Fierce winds whipped across Orleans County and Western New York in this photo from Nov. 24, 2014, which shows the Orleans County Courthouse and County Clerks Building.
There are many reasons to prepare for an emergency, such as a natural disaster, a power outage or another crisis.
Most Americans do not have supplies set aside or plans in place to protect their own or their family’s health and safety. National Preparedness Month, recognized each September, provides an opportunity to remind us that we all must prepare ourselves and our families now and throughout the year.
Albert Cheverie, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator of Genesee and Orleans Counties, encourages all residents to take the time to prepare for an emergency now. “Disasters can strike at any time,” Cheverie said. “One of the most important tools every individual and family can have to protect themselves in possible emergencies is a plan of action.”
Make and Practice Your Plan
Having a family emergency plan will save time and make real situations less stressful. As you plan ahead about what to do during an emergency, be sure to take into account any members of your family with special needs, specific preparations for children, and what you will do with your pets.
Here are a few simple things you can do to start your Emergency Action Plan:
Create a Communication Plan
Make a plan as a family for communicating in the event that you are separated during an emergency. Use a sheet or card with all the phone numbers and information every individual in the family may need, and make sure every member of the family has a copy of the communication plan. Make sure to regularly review and update the contact list as needed.
Make an Evacuation Plan
As a family, discuss where you will go in the event of an emergency. Discuss where your children will go if they are in school or daycare at the time of the emergency, and make sure they understand where you will be. Your plan should also include how to safely shut off all utilities.
Practice Your Plan
Set up practice drills at least twice a year for your family to ensure everyone knows what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency. Update your plan according to any issues that arise. Make sure everyone knows where the plan is located.
Learn Life Saving Skills
If something happens where people are injured, act quickly and with a purpose. Remember to call 911 as soon as possible. Move the injured away from any remaining danger and do anything within your ability to keep the person alive. This may include: applying pressure to stop bleeding, repositioning the injured person to help them breath, or by simply talking to them and providing comfort if they are conscious.
Check Your Coverage
Your home and personal belongings are meaningful and valuable assets. If a disaster strikes, having insurance for your home is the best way to ensure you will have the necessary financial resources to help you repair, rebuild, or replace whatever is damaged. Yet, more than half of all homeowners in the United States do not carry adequate homeowners insurance to replace their home and its contents should a catastrophic loss occur. Now, before a disaster strikes, take the time to:
1. Document Your Property: Store paper copies in a waterproof and fireproof box, safe, or bank deposit box. Leave copies with trusted relatives or friends. Secure electronic copies with strong passwords and save them on a flash or external hard drive in your waterproof box or safe.
2. Understand Your Options for Coverage: An insurance professional can help you customize your home insurance policy based on your particular needs.
3. Ensure You Have Appropriate Insurance for Relevant Hazards: Most homeowner insurance policies do not cover damage from earthquakes and floods. Talk with your insurance professional if you reside in a flood zone or are at risk for flooding or mudflows.
Save For an Emergency
Americans at all income levels have experienced the challenges of rebuilding their lives after a disaster or other emergency. In these stressful circumstances, having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records is crucial for starting the process of recovery quickly and efficiently. Taking the time now to collect and secure these critical records will give you peace of mind and, in the event of an emergency, will ensure that you have the documentation needed to start the recovery process without delay.
In addition to financially saving for an emergency, it is also important to stock up on essential items you may need, but might not have access to in the event of an emergency. A large-scale disaster or unexpected emergency can limit your access to food, safe water, and medical supplies for days or weeks.
The Department of Homeland Security recommends you have a basic emergency supply kit that includes enough food and water for each of your family members for at least 72 hours — that’s 1 gallon of water per day per person and canned (nonperishable) food for three days. Other supplies on their list includes flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio, a basic first-aid kit, trash bags for safe sanitary waste disposal, a week supply of prescription medications, pet supplies (if needed), as well as entertainment such as books, magazines, playing cards, and coloring books with crayons. It is also important to keep your emergency kit up to date, replacing water and perishables periodically.
Though National Preparedness Month concludes at the end of September, the conversation about emergency preparedness should not. Cheverie encourages residents to take action now by enrolling in a skills class such as CPR or Stop the Bleed, participating in community exercises, and volunteering to support local first responders.
“The good news is that it is never too late to prepare for a public health emergency,” he said. “You can create plans, make healthy choices, and download free resources, such as the Ready Genesee and Orleans Aware Mobile Apps to stay informed and up-to-date on what is happening in your local community.”
The Ready Genesee and Orleans Aware Mobile Apps are free and available to everyone using an iOS or an Android device. The apps can be downloaded directly from the App Store or Google Play.
Provided photo: Scott Robinson and Alix Gilman will be the Canal Village Food Tour hosts. The married couple recently moved back to Medina. They are the new owners of the Shirt Factory in Medina. Their blog– In A DC Minute — began in 2013 and served as a lifestyle blog highlighting food, drinks, travel and everything a couple might do and enjoy in the D.C. area. Their focus is now the Medina area and WNY.
MEDINA – The Orleans Renaissance Group, which organized a farm-to-table dinner in downtown Medina last month, is planning another event to showcase local food.
The ORG on Oct. 6 will have its first Canal Village Food Tour – a walking culinary tasting tour of historic downtown Medina.
Chris Busch, ORG chairman, said the event is the latest venture showcasing the village’s culinary scene and historic downtown.
ORG is collaborating with the Canal Village Farmers’ Market and the Shirt Factory for the event, which Busch said is a pilot for future food tours. He expects there will be many more in the future, perhaps near Christmas and definitely next summer.
The first tour is capped at 12 participants with tickets at $25 each. The tour begins at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 6 at the Shirt Factory, 115 W Center St. Tickets are available, first come, first served at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market in Medina. Tickets will be available on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.
ORG sees lots of potential in Medina’s growing culinary scene. More than 200 people paid $100 a plate last month for a six-course gourmet dinner prepared by five Medina area restaurants. That event was a quick sellout.
The food tour will feature many of the same chefs and restaurants. For approximately 2-3 hours, guests will enjoy a guided walking tour while experiencing downtown Medina’s rich history and exploring its expanding culinary culture—complete with delectable samplings along the way.
Tour guides are noted food bloggers Scott Robinson and Alix Gilman (In a D.C. Minute and owners of the Shirt Factory). They will share points of interest throughout the tour as guests take in the sights in Downtown Medina’s Historic District.
The tasting stops include: Canal Village Farmers’ Market, Zambistro, Mile 303, Herbalty Cottage, The Bread Basket, English Rose Tea Shoppe, and Della’s Chocolates. Beginning with the Canal Village Farmers’ Market. (Alcohol will be served at some of our tasting stops, so guests must be 21 and over, and present valid ID.)
From there, attendees will experience the interesting local history, culture and amazingly in-tact 19th Century architecture of a definitive Erie Canal town.
Gilman and Robinson will guide their guests through several tasty bites from some of Medina’s best purveyors of cuisine and goodies. As the tour progresses, organizers hope guests will be encouraged to explore Medina’s numerous specialty shops throughout downtown.
Photos courtesy of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
MEDINA – The Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (formerly called Orchard Manor) last Thursday hosted its Oktoberfest celebration, an annual tradition for about 30 years.
The Frankfurters, a German-American Show Band in the Buffalo area, provided entertainment for the event. They featured Alpine bell ringing and a demonstration on hand-carved wooden Swiss Alpine horns.
Administrator Martin MacKenzie extended thanks to Tom Fuller and his family members who dressed in lederhosen. They provided decorations for the event.
Residents, family members and staff enjoyed the music, food, and festivities on a warm September evening.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 September 2018 at 3:07 pm
ALBION – A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for the new transportation facility for RTS Orleans.
RTS is moving into a new 13,000-square-foot building behind the Orleans County Highway Department at 225 West Academy St.
Dignitaries planned to attend the event include State Assemblyman Steve Hawley; Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature; Geoff Astles, RGRTA Board Chairman; Henry Smith, Jr., RGRTA Commissioner from Orleans County; and Bill Carpenter, RTS CEO.
The new facility cost about $4 million. Federal aid funneled to the state is covering 80 percent or about $3.2 million of the cost, while the state pays 10 percent and RTS pays the other 10 percent, Bill Carpenter, CEO of RTS, said during a ground-breaking for the project in June 2017.
RTS has run a public transportation service in Orleans County since 2003. It has six buses in the county, and they have been parked outside by the County Highway Department on West Academy Street.
The new $4 million facility will allow the buses to be parked inside. The facility will be behind the County Highway Department, with RTS in a 50-year lease with the county for the land.
The facility will include eight indoor bus bays, three bus maintenance bays, a vehicle wash bay, storage for parts and materials, administrative office space, a break room with kitchenette, and designated parking.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has reminded school leaders of a new law requiring all school districts, serving students grades 6 through 12, to provide free feminine hygiene products in restrooms.
As the 2018-19 school year begins, this new law will ensure all young women across the State have equal access to these essential products.
“New York leads the nation is breaking down barriers to equality, and this legislation is a critical step forward in ensuring every girl in New York has the same opportunities to grow into a confident, successful woman,” Cuomo said. “By providing all students with equal access to these products, we are creating a stronger, healthier New York for all.”
The legislation, which was part of Governor Cuomo’s Women’s Opportunity Agenda, went into effect July 1, 2018. Feminine hygiene products are personal care products used by menstruating women, including but not limited to menstrual pads and tampons. Public school districts, in consultation with their school nurse or medical director, must determine the types of products to make available to students.
Research from the World Bank demonstrates that girls’ inability to manage their menstrual hygiene in school results in absenteeism, which in turn has severe economic costs on their lives.
Many young women in New York lack access to menstrual products, which are as necessary as toilet paper and soap, but hardly ever as available. Due to stigma, many women and girls face an unnecessary barrier to learning.
Additionally, studies have shown that lack of awareness of good feminine hygiene practices can result in serious health consequences for women and girls and the United Nations has stated that the right to menstrual hygiene is a human right.
This new law makes New York State a leader in addressing issues of inequality and stigma, ensuring that no girl’s learning is hindered by lack of access to the products she needs. In New York, 42 percent of children live in low-income families, and even a month’s supply of these products can too be much for struggling families to afford.
“Stigma and a lack of access to feminine hygiene products negatively impacts teen girls who miss valuable class time—sometimes days—because the items they need are not readily available,” said State Education Department Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “By providing free menstrual products in school bathrooms, we are removing barriers for some of our most vulnerable girls, helping them feel more confident and ensuring they spend more time in school.”
For more information on feminine hygiene products in schools, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 September 2018 at 10:33 am
District says candidates had never put signs on school property before
MURRAY – Holley school officials acknowledged the district was wrong last Thursday to take down election signs that had been placed on school property.
The signs were removed from in front of the Holley Junior-Senior High School, which served as Murray’s polling place from noon to 9 p.m.
The district had the signs put back up after a State Supreme Court justice said the signs were allowed. Joe Sidonio and his attorney, Peter Reese, filed an injunction after the signs were taken down. Tracy Bannister, a judge in Erie County, ordered the signs to be put back at about 2 p.m.
Sidonio lost the Primary on Thursday to Neil Valentine, 244-220. Valentine has the Republican line in November for a one-year term on the Murray Town Board.
“This institution influenced the outcome of a free election,” Sidonio said at Monday’s Holley Board of Education meeting. “The effects will never be known.”
Sidonio and eight other candidates also had signs for positions of the Murray Republican Committee. Sidonio and three others in that group – Kerri Neale, Dirk Lammes Jr. and Kellie Gregoire – were elected to the committee.
Five others – Cynthia Piedimonte, Gerald Ramsey, Anthony Peone, Arthur Knab and Joseph Kellenberger – also had campaign signs on school property and weren’t elected.
Removing the signs hurt the candidates’ chances for election, Sidonio told the Holley Board of Education.
“These nine people were injured when this institution violated their Constitutional civil right to free speech,” Sidonio said at the meeting. “Those nine people simply placed their names on small signs for people to see. There was nothing defamatory about them. They simply expressed their desire to do a better job for the community.”
Holley school officials said after the meeting on Monday that they had never seen candidate signs on school property and were caught off guard to see so many not far from the entrance of the school.
Jeff Martin, the school attorney, acknowledged after Monday’s Board of Education meeting the district made a mistake by removing them.
No political signs are allowed within 100 feet of a polling place. Sidonio and the eight other Republican Committee candidates had signs near the school facing Lynch Road, outside the 100-foot limit.
Brian Bartalo, school district superintendent, notified Sidonio at about noon on Thursday during the primary that the signs were removed.
Sidonio asked the Board and school officials to investigate why the signs were removed. Sidonio said he and his election law attorney, Peter Reese of Buffalo, gave the district repeated warnings that the signs were legal. Martin said the district didn’t know the signs were going on the school property until 11 a.m., an hour before the polls opened.
“Determine what happened and fix it,” Sidonio said at the BOE meeting. “Learn something and teach our children. Furthermore, the entire Board of Education should take a course in civics.”
After an executive session with the Board of Education on Monday, Martin said Sidonio’s suggestion is “under advisement” by the board.
Sidonio also acknowledged that political signs haven’t been the norm on school property, but he thinks it is beneficial for students to see active campaigns at the polling location and in the community.
“There is nothing disruptive about hard-fought elections,” he said. “They are a good thing and in the highest traditions of what distinguishes America. No students will be harmed knowing that we have free speech and political contests.”
Sidonio this morning said he and the other candidates who had signs removed could take legal action. He wants to see how the school district responds.
“This is a huge learning experience for the whole community,” he said this morning. “Let’s learn from it and correct it. My campaign for change is bigger than a councilman race. My campaign is for better government and this (political signs on school property) is a big part of that.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on the backup date of Oct. 3, due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.
The test was originally planned for Sept. 20, but has been postponed due to the hurricane.
The WEA portion of the test commences at 2:18 p.m. EDT, and the EAS portion follows at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The test will assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether improvements are needed.
The WEA test message will be sent to cell phones that are connected to wireless providers participating in WEA. This is the fourth EAS nationwide test and the first national WEA test. Previous EAS national tests were conducted in November 2011, September 2016, and September 2017 in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials in recognition of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month.
The EAS is a national public warning system that provides the President with the communications capability to address the nation during a national emergency. The test is made available to EAS participants (i.e., radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers) and is scheduled to last approximately one minute. The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. The EAS message will include a reference to the WEA test:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”
Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA compatible cell phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message. Some cell phones will not receive the test message, and cell phones should only receive the message once. The WEA test message will have a header that reads “Presidential Alert” and text that says:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (i.e. Tornado Warning, AMBER Alert). Users cannot opt out of receiving the WEA test.
The NYS Sheriffs’ Association and Sheriff Randy Bower are announcing the week of September 16th through September 22, 2018 as “Sheriff’s Week” in New York.
This week in Orleans County, during Sheriff’s Week, a deputy sheriff will have lunch with students at all county elementary schools.
There will also be village and town park clean-up detail by the inmates of the Orleans County Jail.
Today’s sheriffs are proud of the rich history of their office. It is one of the oldest institutions in America, dating back to Biblical times. The modern office of sheriff in the United States descends from a 1,000-year-old English tradition: a “shire-reeve” (shire-keeper) is the oldest appointment of the English crown. Because county governments were typically the first established units of government in newly settled American territories, sheriffs were among the first elected public officials in an area and thus developed a leading role in local law enforcement.
Most sheriffs are elected every four years. It is this election process that makes the Office of Sheriff unique to all of law enforcement. These elections make most of the 3,085 county sheriffs throughout the United States directly accountable to the people they serve.
A Sheriff’s Office for the People
We represent the highest order of law enforcement in Orleans County and answer directly to the people. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department strives…
• To Serve and Protect the citizens of Orleans County
• To provide a safe and secure jail, providing necessary treatment to better prepare inmates to re-enter society
• To be visible and accessible
• To maintain peace and order in Orleans County
• To provide professional public safety dispatching
• To properly receive and execute all legal and civil processes referred to the Office of the Sheriff
• To deliver effective law enforcement services to all citizens of Orleans County
• To Support and Defend the Constitution of the United States of America
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2018 at 9:46 pm
ALBION – An Albion man will be in prison for about a decade after an assault that nearly killed a man on June 9, 2017.
Wesley Askew
Wesley Askew, 50, on May 15 pleaded guilty to attempted assault in the second degree. That charge carries a maximum of 2 to 4 years in prison.
However, because Askew was on parole, he goes back to prison until 2025 or for the seven years remaining on his post-release supervision. Then he will serve 2 to 4 more years in prison.
He was on post-release supervision after getting out from prison in late 2015. He was convicted in May 2009 of second-degree rape. He is a level 3 sex offender, the highest possible risk for re-offending.
He was sentenced today for the assault charge in Orleans County Court by Judge Sara Sheldon.
Askew seriously injured another Albion man on June 9, 2017 during a late-night fight at 175 North Main St., an apartment building north of the Erie Canal. Askew allegedly got into an altercation at 1:45 a.m. and allegedly punched another man several times, causing serious head injuries.
Joseph Julyan, 55, tried to intervene when Askew got in an argument with his girlfriend. Askew testified at a trial he was upset that Julyan didn’t mind his own business, District Attorney Joe Cardone said.
Askew allegedly punched Julyan five to seven times in the head. Julyan got to his feet, but fell and hit his head on concrete. Julyan suffered a stroke and has some paralysis on his right side.
“Virtually every time I have talked with him he has expressed remorse,” Askew’s attorney Larry Koss told Judge Sheldon. “He understands the tragedy that took place here.”
Askew had been drinking alcohol that night, which helps explain his actions but doesn’t excuse them, Koss said.
Cardone said Askew’s “overreaction” has caused “a devastating effect” for Julyan and his family, requiring care for the rest of his life.
Sheldon said Askew’s actions resulted in “a life sentenced for the victim.”
“I don’t believe you intended to leave this man basically as a vegetable,” Sheldon said at sentencing. “Basically you’ve destroyed his life.”
Askew was given “a gift” with the plea deal, the judge said.
It proved difficult for a doctor to pinpoint if Julyan’s injuries were caused by the punches from Askew or when Julyan fell and hit his head, Cardone said after Askew pleaded guilty in May.
The sentence today sends Askew to prison for 9 to 11 years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2018 at 5:35 pm
ALBION – Three people were sentenced to incarceration in Orleans County Court this afternoon.
Morris Taylor, 28, of Albion was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for violating his probation. He was recently charged with driving while intoxicated.
He was on probation for five years after admitting in court in July 2014 that he sold cocaine in Albion. As part of that sentence, he served six months in jail and was on probation.
Judge Sara Sheldon wanted to give Taylor weekends in jail for violating probation, but said she couldn’t because he had already served time in jail as part of the sentence that included probation.
“I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of options of this,” Sheldon said.
In other cases:
• Corey Goebel, 27, of Rochester was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years of probation for third-degree burglary. He admitted in a previous court appearance to entering a garage on June 21, 2017, and intending to a commit a crime in Clarendon on Monroe-Orleans Countyline Road.
Goebel faces a similar charge in Monroe County and the sentencings will run at the same time.
As part of the sentencing in Orleans County, Goebel needs to pay $1,000 restitution to the victim, which is the deductible paid to the insurance company.
• A former Middleport resident was sentenced to a drug treatment program through the state prison system.
Nichole Hart, 27, allegedly broke into a house Dec. 28, 2014 on East Lee Road in Barre. She pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary with a maximum of 1 ½ to 3 years in state prison.
However, she was accepted into a diversion program. If she had been successful in the program, the felony would have been dismissed and she would have been sentenced to a misdemeanor.
Sheldon said Hart had some success in the program. The judge believes Hart is still a good candidate to succeed in drug treatment. If she doesn’t do well in the Willard program in the state prison system, she will have to do 1 ½ to 3 years of regular prison time.
As part of the sentence today, Hart was ordered to pay $9,174 in restitution.
• An Albion man appeared in court for a bail hearing. Clarence Dunbar, 48, of Chamberlain Street was arrested on Sept. 12 and is accused of selling cocaine.
He has been charged with 3 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and 5 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
He has been in jail since Sept.12 with no bail set by a town justice. Joanne Best, the public defender, asked for a “manageable” bail for Dunbar, about $2,500 cash or $5,000 bond.
She noted Dunbar has a criminal history, but his previous most recent arrest was in 2008.
Judge Sanford Church presided over the case. He said Dunbar was involved in at least three drug sales on different dates with the latest arrest. Church set bail at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2018 at 3:57 pm
MEDINA – A Medina man was sentenced to 20 years in state prison today after being found guilty of multiple counts of rape and criminal sexual act.
Gerardo Quiros
Gerardo Quiros, 31, was found guilty on June 25 during a trial. Judge Sara Sheldon this afternoon sentenced him to 10 years in prison for four counts of first-degree rape, and also 10 years for two counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree. The 10 years will be served separately for each, meaning a 20-year sentence.
Quiros also will have at least 10 years of post-release supervision.
He also was sentenced for misdemeanors today. Those sentences, all a year or less in the county jail, will be served concurrently or the same time with the state prison sentence.
The misdemeanors include two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, one count of third-degree assault, one count of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree, and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
Quiros intends to appeal the jury’s decision, his attorney Scott Riordan told Judge Sheldon today. Because of the impending appeal, Riordan advised Quiros not to speak during sentencing today.
Quiros in July was found guilty after he allegedly held a woman against her will for several weeks, while physically and sexually assaulting her.
On Aug. 7 he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors after he allegedly barged into a home on Root Road in Barre and tried to drag his girlfriend out of the house by her feet. He was stopped by her brother, who made Quiros leave at gunpoint.
The judge issued several orders of protection today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2018 at 1:56 pm
File photo: Congressman Chris Collins
Congressman Chris Collins will be on the ballot in November, representing the Republican Party despite party leaders’ efforts to replace him.
Collins was indicted on federal insider trading charges on Aug. 8. Republican leaders in the 27th Congressional District have been trying to get Collins off the ballot and find a replacement candidate. It has proven a daunting challenge.
Collins told party leaders he would no longer cooperate with efforts to take him off the ballot.
“Because of the protracted and uncertain nature of any legal effort to replace Congressman Collins we do not see a path allowing Congressman Collins to be replaced on the ballot,” his attorney, Mark Braden, said in a statement to the media today.
Collins was arrested along his son Cameron, and Stephen Zarsky, the father of Cameron’s fiancé. They have been charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count each of making false statements to the FBI.
Specifically, Collins is accused of using information from negative clinical trial tests conducted by Innate Immunotherapeutics, a pharmaceutical company. Collins was a member of Innate’s board of directors and a major shareholder for the biotech firm based in Australia.
Collins is accused of passing information to his son, who also is a major shareholder in the company. Cameron Collins is then accused of relaying inside information to others so they could time trades in the company to their benefit. The investors in the know were able to sell shares, avoiding $768,000 in losses, before damaging news hit about a failed drug trial for Innate, according to the indictment.
Nate McMurray, the Democratic Party-endorsed candidate for the 27th District, issued this statement after news broke of Collins staying on the ballot:
“Well it’s nice to finally know who I’m running against. But, in truth, we always knew we were running against Chris Collins. There are laws for a reason. There is accountability in our society for a reason. And in the greatest democracy in the world, voters weren’t going to take this kind of sham switching around names on a ballot at the whims of local party bosses,” said McMurray. “I credit the people of Western New York for standing up in town after town saying ‘don’t force him on the ballot in my town.’ They saw through this fraud. They weren’t going to fall for the bait and switch strategy by the same team that endorsed, celebrated, took pictures with and defended Chris Collins.
“There is an incredible grassroots movement in NY-27. Like me, the voters want to Fight Like Hell against the political machine that has let them down for so long. They like that I’m an underdog. Every day when I’m out meeting voters, we talk about affordable, accessible healthcare for all, defending social security, investing in our infrastructure, protecting our farms. But in this region, we’re still always talking about corruption. Voters have a chance to end that once and for all in NY-27 and I’m excited for the next 50 days.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2018 at 12:14 pm
Ken Smith is raising money for his grandson’s long-term care
Photos by Tom Rivers: Ken Smith is pictured with his grandson, Jakob.
ALBION – A grandfather who has been riding his bike across the country, with a detour through Canada, made his way through Orleans County on Friday and Saturday.
Ken Smith, 70, is raising money to establish a trust fund for the long-term care of his grandson, Jakob, who suffers from a neurological disorder.
Jakob, 16, has already defied doctors’ expectations. Soon after he was born he began having six to eight seizures a day. Doctors doubted he would survive to age 2.
“They said he would never walk or talk,” Mr. Smith said Friday evening during an interview at Tim Hortons in Albion.
His grandson doesn’t need a wheelchair. He doesn’t speak but he communicates and attends a public school.
“He is very outgoing,” his grandfather said.
Mr. Smith is a retired president from Amway. The Canada native lives in Grand Rapids, Mich. He has wanted to ride his bike across the country, and raising money for Jakob’s long-term care provided the motivation to do it.
Smith today is on his 50th day of riding. He is well past Syracuse, heading east along the towpath. He made it to Albion late Friday to cap his 47th day. On Friday he passed 3,000 miles of riding since he started in Seaside, Oregon on July 24. (Smith took seven days off in early September to be home with his wife for their anniversary.)
Ken Smith is pictured on the morning of Sept. 11 with firefighters in London, Ontario, the hometown of his grandson, Jakob. Smith’s son is a professional firefighter for the department. Smith has been welcomed by many fire departments on his trip.
Smith has set a $100,000 goal for his grandson’s care, and has topped $10,000. The fundraising and media attention has picked up as he has gone farther on the journey.
Smith said there were doubters early on. The first three weeks on his bike, he had to ride in 100-degree heat through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota. He has passed through the Cascade and Rocky mountains.
The towpath with its flat terrain and protection from road traffic is a welcome change, Smith said.
“This is so much safer,” he said about the towpath along the Erie Canal. “The road system in America is not very cycle friendly.”
He had two very close calls with cars on the trip. Sometimes there isn’t a paved shoulders on the road, and he has had to dodge dead animals, broken glass, wood fragments and metal car parts.
Now he’s one state away from finishing in Massachusetts. He expects to reach the City of Revere and touch the Atlantic Ocean in late September.
“It’s a test but I’m going to do it regardless of the conditions because I have motivation,” Smith said.
He typically travels about 60 miles a day. Sometimes he pitched a tent and camps. Sometimes he will stay in a motel room, a fire hall or with a firefighter’s family.
He raised more than $10,000 through a GoFundMe page. Many other people have handed him $5, $10 and $20 bills when they see him on the road.
“People have even pulled over and offered me water,” he said. “It has been very touching. There are a lot of good people in America. There really is.”
MEDINA – As part of the Medina Central School District’s Capital Improvement Project, Oak Orchard Elementary received a new playground over the summer.
The previous playground was designed for a grade 3 to 5 population before the district was restructured and didn’t suit the wants and the needs of many of the school’s Pre-K to third grade student body.
“When we knew we were getting a new playground, everyone was excited because it could be developmentally age appropriate,” says Oak Orchard Principal Julie Webber. “It was a huge task to start with a blank slate. The first place where we started was with our students. We asked our student council members to ask their classmates what’s your favorite part of the playground and what would you like to see on the playground? They created a list and that is what we started with.”
After receiving the students’ wish list, a team of teachers, from each of the different grade levels, met to discuss what they would like to see in the new play space.
“We also incorporated our physical education teachers so it was meeting the students’ mobility and physical development needs as well as safety,” Webber said. “Our school nurse was also a great resource so that we could make it ADA compliant with wheelchair accessibility and adaptive swings.”
The school also consulted with the Medina Police Department to make sure the area was visible to them when they were patrolling the area after school hours.
After compiling their list and looking through catalogs they worked with the company GameTime Playground to complete the project.
“It came together beautifully,” she said. “We made it the red and blue colors of our district and I think it is a great addition to our campus. The students’ favorite parts of the old playground, swings and slides figured prominently in the design.”
Along with the school district’s color, Mrs. Webber saw this as opportunity for students to embrace the Mustang Mission.
“Our Mustang Mission is Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Kindness,” she said. “So every classroom before they were able to go out and use the playground, which they were so excited to do that first day, they had to sign a contract that they would demonstrate those behaviors on the playground.”
The contracts are displayed on the wall as they walk out the door to the playground to remind them of their mission not only in the school, but in the community.
“So far we have not had one incident of anyone breaking their contract,” Mrs. Webber said proudly.
The school is hoping to continue improving on the space in the near future.
“We still want add some elements like some landscaping and greenery,” she said. “That is a work in progress. We are very excited about it, as is our PTSA and our community members. It is great to get such good feedback. We do ask however that the community refrain from using it during school hours to ensure the safety of our students.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2018 at 8:20 am
Former mayoral candidate worries exemption will shift more burden to other taxpayers
ALBION – The Albion Village Board approved a tax exemption for veterans last week that will save eligible veterans about $100 a year in their village taxes.
Mayor Eileen Banker said veterans are deserving of the tax break. It won’t take effect for about two years, she said.
“This is something we feel we should do,” she said during a public hearing last Wednesday.
The board approved the exemption despite concerns from two residents that the exemptions would cause taxes to increase for other residents.
Joyce Riley and Jason Dragon, who both ran for the Village Board in March, said Albion village taxpayers are already burdened with one of the highest tax rates in the area. The board shouldn’t have approved the veterans’ exemptions without a plan to reduce the taxes for all residents, said Riley, who ran for mayor in March.
“It shouldn’t be an add-on for those of us paying the full tax burden,” she said. “Our taxes are substantially high. Until our tax burden comes down then we could look at those things (exemptions).”
Banker said the exemptions’ impact on taxes are about equal to each person in the village buying a large pizza. The village’s tax assessments went up in the current budget and she is optimistic more home repairs will keep the tax base growing, which should keep the tax rate in check.
The village tax rate for 2018-19 is $17.73 per $1,000 of assessed property, which compares with $14.12 in Lyndonville, and $15.65 in Holley. In Medina, property owners in Ridgeway pay a $18.71-rate while in Shelby the village rate is $17.18.
Dragon, a village trustee candidate in March, said Albion needs to make significant reductions in the tax rate to be attractive for residents and businesses.
Similar-size villages in other counties that offer similar services as Albion have lower tax rates. In Brockport, the rate is $11.98. In Le Roy the rate is $10.71.
Earl Schmidt, director of the Veterans Service Agency in Orleans County, has been pushing the Albion Village Board for two tax exemptions for veterans.
Schmidt said there are 179 veterans in the village that would be eligible for an Alternative Veterans Maximum Exemption.
Albion approved that exemption at three categories: Wartime – 15 percent off or $6,000 maximum; Combat – 10 percent or $10,000 maximum; Disability 50 percent off or $20,000 maximum.
The Village Board also approved an exemption for Cold War Veterans at 10 percent off or a maximum $6,000 reduction off their assessment. There are 13 veterans in the village that would be eligible for that benefit.
If a veteran was approved for the $6,000 exemption, it would lower the taxable assessment by $6,000. With the tax rate at $17.73, the exemption would save the veteran $106.38 on the village tax bill.
Sidonio and eight other candidates also had signs for positions of the Murray Republican Committee. Sidonio and three others in that group – Kerri Neale, Dirk Lammes Jr. and Kellie Gregoire – were elected to the committee.
