, MERIT scholarships have helped 387 veterans’ family members pay their college tuition, Cuomo’s Office said today.

State Sen. Robert Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) is the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs. He issued this statement: “This issue has always been about doing whatever it takes to ensure that our Gold Star families are treated with the honor and dignity that they deserve. While Gov. Cuomo and I disagree on many issues, in this case, we both recognize that helping the families of our severely injured and deceased service members is something everyone should support.”

An excerpt of Cuomo’s remarks today includes the following:

“Many issues that we deal with today are complicated, there are competing factors, there are plusses and minuses, there are economic calculations. But some issues are more straightforward. There are issues that we judge with our heart and our conscious, our morals and our values. These issues raise a simple, but a profound question. What is the right thing to do? Today’s issues dealing with military families and their benefactors ask us that question: what is the right thing to do? To our military families, we express our gratitude, our respect and our admiration. We owe them everything because they pay the price for our freedom. Military service is about more than just the active service member. I believe the entire family is in service – children who miss their parents, mothers and fathers who worry every night whether their son or daughter is safe, spouses who carry the day-to-day burden and sense of trepidation every time the phone rings, wondering, could this be that dreaded call? We thank you and we applaud you and we are all in your debt.

“I’m sure the service members who have put themselves in harm’s way always have one question just before they embark on a mission: what if something happens to me? Who will take care of my loved ones? Who will help my children? How will my spouse or significant other handle all the obligations? The piece that we can offer when that questions arises is the firm belief that their country, their government, the American people will do “the right thing.” That, we will honor, the sacrifice, that we will respect the service and we will do it not just in words, not just with symbols, but with deeds. As Governor of New York I can tell you that all New Yorkers honor that obligation.

“The state in the past has offered the MERIT scholarship program to provide free college to spouses and dependents for those disabled or lost in combat or in training for combat. There is now a new question as to whether those benefits should be expanded to cover those lost or disabled in performing their military duties, whether in a combat zone or not. My answer is of course, yes they should. New Yorkers want to extend benefits to all those lost or disabled while on active duty, period.

“There is also a question of when the budget should start to fund this program and whether it should wait for next April’s budget. My position is clear: we support an extension of the benefits and we support doing it now. The state will manage the finances to accomplish these goals and today I direct the Higher Education Services Corporation to make those changes immediately. We’re not going to wait until next April to make sure we honor our obligation. This is truly the least that we can do. Our support and commitment to Mecca Nelson and Mia is absolute. It is as absolute as their husband and father’s commitment was to us.

“A major parental concern is being able to help their child afford a college education and New York will make that promise. We will fulfill that commitment. Tuition, room and board at our great SUNY and CUNY universities. We can never replace the loved one lost, but we can lessen the hardship and make it a little easier to deal with the loss. And it is our honor, our obligation and our pleasure to do just that. And we do that today. We hope this gesture helps bring some comfort, peace, relief and justice to those grieving their loss. It is a loss that we all feel. We will do all we can to lessen your burden and we will remember you in our thoughts and in our prayers.”

HOLLEY – The power is back on in Holley after a main transmission line was knocked out by a large limb early this morning.

The limb took out a primary feeder owned by National Grid that served Holley’s municipal electric system.

The power was back on just before 2 this afternoon.

Dedication celebration expected in September after site improvements

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A 7-foot-high bronze statue of a soldier was installed this morning on a Medina sandstone base that is a memorial to the soldiers who trained at the former Medina Armory.

The memorial has been more than a decade in the making.

The statue was complete in November and made its first public appearance during Medina’s Parade of Lights on Nov. 24. The statue was placed inside the former Armory on Dec. 20. The building is now used as a YMCA.

Medina DPW workers helped move the statue today. They include Joe Perry, the DPW superintendent (back to camera), and employees Ben Lacy (right) and Cody Dix (left).

The statue was moved out of the YMCA, where it spent the winter.

The Medina Armory opened in 1901 for Company F, which formed in 1891. In 1977, the National Guard left the Medina Armory. The site has been used as a YMCA for more than three decades.

The statue, which weighs 1,400 pounds, is moved down Pearl Street to go on the monument in front of the Y.

A crowd of people, including many local veterans, gathered to watch the installation.

The statue was created by sculptor Brian Porter and the University of Buffalo’s foundry director Chris Serano.

The late Medina resident Bill Menz was influential in building the sandstone monument and raising more than $65,000 for the statue.

A dedication is expected in September for the statue. That will give time for landscaping and additional work on the plaques on the monument.

The monument currently includes 550 names of local soldiers who fought in wars on behalf of the United States. The soldiers enlisted and trained at the Medina Armory for conflicts from 1898 to 1945 including the Spanish-American War, Mexican-American, World War I and World War II.

The statue stands prominently outside the Orleans County YMCA.

Orleans Hub will have another article later today on the statue installation.

ALBION – The Main Street lift bridge in Albion will closed on Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. for repairs, the  Canal Corporation has told local officials.

A posted detour using the Ingersoll Street lift bridge will be posted, the Orleans County Emergency Management Office said.

HOLLEY – A tree limb fell and knocked out a primary feeder line for the Village of Holley’s Electric Department this morning, causing a big power outage in the village. The electric line is owned by National Grid and feeds Holley’s electric system.

The outage briefly knocked out power this morning in Albion but electricity was restored in Albion after about 15 minutes.

It could be several hours to make the repair and restore power to Holley, the Orleans County Emergency Management Office is reporting.

Holley has the only municipal electric department in Orleans County.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, has launched a petition for the state to cover the costs of college for children and dependents of soldiers who were severely disabled or killed in the line of duty.

Hawley is the lead sponsor of legislation in the Assembly for college assistance for Gold Star families. The bill didn’t get out of the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee, with Hawley faulting Democrats for blocking the legislation.

The issue has garnered lots of media attention in the state and nationally, with President Donald Trump also tweeting about it and Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying he would support the legislation.

The legislation now has bipartisan support in the State Senate.

The legislation (A.2991, Hawley) would pay the costs of tuition, room & board, and fees at a public New York State or City College to the dependent family members of New York service men and women who died, are missing in action, or became disabled while performing official military duties.

“Gold Star families have heard the herald of bipartisan support from state lawmakers in both parties, along with Gov. Cuomo and even President Trump, following the defeat of my bill in committee last week,” Hawley said. “I will continue leading the effort to see that our military receive the benefits they deserve as they carry the tremendous sacrifice of losing a loved one in the line of duty. I am confident we can get this legislation passed this year and hopeful that this is the beginning of an era where veterans’ issues transcend political divides and we all can play a part in honoring our brave service members and veterans.”

The petition declares, “Support The Children of America’s Military Heroes.” To see the petition, click here.

The petition states that Democrats in the Assembly didn’t support the college aid for Gold Star families despite approving a $27 million package giving free college aid to the children of illegal immigrants. The Democrats also support free college courses to inmates in state prisons, according to the petition.

State Assemblyman Michael Norris, R-Lockport, also is rallying support for the legislation.

“The Majority’s move to block this legislation which helps Gold Star families – one week after approving $27 million in tuition assistance for the children of illegal immigrants – has been rightly the subject of extensive media coverage,” Norris said on his Facebook page. “Now, we need to keep the pressure on to pass this important legislation.”

District expanding Chromebook computers for more students

MEDINA – The Medina Board of Education has approved a $40,284,425 budget for the 2019-20 school year which won’t increase taxes for the 8^th straight year.

The budget will go before residents on May 21, with the vote from noon to 8 p.m. The district will go over the budget during a public hearing at the annual meeting, 6:30 p.m. on May 14 at the district office.

The overall spending is up about $2.7 million from the $37,565,842, with a capital project driving some of the increase.

The district’s overall instruction costs are up about $1 million with more money for teacher salaries, special education programs, and computer-based instruction programs based on the 1:1 rollout of Chromebooks for about 900 students.

The district currently provides the Chromebook computers to about 500 students in grades 4 to 7. That will expand to grades 3 through 8, and 11th grade next school year. The following school year, 2020-2021, Medina wants to have the computers available to students in grades 3 through 12, about 1,150 total. The computers, with a warranty and software, cost about $330 to $340 each. The district’s BOCES aid through the state is covering about 80 percent of those costs, said Mark Kruzynski, district superintendent.

The district will maintain all current programs and staff in the proposed budget, and is restoring foreign language at Wise Middle School, adding a full-time music choral teacher at Wise, and combining the .5 ELA with a .5 reading teacher at the high school.

The tax levy will remain the same at $8,641,861. This is the eighth consecutive year Medina has either reduced taxes or held them in check, and the 11th out of the past 12 years.

Orleans farm revenues rank 14^th most among counties in NY

Photo by Tom Rivers: Hay bales are pictured in Yates near Lake Ontario in this photo from August 2014.

The latest agricultural census from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows farm revenues are stagnated from 2012 to 2017.

The U.S. government does the Census of Agriculture every five years. In New York, farm revenues totaled $5,369,212,000 in 2017. That was down slightly from the $5,415,125,000 in 2012. (From 2007 to 2012, the farm revenues increased 24.9 percent or by $1.1 billion from the $4.42 billion in 2007.)

In Orleans County, farm products sold for $155.3 million in 2017. That was up 3.3 percent over 5 years from the $150.3 million in 2012 for sales of fruit, vegetables, milk, livestock and other farm products. The 2012 figure was a 48.8 percent jump from the $101.0 million recorded in 2007, according to the Agricultural Census.

Agriculture is Orleans County’s leading industry. The 2017 Ag Census counts 498 farms in the county. The number of farms in the county is up from the 487 in 2012. (It was 554 in 2007.)

However, the number of land farmed dropped from 135,090 acres in 2012 to 129,573 acres of land in farm production in 2017.

In Orleans, there were 31,711 acres of corn for grain which produced 5,732,321 bushels in 2017. Orleans farmers also worked 21,614 acres for soybeans, producing 1,056,311 bushels. Farmers also used 13,011 acres for vegetables, and 6,006 acres for fruit orchards.

In Orleans, more than half of the farms had less than $10,000 in revenue. The Ag Census reports there are 181 farms in the county with less than $2,500 in revenue; 41 between $2,500 to $4,999; 44 between $5,000 to $9,999; 60 between $10,000 to $24,999; 40 between $25,000 to $49,999; 23 between $50,000 to $99,999; and 109 with $100,000 or more.

The top 15 counties in NYS for farm revenue

1) Wyoming, $307.5 million

2) Cayuga: $287.9 million

3) Genesee: $234.9 million

4) Suffolk, $225.6 million

5) Wayne, $221.3 million

6) Ontario, $205.2 million

7) Steuben, $196.0 million

8) St Lawrence, 191.1 million

9) Livingston: $183.7 million

10) Onondaga, $178.4 million

11) Clinton, $167.8 million

12) Jefferson, $165.1 million

13) Chautauqua: $161.0 million

14) Orleans $155.3 million

15) Lewis, $153.1 million

Source: U.S. Ag Census

NY saw 20 percent drop in dairy farms

David Fisher, president of New York Farm Bureau, issued this statement about the Ag Census:

“The most startling statistic is we now have 33,438 farms in the state, about 2,100 fewer farms than 2012. This is the largest drop in more than two decades and is triple the national average of a 3 percent loss. The losses run the gamut, including a 9 percent drop in both the smallest and largest farms in terms of value of sales.

“New York also saw a nearly 20-percent decline in the number of dairy farms in the state. These losses coincide with 9 percent increase in labor costs, while some other production costs like feed, gasoline and chemicals declined. The average net farm income of $42,875 per farm is slightly below the national average.

“On the positive side, there were elements of growth. New York saw a 35 percent increase in organic farms, from 864 in 2012 to 1,330 farms in 2017. According to the market value summary, the number of vegetable farms in the state is 3,544 farms, up 2 percent, and fruit farms rose 8 percent to 3,083 farms. New York had a 15 percent jump in maple operations to 1,662 in the state.

“While there is still much more to learn as we evaluate the mountain of data, it is clear that the depressed farm economy has taken a toll on the overall number of farms in New York, as labor costs continue to mount for our family farms. At the same time, there are still opportunities across the board. Agriculture remains a leading driver of our rural economy and the data shows we must continue to invest in the farming community while also finding ways to improve the business climate for our more than 33,000 farms in the state.”

Additional numbers:

• 98% of farms in New York are family owned

• 6,866,171 acres in production, down from 7,183,576 in 2012

• Average farm size is 205 acres, up from 202 acres in 2012

• 21,860 female producers and 35,985 male producers

• Average producer age is 55.8 years old.

• 6,718 producers under the age of 35

• Hired farm labor is 55,363 employees

CARLTON – The New York State Department of Transportation today announced the stretch of Lake Ontario State Parkway west of Route 98 in the Town of Carlton is now open to all traffic following its seasonal closure during the winter months.

The 2-mile section of the Parkway closed in November for the winter. The DOT has closed that section of the roads in recent winters to save on de-icing materials, equipment and repairs to damaged pavement.

The 2-mile section is between Lakeside Beach State Park and Route 98 in the Town of Carlton. About 800 cars travel this section every day, the DOT has said.

ALBION – An Albion student has set a new standard among local participants in the annual American Legion Oratorical Contest.

Melissa Barnosky in 2018 was the first Albion student to win the state title in the contest, and she represented New York at the national competition in Indianapolis, which is the headquarters for the American Legion. Barnosky repeated that feat this year after again winning at the school, county, district and zone levels, before going to Albany and claiming the state title.

Barnosky acknowledged she might seem an unlikely winner in the oratorical contest. She is introverted and many consider her to be shy. She said she needs to overcome “terrible stage fright.”

But with the competitions, she is transformed and focused on delivering the speech. She has honed the skill to make the speech, which is full of dense material, to also be engaging. She uses facial expressions, gestures, “even the way I walk onto the stage,” she said.

She also has learned to project her voice, without yelling.

She needed to research, prepare and deliver an 8- to 10-minute speech about the Constitution and the role of citizens. She titled her prepared speech, “Civic knowledge, the key to our vigilance.”

She also needed to prepare four other speeches that were 3 to 5 minutes. The four other topics were assigned at random at the district, zone, state and national competitions.

Photo by Sue Starkweather Miller, Albion Central School: Melissa Barnosky is pictured on March 2 in Albany with Anthony Paternostro, chairman of the American Legion’s oratorical contest. Barnosky won the competition for the second straight year.

Twice in competitions this year she was asked to speak about the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. At the state and national competitions, she was assigned the 4^th Amendment, which protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures.

“It’s not for everyone,” Barnosky, 17, said about the competition. “It’s a lot of work. You have to write the speech, and practice over and over.”

She was in Indianapolis on April 6 at nationals, competing with 52 other state champs. In addition to the winners from all 50 states, there is a champion from Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Department of France for American students from about a dozen countries in Europe.

Those 53 are separated into the quarterfinals with nine groups of five or six students. Barnosky came in second out of six in her group and didn’t advance to the finals. The Wisconsin state champ advanced out of her group. The 82^nd annual competition was won by Patrick Junker of Iowa. His winning prepared oration was titled, “The Spread of Constitutional Apathy and how to Quarantine it.”

Barnosky ends the competition with $21,500 in scholarships, which she will use for her college expenses. She is heading to Brockport State College to major in political science.

She is thankful for the American Legion for sponsoring the contest at the local, regional, state and national levels.

“I feel like the American Legion hasn’t given up on the youth,” she said Monday during an interview at the school.

The competition has her more confident as a public speaker. She also has developed the ability to research a topic and present that information, which can feel complicated and arcane, in a way that people can more easily understand.

She also is more aware of the critical role of citizens, who need to know the Constitution and keep watch on their elected officials, to make sure their decisions aren’t unconstitutional.

She would like to help other students compete in the oratorical contest. Her first pupil will be her younger brother, William, who is an eighth-grader. He attended many of his sister’s competitions.

Barnosky urges more students to try the event, to prepare the speech and deliver it. They will be better citizens for the effort.

“I’m grateful to have earned money and made it to nationals,” she said. “I was honored to represent my state.”

Last week Democrats in Albany voted against legislation to expand free college tuition for children or dependents of military personnel who died while performing official military duties. The issue gained a lot of media attention, even President Donald Trump tweeted about it on Friday:

“In New York State, Democrats blocked a Bill expanding College Tuition for Gold Star families after approving aid for illegal immigrants,” Trump tweeted. “No wonder so many people are leaving N.Y. Very Sad!”

On Monday, Democrats and Republicans in the State Senate announced a bipartisan bill to expand access to scholarships for community colleges and state universities. The program would be for dependents of military service members who died while in performance of their duties. Those duties are yet to be defined and the potential financial costs haven’t been determined.

“I am thrilled that Albany Democrats have now decided that the children of our brave military members who perish in service to our great nation are worthy of the same privileges they afforded to illegal aliens residing in our state,” State Sen. Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, said in a statement. “Although this is a victory, what has transpired over the last few days is a rude reminder of where New York Democrats’ priorities lie. The tremendous pressure from Senate Republicans, veterans’ advocacy organizations, the media, and everyday citizens is a great reminder that the people of New York have their priorities right even if Democrats in Albany do not.”

The new legislation would take effect beginning April 1, 2020. That gives the Legislature time to estimate the costs that would be added to the MERIT scholarship program.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, sponsored the bill in the Assembly that Democrats didn’t allow to come out of committee. Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, D-Brooklyn, is expected to introduce the bill in the Assembly that matches the Senate legislation.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Mike Deniz of Fairport plays the violin during Sunday’s performance by Elderberry Jam at the Cobblestone Church in the Gaines hamlet of Childs.

CHILDS – Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Museum, had one wish for Sunday’s fiddlers’ concert presented by the band Elderberry Jam.

That was to have standing room only, something which has never been done in the historic church, to his knowledge.

At the end of the day, Farley was smiling, the crowd was cheering and the band was promising to come back.

Elderberry Jam performed for a packed church on Sunday. The church was built in 1834 and is the oldest cobblestone church in North America.

There were 167 people who filled the sanctuary and overflowed into the balconies to hear the band which included guitars, a banjo, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, fiddles, mandolin and bass. The eight musicians are part of the Fiddlers of the Genesee.

“I was so pleased to see the main floor completely filled and guests moving up to the balconies on each side of the church,” Farley said. “It was great to see so many folks from Lockport and Brockport, too.”

Farley also said the freewill offering exceeded his expectations, and he was very grateful to those who were so generous.

Elderberry Jam expects to be back at the museum for another concert this year.

Members of the band were in awe of the historic church and have agreed to return to entertain during one of the Cobblestone’s summer events.

Mary Hyder of Penfield learned to play the hammered dulcimer 15 years ago, she said. She already played piano, but wanted an instrument she could carry around.

Her instrument was a complete opposite of the mountain dulcimer which Mike Deniz of Fairport played.

The band has a repertoire of more than 200 tunes, as members of the Fiddlers of the Genesee.

They chose a selection of 25 old-time favorites and some unheard of ones, which had the audience tapping their toes and clapping their hands. The program included traditional Irish, Scottish and American songs, jigs, waltzes, polkas and ragtime, to name a few.

Elderberry Jam gets together to play every Friday, but they still met several times to rehearse for their Cobblestone concert, said banjo player/guitarist Tom Bailey.

The musicians played to one of the biggest crowds at the historic church in recent memory.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Members of the band Elderberry Jam get ready for their concert Sunday at the Cobblestone Church in Childs. Mary Hyder of Penfield warms up on the hammered dulcimer, while Mike Deniz of Fairport tunes his mountain dulcimer.

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By Hayley Roehling, Niagara-Orleans Dairy Princess

Provided photo: These five are in the Niagara-Orleans dairy court for 2019-2020. They include from left: Alexis Giordano, Dairy Princess alternate Sadie Klumpp, Dairy Princess Hayley Roehling of Akron, Madison Slattery, and Ella Seib. The dairy princess pageant was April 6 at the Hartland Fire Hall.

HARTLAND – On Saturday, April 6th, I was crowned the 2019-2020 Niagara-Orleans County Dairy Princess. I am beyond excited to promote the dairy industry and create long-lasting memories with the court throughout the year.

Currently, the dairy industry is not doing as well as one would hope due to the increase in the amount of liquids made from nuts to be imitated as milk. In reality though, the nut juice does not compare to the nutritional value that is in milk.

Most consumers are switching to buy non-dairy products because they believe the ideas that are spread around by uneducated people; but these thoughts are falsehoods. Becoming Dairy Princess has led me to be highly motivated in promoting the dairy industry and the elements of the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council (ADADC), so that people can have a better understanding of what actually happens.

The first element to promote is the nutritional value of milk. There are nine nutrients in milk: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, protein, riboflavin and niacin. These elements within dairy products keep your bones and teeth strong, regulate muscles which allows movement, help an individual have energy, help recover from an injury, build muscle and bones, help with eyesight, keep your immune system strong to fight off sickness, and reduce cholesterol levels. Clearly, milk has a variety of health benefits available to the body if three servings of dairy products are consumed daily.

Some people question the quality of milk before it even comes out of the cow. The questioning begins with the care of the animals and the stewardship towards the land. Farmers themselves take really good care of their land. The land is the source of the food for the animals; without the land to farm, there would be no farm itself. For this reason, the land is very important and there is a lot of work involved to care for the property.

Some also believe that the cows are not treated in the best way which is just another falsehood. Dairy cows are taken care of in the greatest possible manner by farmers. The cows always have access to fresh food and water to have the essential qualities for milk production; there is also a nutritionist specialized in dairy cattle that frequently visits the farm to formulate a proper ratio for each component of the total mixed ration (TMR) that the cows consume.

The barn is cleaned out multiple times a day, and cows are milked on a set schedule to make them as comfortable as possible. There are so many other things that the farmer does daily to make the facilities a positive environment.

Dairy farmers are one of the hardest working class of people in this world who deserve more credit than they are typically given. They are on the clock 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No matter what happens, the animals and the farm comes first; the necessary tasks need to be completed. The animals need to be fed and milked on their schedule. It is a lot of work, but the work is worth it!

ALBION – Orleans County health care providers are working together to expand services to residents, the Leadership Orleans class was told on Thursday.

Paul Pettit, Public Health director in Genesee and Orleans counties, said Orleans continues to struggle with high rates of smoking and obesity.

The class of 26 members each month focuses on an aspect of the county. This month the group is taking a close look at healthcare in the county.

Paul Pettit, director of public health in Orleans and Genesee, went over the county’s latest standings in the annual County Health Rankings, which puts Orleans at 52^nd out of 62 counties in the state for health outcomes. Orleans was 54^th in health factors.

The county has a high rate of adult smoking (22 percent), adult obesity (36 percent) and a low access to clinical care for primary care physicians, dentists and mental health providers, according to the report. (Click here for more on the report)

Healthcare agencies have been working together to improve access to care. For example, the county’s Mental Health Department has gone from providing mental health services at its office behind the County Administration Building to 15 sites in the county, including at the local school districts and the county jail. Mental Health also has a new partnership with Oak Orchard Health, where mental health staff work out of the Oak Orchard site in Albion.

“There’s synergy,” O’Brien told  Leadership Orleans. Human services “is 90 percent about relationships,” he said.

In rural counties, those relationships are even more critical, he said.

John Bennett, executive director of GCASA, speaks to Leadership Orleans. He said addiction is a very difficult illness to overcome.

O’Brien praised the County Legislature, county administrator and Community Services Board for embracing “very progressive” partnerships among the healthcare providers.

O’Brien is president of an eight-county consortium that received a $3.3 million grant to improve services.

O’Brien responded to questions from the Leadership Orleans class. He said there remains a stigma with mental health, where many people are reluctant to seek help. That remains a big barrier to care.

The county is fortunate to have an active Suicide Prevention Coalition, he said. Suicide hits white males, ages 45 and older, at the highest rate.

He also shared about the prevalence of sexual abuse, where 1 in 3 women have been sexually abused or exposed to it, while 1 in 7 men have been sexually abused. A mental health therapist can help people work through the trauma.

“Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed,” O’Brien said, citing a famous quote. “It means it no longer controls my life.

John Bennett of GCASA leads an agency that has expanded in Orleans County, adding residential services.

Bennett, responding to a question, said addiction is a powerful disease that is difficult to overcome, even when a person has been clean for a year.

Mark O’Brien of Mental Health said the county agency now has Mental Health staff working out of 15 sites in the county.

Anxiety, fear and depression often kick in, leading to a relapse.

“The nature of the illness is when you relapse you are full blown into it,” Bennett said. “It is an illness unlike any other.”

Bennett said is concerned about the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana in the state. He cited problems in Colorado, where dispensaries are making marijuana products that look like candy.

There are reports of increased motor vehicles accidents and emergency room trips since recreational marijuana was legalized, he said.

Bennett understands the social justice push for legalizing recreational marijuana, where people don’t tend to fight, resist arrest or be abusive, especially compared to people who use alcohol.

Pettit, the public health director, said public health officials are concerned about misinformation, especially with an anti-vaccine movement that is allowing some illnesses and diseases to spread.

“People should go to agencies and organizations for information that is based in science,” he said.

The local Public Health Department attends many community events, and keeps an active Facebook and Twitter presence, trying to get accurate information out to the community, Pettit said.

More residents also are self-diagnosing on WebMD rather than going to the doctor, which is a concern, Pettit said.

The Leadership Orleans class also was trained on Narcan, which can help stop an overdose. The class also learned how to “Stop the Bleed” and apply a tourniquet if someone is bleeding.

The class heard from other healthcare leaders in Medina, with a focus on healthcare collaborations.

Those panelists included Dan Ireland, president of United Memorial Medical Center; Mark Cye, CEO of Orleans Community Health; and Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO of Oak Orchard Health.

Press Release, New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association

ALBION – A  correction officer had feces thrown on him by a female inmate at Albion Correctional Facility, the union for the corrections officers, said today.

The incident occurred on April 6 at approximately 5:12 p.m. The officer was in the middle of handing out food trays to inmates at the medium-security correctional facility when the inmate, who was in her cell at the time, threw feces through the cell hatch hitting the officer’s uniform pants.

The hatch was immediately closed and additional staff arrived on the scene. Evidence was collected and processed by staff.

The inmate, who is serving a three-year sentence after being convicted in Queens County for Attempted Burglary 2nd and Attempted Promoting Prison Contraband 1st, faces internal disciplinary charges and criminal charges.

New York State Penal Law Section 240.32, Aggravated Harassment of an Employee by an Inmate, was enacted in 1996 and is intended to protect employees at state and local correctional facilities from inmates or detainees throwing, tossing or expelling blood, seminal fluid, urine feces or the contents of a toilet bowl at employees with the intent that they come in contact with the substances.

“I will strongly encourage the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute this inmate,” said Joe Miano, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President. “The aggravated harassment legislation that was passed several years ago by the legislature is there to protect county and state correction officers from incidents like this and to serve as a deterrent to inmates. Prosecution needs to be pursued.”