ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson today said the dome on the Orleans County Courthouse will be lit blue for the next week to show concern and appreciation for corrections officers across the county and state.
Orleans County is home to two state prisons – Orleans Correctional Facility and Albion Correctional Facility as well as the county-run jail.
“These are very troubling times in our state’s prisons and we are very concerned about the safety of our corrections officers,” said Johnson. “It feels like almost everyone in Orleans County knows a person who works at one of these facilities. These corrections officers are our family members, friends and neighbors and we want them to know how much we appreciate them.”
Corrections officers have been expressing concerns over staffing levels and state legislation like the HALT Act that limits inmate discipline that they have said makes performing their difficult job even harder. The New York State Department of Corrections has just begun mediation with the corrections officers’ union to address these concerns. Orleans County correction officers at the county jail also operate under the same rules as state prisons.
“Corrections officers at both the state and county are an integral part of our criminal justice system, keeping our community safe by maintaining order inside the walls of our correctional facilities and preparing inmates for future release back into society,” said Johnson. “This is no easy task but they do a great job under difficult circumstances. By lighting the courthouse dome blue, we want to send a message to them that they are in our thoughts and prayers.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2025 at 12:51 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: J. Lincoln Swedrock, an engineer and vice president with BME Associates in Fairport, presents a request for the Medina Village Board to consider rezoning 46 acres on West Oak Orchard Street from light industrial to residential-3.
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board has been asked to consider changing the zoning for 46 vacant acres from light industrial to residential-3 to allow for new housing.
Sieck Wholesale Florist owns the land off West Oak Orchard Street near the Medina school campus. Ed Michel of Sieck Wholesale wants to keep the other 8.8 acres of the property as light industrial. That land is next to the railroad and includes a cell tower, an old boiler and another older building. Michel acknowledged those older buildings are in rough shape and will either be cleaned up or demolished. (Housing is not allowed in a light industrial district.)
Michel spoke at Monday’s Village Board meeting along with J. Lincoln Swedrock, an engineer and vice president with BME Associates in Fairport. Michel would like to develop the vacant land into housing, perhaps townhouses, multi-family housing and single-family residences.
He first needs to see if the village will change the zoning of the property. If that happens, he will work on determining what the market would support for new housing.
Village Board members voted to refer the matter to the Village Planning Board for its input. Mayor Marguerite Sherman said there aren’t enough housing options in the village.
The spot on West Oak Orchard Street may be appealing with the close proximity to Medina schools and access to village water and sewer.
The village doesn’t allow a cul-de-sac so an access road would need to extend through the property to Salt Works Road.
Swedrock said the meeting on Monday with the Village Board is just the first step in the process. He and Michel will need to connect with Shelby town officials about the access road if the project advances.
“Housing is a big push right now in New York State,” Sherman said at the meeting. “We need housing in the village, we really do.”
If the board wants to rezone the property, there will be a public hearing. There also will be opportunities for public input on the housing proposed if Michel decides to pursue the project if the rezoning is approved.
“Nothing is planned right now,” Swedrock said about the housing development. “It would be a diversity of housing options. But right now, it’s just do we want to look into this?”
Kathy Hochul welcomes laid off federal workers to pursue a career with the state government. This screen shot was taken from her video on YouTube.
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul today launched a new “You’re Hired” initiative to recruit talented public sector workers into State service.
This initiative comes as the new federal administration utilizes the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to lay off thousands of highly-qualified workers in the federal government.
“The federal government might say, ‘You’re fired,’ but here in New York, we say, ‘You’re hired.’ In fact, we love federal workers,” Governor Hochul said. “Whatever your skills, we value public service. Check out potential jobs at ny.gov/wewantyou. Come join our New York State family.”
To kick off this initiative, Governor Hochul released a video message to invite federal workers to join the New York State workforce. The Governor’s video message is available to stream on YouTube (click here).
Since taking office, Governor Hochul has implemented several initiatives to strengthen New York’s public workforce. In 2023, Governor Hochul extended 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave to the entire state workforce, for the first time in state history.
In 2024, the state launched the NY HELPS program, temporarily waiving civil service exam requirements for many job vacancies, resulting in nearly 24,000 appointments in state government, on top of 6,000 appointments in local governments.
Additionally, the state created 10 Centers for Careers in Government, offering job seekers guidance on civil service systems and career opportunities. The Governor has also lifted the hiring freeze, expanded opportunities for individuals and veterans with disabilities, and funded new testing centers to further support the workforce.
New York State Department of Civil Service Commissioner and Civil Service Commission President Timothy R. Hogues said, “Public service is a noble calling, and we’re looking for the best and brightest to come work for New York State. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we have been working hard to retain and recruit the next generation of employees and servant-leaders. By coming to work for the Empire State, you’ll have the opportunity to help your neighbors, community and state in a variety of ways — serving, protecting, and caring for your fellow New Yorkers and our wonderful resources in solid, stable jobs.”
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Careers in public service offer stability, competitive pay, great benefits and a chance to make a difference in the lives of your fellow New Yorkers. I encourage all former federal workers with a continued interest in public service to check out the many careers in New York State government today.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 February 2025 at 9:52 am
The union representing corrections officers on strike met with state officials on Monday during the first day of mediation, attempting to resolve issues that led to a strike that is now in its ninth day.
Martin F. Scheinman is serving as mediator in talks between New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (the union for corrections officers) and representatives from Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, including Daniel Martuscello, the DOCCS commissioner; and representatives from the state Office of Employee Relations. The mediation is scheduled for three days from Monday to Wednesday.
“Day 1 of mediation concluded late yesterday afternoon and there were extensive discussions with the State and DOCCS on the need for operational changes, including immediately suspending certain provisions of HALT during the staffing crisis, potential legislative changes to permanently change HALT, elimination of triple shifts, legal mail scanning, no departmental discipline for members considered AWOL, increased recruitment efforts and incentives to bolster staffing,” said James Miller, spokesman for NYSCOPBA.
The state wants corrections officers back on the job and has threatened to remove their health insurance and dock their pay.
Gov. Kathy Hochul also is seeking to close up to five prisons and give 90 days of notice, instead of the one year that is required. She is seeking a waiver from the one-year notice.
ALBANY – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) attended a press conference on Monday to call for immediate action to resolve the crisis at state correctional facilities.
Hawley also spoke on the impact radical policies like the HALT Act have had on correctional officers and their families.
According to statistics from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, since the introduction of the HALT Act in March of 2022:
Inmate-on-inmate assaults have increased 169%;
Inmate-on-staff assaults have increased 76%; and
Instances of contraband have increased 32%.
Hawley believes this current administration has failed the law enforcement community and must take steps to provide safer working conditions for our correctional officers and prison staff.
“Gov. Hochul and her friends in the Majority have decimated our state’s correctional system,” Hawley said. “Instead of giving our law enforcement officers the tools they need to do their jobs, this administration has pushed radical policies like the HALT Act that give more power to criminals and take precious resources away from those who’ve sworn to keep us safe. The solution is simple. Get rid of these radical, so-called reforms and stand with our men and women in blue instead of closing prisons and putting our correctional officers out of work.”
ALBANY – Today, members of the Senate Republican Conference met with family members of New York State correction officers and urged immediate action by Governor Hochul in response to recent prison strikes, calling for an Executive Order to repeal the HALT Act.
Since last week, correction officers have been on strike in dozens of facilities throughout the state. The officers began the strike in response to deteriorating work conditions, including understaffing, mandatory overtime, excessively long shifts, and polices – like the HALT Act – that have made their jobs more difficult and dangerous.
A recent report from DOCCS shows dramatic increases in the number of assaults within our prisons since the enactment of HALT. From 2002 to 2024, assaults on staff from inmates increased by 1,473 (a 32 percent increase), inmate-on-inmate assaults increased by 1,489 (an 81 percent increase), and overall assaults increased from 2,962 in 2022 to 4,635 (a 56 percent increase).
“The dangerous situation in our prisons is a direct result of bad policies and a lack of leadership from Albany,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “We ask our correction officers to do a dangerous job, as a result of bad Democrat policies, the resources Correction Officers need to do their jobs safely have continually been stripped away. I’ve listened to the many families of COs who are suffering the most—not having their loved one home because of grueling long shifts and their safety being threatened every day is heartbreaking.
“I have been proud to stand with our COs and their families for as long as I’ve been in office, and this conference will continue to stand with them until changes are made to keep them safe as they carry out a very difficult job. This crisis will not come to an end without changes in policy from Albany, starting with a repeal of the HALT Act.”
The HALT Act went into effect in New York State in 2022 and has tied the hands of our correction officers to protect themselves, as well as other inmates in their facilities.
The Senate Republican Conference has consistently called on the Democrat Majorities to prioritize the needs of our law enforcement and equip them with tools needed to do their jobs safely and effectively, as well as for the reversal of progressive policies, such as the HALT Act, that have empowered violent inmates, stripped officers of necessary tools to maintain order, and created an untenable crisis in our correctional facilities.
Our Conference will continue to stand in solidarity with New York’s correction officers who have been sounding the alarm on dangerous working conditions in our state’s prisons. Immediate action from the Governor and Democrat Majorities in the Legislature is necessary to restore safe working conditions, reverse these disastrous policies, and support the law enforcement professionals who keep our communities safe.
Senate Republicans pointed to key proposals that could provide an immediate impact toward making correctional facilities safer for workers, visitors and inmates:
S.2656: Repeals the HALT Act (Stec);
S.3087: Requires DOCCS to establish a contraband screening plan for correctional facilities, including the use of drug-detecting canines at the entrance of each correctional facility and the development of a third-party secure vendor mail program for packages received by inmates (Helming); and
S.4422: Requires visitors to submit to body scanners before entering a correctional facility (Stec).
In addition to calling for common sense proposals to increase safety in correctional facilities, Senate Republicans introduced an amendment on the Senate floor during today’s session to repeal the HALT Act. Every Senate Democrat voted against the amendment.
“As the ranking member of the Crime Victims, Crime and Correction committee, I’m seeing firsthand how the HALT Act has done nothing but make our prisons more dangerous for corrections officers, staff and even incarcerated individuals,” said Senator Rob Rolison. “It is our responsibility to restore safety and order in our correctional facilities, protecting those who work tirelessly to keep everyone safe. Today, alongside the families of brave corrections officers, we are making it clear that Albany must act now to repeal the HALT Act and ensure safe and humane conditions in the state’s correctional system.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2025 at 4:07 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Carol Culhane has created a painting for the Orleans County bicentennial that she says honors the pioneers who tamed the land and lived modestly in log cabins.
In her painting, she shows Main Street in Albion in the 1800s, and has images of a log cabin with livestock, and paintings of the County Courthouse and the Clerks’ Building.
The painting will be featured in a program on April 15 for the county’s 200th anniversary. Orleans was officially recognized on April 15, 1825 by the State Legislature after separating from Genesee County.
Decades before the courthouse (built in 1858) and Clerks’ Building (constructed in 1882) were erected on the Courthouse Square, there was a log cabin there. A historical marker at the courthouse lawn notes the first settlers in Albion in 1811 built a log cabin where the Clerks’ Building stands. The late Al Capurso had that marker installed in 2013 to honor those pioneers – William McAllister and his wife.
Capurso, the former president of Orleans County Historical Association, in 2017 shared his idea with Culhane to have the courthouse and Clerks’ Building in the same painting with a log cabin to honor the pioneers.
Culhane, a member of the Bicentennial Committee, has been thinking about Capurso’s idea and wanted to make it a reality.
She presented the finished painting to the Bicentennial Committee today. She will have it made into prints. Culhane will have 500 of the prints made at 18 inches by 24 inches. They will be available for $10 each with proceeds to go towards celebrating the county’s bicentennial this year.
“I love Orleans County,” said Culhane, a former Gaines town supervisor. “It’s a privilege and an honor to do this.”
She wanted to include the Courthouse Square, a pioneer tribute and include Albion’s historic Main Street.
“One of the things I’ve always admired about Albion is the beauty of the streetscape,” Culhane said.
The bicentennial posters will be numbered from 1 to 500 and Culhane will sign them. She expects the posters to be available in about 10 days. For more information about acquiring one, contact her at (585) 738-3016 or by email, cecjcculhane@gmail.com.
Town switched software, which resulted in difficulties that have been remedied
Press Release, Shelby Town Supervisor Scott Wengewicz
SHELBY – Following up the Comptroller’s Audit Report from September 2024, the Town of Shelby retained Nichole Ruf with Drescher Malecki to reconcile the Town’s cash and fund balances for 2023 and retained Tina DeNigro from LGSS to bring all bookkeeping activity current and to reconcile the Town’s 2024 financials. This is a summary of their reports to the Town Board during the February 11, 2025 Board meeting.
Prior to 2023, the Town used KVS as its bookkeeping software. KVS was bought out and the Town needed to switch to a new software system. The Town Board in 2022 chose Williamson Law Books to replace KVS as its new bookkeeping software.
Ms. DeNigro advised that Williamson was a significant step back from KVS and had certain limitations. For example, at month end, once the month is closed, Williamson did not allow any more entries to be made to that month. In other words, any receivables (monies owed to the Town) that came in after month end or any errors that were discovered after month end could not accounted for in the month in which they occurred.
Instead, entries would have to be added manually to make any necessary adjustments. Other accounting software programs do not have that limitation.
It also appeared that the conversion from KVS to Williamson Law was performed with insufficient direction and oversight. When implementing a new software program, the beginning balances should always agree to the audited ending balances for the prior year, but that did not happen because the conversion was completed prior to the completion of the audit of the Town’s 2022 financials.
Additional issues were created as a result of the conversion to Williamson. For example, only the Town’s cash accounts were created in Williamson; no balances were carried forward for the accrual accounts, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, and unearned revenue. Accordingly, fund balances (total operating surpluses and deficits) were not established in Williamson.
The Town’s account structure also changed significantly during the conversion. Specifically, the Town’s computer account, which is the Town’s clearing and disbursement account, was set up as one general ledger account (record of all financial transactions for a specific account) in KVS. In Williamson Law this was set up as 18 different accounts.
Finally, the code structure of the funds changed so that the 204 accounts in KVS became the 200 accounts in Williamson, the 200 accounts in KVS became 201 accounts in Williamson, and 201 accounts in KVS became 202 accounts in Williamson.
Ms. DeNigro noted that given these issues, the conversion to Williamson would have been difficult for any bookkeeper to understand. Ms. Ruf noted it was clear that during the course of 2023, the process was starting to work better and fewer corrections were needed, but given the structure of Williamson, it was difficult to go back and make adjustments to previous months.
For year end 2023, Ms. Ruf noted that it was her opinion that there was “never anything that was intentionally done wrong.” There is a difference of approximately $3,000 to the positive, which means there is not any money missing (the Town’s bank accounts show $3,000 more than the Town’s books).
The year-end numbers for 2023 will be audited and then provided to Ms. DeNigro for LGSS to complete the Town’s financial reports for 2024. However, looking at 2024 as a stand alone year, the checking account and the payroll account have a discrepancy of less than $100 each.
Both Ms. Ruf and Ms. DeNigro identified issues with the Town’s utility payment software and procedures that will need to be addressed moving forward.
Both Ms. Ruf and Ms. DeNigro noted that in their opinions it would not be worth the Town expending additional funds and resources to go back to any previous years. The Town is in a good place moving forward.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 February 2025 at 10:44 am
Photos by Marsha Rivers
Orly the Ox, the Orleans County bicentennial mascot, tries a maneuver on a sculpture by the Erie Canal in Medina.
These 23 precast concrete modules were dedicated on Nov. 17, 2023 at the Lions Park just east of the lift bridge on Route 63.
UB architecture students created the memorial to honor Sydney Gross, who is remembered for a vibrant personality. Gross was a student in the program who left a strong impression on her professors and the other students. She was a very social person who was friends with everyone. She was killed in a car accident in July 2009.
Orly the Ox is highlighting people, places and things in Orleans County in 2025 as part of the county’s bicentennial celebration. Orly encourages others to explore the sculpture. It can be a place to reflect, meet with friends and also try some daring climbing maneuvers.
(Left) Orly took a bite out of an apple while standing by The Big Apple in Medina. This 11-foot-high sculpture was created by artist Richard Bannister of Barre in 2000. It stands next to the Glenwood Avenue bridge. Bannister created the giant apple as a tribute to Western New York fruit growers. Orleans County is one of the top apple-growing counties in the state.
(Right – Photo by Isabella Zasa) Orly visited the Shoe Tree on Foss Road in Lyndonville, an attraction covered in hundreds of shoes. Local legend says that tying your shoelaces together, making a wish, and successfully tossing them onto a branch will make your wish come true.
Over the years, the Shoe Tree has gained widespread recognition, appearing on multiple websites and in the 2008 book “New York Curiosities.”
Orly has some ambitious fitness goals for 2025. He stopped by the YMCA in Medina and cooled down in the Silver Sneakers class with some stretches and movements. He also worked out on several exercise machines, including the stair climber and a rowing machine. He then lifted some dumbbells and a kettlebell.
Orly tried billiards and some of the other games at Dubby’s Tailgate in Albion, even making a behind-the-back shot playing pool.
Orly is on TikTok, and his adventures can be followed on the Orleans County Tourism’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College has named Orleans County to the fall Dean’s List. Students honored on the Dean’s List have maintained full or part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.50 to 3.74.
Provided photo: Pictured from left include Nancy Babis, vice president of Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight; Tom Petrie, president of Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight; and Valerie Wells of Lyndonville.
Valerie Wells of Lyndonville was appointed an Advisory Board member of the Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight at the February 2025 meeting.
BNHF serves seven counties in Western New York, as well as Potter, McKean, Erie and Warren, PA and Southern Ontario, Canada.
The organization is planning to recruit volunteers from Orleans County to make the community members aware of the services offered to veterans in our area.
Wells is currently involved with the Butts-Clark American Legion Auxiliary Board, VAVS Committee representative for the Batavia VA, 8th District historian for the American Legion Department of New York, and coordinator of Hometown Heroes in Lyndonville.
In addition, she is a member of Medina Area Partnership, Lyndonville Lions Club, Lyndonville Area Foundation and Leadership Orleans.
Wells plans to be available at informational booths at various venues throughout the county this summer including Blue Thursdays in Medina, OONA (Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association) in Carlton, 4th of July in Lyndonville as well as other areas around the county.
It is her hope to spread the word of the services BNHF offers to our veterans, especially those that served in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam.
Advertisement from the Directory of Orleans County, 1903
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 5, No. 8
Poland China? Ayrshire? Rambouillet? Are these familiar names?
They would have been recognizable to many Orleans County residents over one hundred years ago. Poland China swine, Ayrshire cattle, Rambouillet sheep were some of the many different breeds raised in the county according to the Directory of Orleans County, 1903.
This amazing publication (click here) is accessible online courtesy of the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County and is well worth downloading and perusing.
This Directory lists the residents of the county and their occupations, an ambitious undertaking. It was one of several such directories compiled by the George Hanford Company of Elmira, NY. So many aspects of social change are obvious when glancing through the pages.
Today’s column was prompted by the two-page listing of Livestock Breeders and Dealers in the Business section. Even a portion of the list illustrates the variety of livestock being raised at that time:
From the Directory of Orleans County, 1903
The list totals sixty breeders and dealers, some handled more than one breed. As we examine the variety of breeds represented, we are inferring that the prevalence of breeders for any one breed equated roughly with the breed’s popularity.
Cattle
Jersey cattle were first bred in the British Channel Islands and introduced to the U.S. in the 1850s.
It appears that Orleans County farmers favored Jersey cattle, with eight breeders listed. Jersey cows are small and noted for producing milk with a high butter-fat content. Ayrshire cattle, who also produce high-quality milk, were also raised, with just one breeder listed.
Two beef-producing breeds, Durham Shorthorns and Herefords were represented with two Shorthorn breeders and one Hereford breeder listed.
Sheep
Shropshire sheep are medium sized with dark faces and feet.
Raising sheep was a significant element of the farm economy in 1903. In the Town of Barre alone, fifty-nine farmers listed sheep among their holdings. A quick tally of the number of sheep in Barre came to 2,500.
Shropshire sheep were the most prevalent in the County in the early 1900s. Of the sixty breeders listed, ten bred Shropshire sheep. Several other breeds were also raised: Cheviot, Delaine Merino, Dorset, Merino, Oxforddown, Rambouillet, Southdown, Tunis, and Yorkshiredown. The Shropshire flocks were raised for meat, as were the Cheviots and Dorsets. Delaine Merino, Merino, and Rambouillet sheep were bred for wool.
Merino sheep yield very fine soft wool.
Pigs
A colorful variety of pigs were raised, the Chester Whites being the most prevalent. Originating from Chester County, Pa., these white pigs with droopy ears produced a high-quality meat. Seven livestock owners handled this breed.
The reddish-brown Duroc-Jersey pigs which were noted for producing very flavorful pork were raised, as was the distinctive Berkshire pig, which is black with a white snout.
Several farmers raised the quaintly named Poland China pig, the oldest American swine breed. Related to the Berkshire pig, the Poland China pig is also black but distinguished by its white face and feet and a white tip at the end of the tail.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 24 February 2025 at 8:00 am
MEDINA – Continuing a tradition which goes back decades, the Medina Area Association of Churches will again this year sponsor Lenten lunches in Medina.
This year’s Lenten lunches begin March 6 and continue every Thursday through April 10, at the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street.
Lunches begin at noon, with takeouts available at 11:45, according to Barb Hancock, a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and MAAC.
Participating churches provide lunch on a rotating basis, followed by a meaningful reflection.
The first lunch on March 6 will feature soup and sandwich by the First Presbyterian Church, followed by pulled pork on March 13 by the Alabama Full Gospel Fellowship, chicken and biscuits on March 20 by One Church, beef on weck March 27 by New Hope Community Church, sloppy joes April 3 by the Church of Abundant Harvest and scalloped potatoes and ham on April 10 by The Grove United Methodist Church.
Everyone is welcome to stop in and share the meal and fellowship, Hancock said. The program ends by 1 p.m.
A donation of $5 is suggested, with all proceeds going to Orleans County Meals on Wheels program and Albion’s Koinonia Kitchen.
Albion’s Lenten lunches start March 12 for five Wednesdays at noon at the Albion First Baptist Church, 30 West Park St.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 February 2025 at 7:53 pm
MEDINA – The Medina Historical Society will present a special program at its first meeting of the year, at 7 p.m. Monday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.
Board members will do a reading from the book Pioneer History of Orleans County, which has recently been reprinted. Copies of the book will be available to purchase. The book was written by Arad Thomas and originally published in 1871. It tells of the towns in Orleans County and the arduous journeys of the pioneers, said Historical Society president Reinhard Rogowski.
The evening’s program is organized by Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper.
The Historical Society invites anyone to attend and consider joining the society. A family membership will entitle the purchaser to receive a free copy of Georgia Thomas’ book of maple syrup recipes.
Poland China? Ayrshire? Rambouillet? Are these familiar names?
