Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) honored cadets and officers from The United States Military Academy in West Point today in Albany. Hawley, who serves on the Assembly’s Veterans Affairs Committee, is a veteran of the Ohio Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves.
“West Point Day is always a special celebration in Albany and we are so fortunate to have some of the finest recruits and soldiers in the world right here training in our state,” Hawley said. “As a veteran and son of a veteran, I know the great sacrifices our military members undertake and that drives me to be a strong advocate on their behalf in the legislature.
“Measures like free state park passes and fishing permits and reduced highway tolls are simple displays of gratitude we should be implementing for our veterans and active duty members. I enjoyed meeting the cadets and leadership of West Point today and wish them the best in their careers.”
ALBION/BROCKPORT – The Board of Directors of Oak Orchard Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Ann Pettibon as Chief Executive Officer, effective May 7.
She succeeds Jim Cummings, who retired after serving about five years as Oak Orchard’s CEO.
Ms. Pettibon comes to Oak Orchard with outstanding qualifications. With an Executive MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, Katz School of Business, and almost 20 years of health care administration experience in Ohio and Pennsylvania – including roles as a CEO and COO in Federally Qualified Health Centers in Ohio – Ms. Pettibon has a wealth of experience on which to draw as she takes the reins of Oak Orchard Health.
Not only well versed in the management and operations of a multi-million dollar health care facility, Ms. Pettibon has also authored grants in which she secured almost $2 million in funding for her organization. Her experience includes primary medical care, dental care, and behavioral health care along with substance abuse and pharmacy operations.
Ms. Pettibon is drawn to health care in the rural setting because she knows how patients in the rural areas struggle with access to quality medical care.
“Caring for the whole person,” says Ms. Pettibon, “is critical. We have to offer integrated, coordinated care, including transportation, assistance with housing, health education … and continue to work toward breaking down barriers to quality health care that our rural population faces.”
In her spare time, Ms. Pettibon is an avid runner who also enjoys biking and hiking. An accomplished half-marathoner, she is looking forward to exploring our region’s hiking and biking trails, Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes Wine Trail.
Oak Orchard Health is a recognized patient-centered medical home and Federally Qualified Health Center located in Brockport, Albion, Lyndonville, Hornell and Warsaw.
LATHAM – Major General Anthony P. German, the Adjutant General of New York, announces the recent award recognitions for members of the New York Army National Guard who participated in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support missions following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017.
Two soldiers from Orleans County are receiving the Humanitarian Service Award:
Pfc. Jordan Wolcott from Albion and Sgt. 1st Class John Anstey from Holley both served in the U.S. Virgin Islands from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, 2017. They served with the 105th Military Police Company of the New York Army National Guard.
“The support of our New York National Guard in the Caribbean following Hurricanes Irma and Maria was nothing short of exceptional, and our soldiers are the reason for that success,” German said. “Our citizen soldiers are used to responding here at home, so the effort to move troops and equipment to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands presented unique challenges. The presentation of the Humanitarian Service Medal is a great reflection of our soldiers’ commitment to serve others.”
The Department of Defense approved the Humanitarian Service Medal on March 29, 2018 for soldiers who provided meritorious participation in operations of a humanitarian nature. More than 400 Army National Guard Soldiers will be eligible to receive the award. Presentations will be made at the unit level at a future date.
MEDINA – Residents of the Medina Central School District voted in favor of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library’s 2018-19 budget on Tuesday. There were 97 votes, and 92 were in favor of the $608,061 budget.
Isabella Mark, the current board president, also was re-elected to another five-year term at the library’s annual meeting on Monday.
The $608,061 budget for 2018-19 increases the tax levy by $3,473, or 0.66 percent. This tax, which comprises the majority of the library’s funding, is charged to all property owners in the school district and is collected on the school tax bills.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 May 2018 at 2:41 pm
ALBION – An Albion man was arraigned in Orleans County Court for predatory sexual assault against a child after he allegedly had sexual intercourse and committed another sex act against the child, the District Attorney’s Office said.
Robert Tetrault, 37, allegedly committed the crimes against a child, ages 9 to 10, from January to July 2012. Tetrault was arraigned last week in Orleans County Court by Judge Sanford Church.
Tetrault has previously been convicted in court on charges of attempted second-degree assault and third-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison in October 2013 after fighting someone with a knife on May 23, 2013. Tetrault caused a severe laceration across another’s person hand who tried to intervene in the fight.
In other cases last week in County Court:
• Miranda Rose, formerly of Orleans County, was sentenced to two years on probation after she admitted to collecting $3,577 in welfare benefits when she was living out of the county in Baltimore.
She pleaded guilty last month to fifth-degree welfare fraud. She agreed to pay $3,577 in restitution.
• The judge arraigned an Albion man who allegedly had drugs, and a knife while threatening another man on Washington Street in January.
Demetrius Bennett, 39, faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, menacing in the second degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth and seventh degree.
‘The public deserves to know why this plan has failed and what the state is doing to rectify these failures.’ – Sen. Robert Ortt
Press Release, State Sen. Robert Ortt
Today, Senator Rob Ortt (R,C,I,Ref-North Tonawanda) announced his formal request for an investigation into the state’s broadband program. The New York “Broadband for All” Program has come under immense criticism from Sen. Ortt as the plan’s goal to deliver high-speed internet to all New Yorkers has not been achieved.
This failure by the governor and his program comes on the heels of a $500 million investment by New York State taxpayers and an additional $170 million from the Federal Communications Commission.
“The public deserves to know why this plan has failed and what the state is doing to rectify these failures,” said Sen. Ortt. “With $670 million available to connect New York’s residents, there is no excuse for individuals to be left out of this initiative, which is why I have called for an investigation into the New York State Broadband Program. The public deserves to know what is going on.”
To complement his call for an investigation into the state’s broadband program, Sen. Ortt has also introduced legislation (S.8286) that would require yearly financial reports from the New York State Broadband Program Office, documenting how any new funding for the program is spent. This legislation would also be retroactive, requiring a detailed report on what and where the broadband program’s initial $670 million was used.
“The program has yet to meet its goal of connecting every New Yorker and it lacks the safeguards of detailed reporting, which would allow us to hold the Broadband Program Office responsible for the initiative’s current status,” said Ortt. “The public has the right to know how and where their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent, and in the interest of accountability and transparency, this legislation would help do that.”
Sen. Ortt’s legislation has been advanced to the Senate’s Finance Committee, where he hopes the bill will be voted on and moved to the floor in time to be passed before the end of session in next month.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 May 2018 at 8:27 am
Provided photo: KrisAnne Hall is spending three days in Orleans County this week discussing the Constitution, Second Amendment and religious freedom.
HOLLEY – A Florida woman who spends more than 250 days a year traveling the country as a crusader for the Constitution is in Orleans County for three days this week.
KrisAnne Hall is a radio host, former Florida prosecutor and Army veteran. She travels the country presenting “The Roots of Liberty Seminar.”
Judith Larkin of Ridgeway invited Hall to the county for the presentations. Larkin heard Hall speak during an event at Elma. Larkin said she felt more educated about the Constitution, and more inspired to be an active citizen after hearing Hall.
“She wants people to be more engaged and to get off the couch,” Larkin said.
Hall has been featured in The Washington Post as a popular speaker who blasts federal overreach. In the article, she is described as a warrior for the Constitution. Click here to see “Founding Fervor.”
“She doesn’t encourage rebellion or revolt,” Larkin said. “She talks about the Constitution and liberty – our birthright.”
KrisAnne Hall gave two 2-hour presentations at the Yates Baptist Church on Tuesday. Today she will be at the American Legion in Holley for two sessions, discussing state sovereignty from 2 to 4 p.m. and then the Second Amendment from 6 to 8 p.m.
Thursday she will be at the Orleans County Christian School from 9 to 11 a.m. at 324 Catherine St., discussing the genealogy of the Constitution and then she and her husband JC Hall will be at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion 1 to 3 p.m. Mr. Hall will lead “Courage of the Faithful” from 1 to 3 p.m. and then Mrs. Hall will discuss religious liberty from 7 to 9 p.m.
The presentations are open to the community, except for the one at the Orleans County Christian School.
Larkin said schools tend to gloss over the Constitution, and today’s citizens lack a solid understanding of the document and their rights.
“This is just educational,” Larkin said. “She quotes from the Founding Fathers. She shows how far astray we’ve gone from the Constitution.”
Press Release, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Public Health Departments
Ticks can spread disease. Not all ticks can cause disease and not all bites will make you sick, but as these diseases become more common it’s important to learn how to prevent a bite, how to remove a tick and what to do if you think you could have a tick-borne disease.
“Springtime sets the stage for a flourishing tick population, learning how to recognize ticks and know how to remove them on yourself, family and pets can help prevent illness,” said Brenden Bedard, Director of Community Health Services for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
Lyme disease is the most common disease spread by ticks in New York but there are other serious diseases ticks spread including Anaplasmosis, Erhichioisis, Babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
There are many different species of ticks but locally the most common is the Deer Tick. The Deer Tick is a carrier for several diseases (Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis) and received the name because of its habit of living and feeding on white-tailed deer, however ticks get Lyme disease by feeding on infected mice and other small rodents.
“It is important to note that ticks are here locally and you can’t tell which are infected by disease or not,” said Paul Pettit, Genesee and Orleans Public Health Director.
According to the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease Control data Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties have had 35 reported cases of Lyme disease between 2014- 2016, he said.
Ticks may be found in many types of settings such as woodlands, tree stumps, lawns and gardens, around stone walls, nature trails, outdoor summer camps, and playing fields. Ticks do not jump or fly, they attach to their host when a human or animal makes contact with something that a tick is on, like tall grass, shrubs, or an animal.
The risk of human infection with Lyme is greatest in late spring and summer, but ticks can be active any time the temperature is above freezing.
“The high concentration of ticks in NYS counties including Long Island, Mid-Hudson and Capital Regions leads me to believe the threat of tick-borne diseases will continue and likely increase locally in the future, this is why it is important to become aware and prepare now,” Pettit said.
Lyme can only be transmitted after being bit by an infected tick- seeing an attached tick or a tick bite does not necessarily mean Lyme has been transmitted. It generally takes between three days to one month after a tick bite for Lyme disease symptoms to develop. In 60-80 percent of Lyme cases a “bulls-eye” circular rash or solid red patch develops at or near the site of the tick bite first and steadily gets larger or spreads out. You can also get several patches of rash on your body. Early on in the disease (days to weeks post-tick bite) you may develop symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, joint pain and/or swelling, fatigue, or facial paralysis (Bell’s Palsy), sometimes these can be very mild.
As Lyme disease progresses more severe symptoms like arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling may develop months-to-years post tick bite in 60 percent of persons who are not given antibiotic treatment. It is important to keep in mind that getting Lyme disease once does not provide protection against getting Lyme in the future, if you are bitten again at a different time you can get Lyme disease again. If you develop any of these symptoms you should call your doctor right away to inquire about getting tested and treated.
To prevent tick-borne illness exposure while outdoors you and your family can do the following:
• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
• Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
• Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently while outdoors.
• Use insect repellent with 20-30% DEET.
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Avoid dense woods and busy areas.
• Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
• Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
• Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.
• Check your pets thoroughly before bringing them back in the house. Comb through their fur with your fingers to see if you feel any bumps on the skin. Ticks can be as small as a pinhead or as big as a grape. Check your pet’s paws and between all the toes, inside and behind ear flaps, around the face / neck / shoulders, around eyelids, under the tail, around groin
Additional prevention tips for homeowners to create a tick-free zone in your backyard to keep you, your family and pets safe from tick exposure:
• Keep grass mowed, along with clearing tall grasses and brush.
• Remove brush and leave around stonewalls and wood piles.
• Keep wood piles and bird feeders away from your home.
• Keep family dogs and cats out of wooded areas to reduce ticks brought into your home.
• Place swing sets, sand boxes, decks and patios in a sunny spot away from yard edges and trees.
• Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas and around patios and play equipment.
What you can do if you find a tick attached to you, a family member, or a pet:
• You should use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the ticks by its mouth parts, as close to the surface of the skin as you can. Carefully pull the tick straight up without twisting. Do not touch the tick. Do not squeeze the body of the tick (may increase your risk of infection). Clean your hands and the areas on your skin where the tick was. Watch the site of the bite for rash (3-30 days after bite). Removing a tick within 36 hours of attachment to the skin may lower the risk of contracting Lyme disease.
To learn more about ticks, Lyme disease and other diseases ticks can spread visit the New York State Department of Health, click here.
Provided photo: At the May meeting for the Medina Band Boosters, elections were held for the offices that make up the organization. The 2018-2019 officers include Mindy Kenward, president; Julie Granchelli, vice president; Kelly Allen, treasurer; Holly Rousch, secretary; Kelly Uderitz, student accounts; Diane Grosslinger, uniforms; Lyn Woodruff, chaperones; Sean Callard, transportation; Kathy Dreyfus, publicity; and Eric Alexander and Stacy Silker, delegates.
Provided photo – Pictured, from left, include: Sgt. First Class Terry Weaver, Officer Tammy Kendrick, Officer Todd Riemer, Officer Michael Salvatore, Officer Andrew Conlon, Officer Mathew Wingrove and Cook Cassandra Brady.
Press Release, Sheriff Randy Bower
ALBION – This week is National Correctional Officers Week.
The Orleans County Jail, as a unit of the Office of the Sheriff, shares the principle that the jail is part of the community and the community is part of the jail. The Corrections Division is committed to meet the standards of the community in a combined effort to promote safety, security, and opportunities for rehabilitation. Their values include respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring for others and themselves.
The responsibility of the Corrections Division is to operate a safe and secure detention facility in compliance with the New York State Corrections Law and with regulations set forth by the New York State Commission of Corrections. The staff of 38 corrections officers has the difficult and often dangerous assignment of ensuring the security, safety, and well-being of the inmates in our county jail. Their position is essential to the day-to-day operations, and without them it would be impossible to achieve the foremost institutional goals of care, custody, and control of around 600 inmates annually.
Please join me in recognizing our Corrections Officers at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office for all their hard work, dedication and service to our community.
Press Release, Lyndonville and Medina school districts
Jason Smith, Lyndonville Central School District Superintendent, and Mark Kruzynski, Medina Central School District Superintendent, say that their districts’ collaboration over the last several years has proven to be very successful.
The districts, like many communities across America, find their student populations dwindling as families get smaller.
“In the six and a half years I have been at Lyndonville, we have worked with Medina on a variety of projects, most notably athletics,” Smith said. “We have been able to offer our students marching band, cross country, soccer, football and of course the musical. Looking at our declining populations from both schools and keeping an eye on the long-term, we believe that working together whenever possible is the best thing for our students.”
Kruzynski said the partnership benefits both districts.
“This expands the amount of programs available for kids, which is the ultimate goal, and expands the quality of the programs for the kids as well,” he said. “We are always evaluating and always looking at different things that we can share and save money.”
The annual musical has been very well received by both the districts’ communities. Smith makes the observation that it helps the directors have a bigger cast and more talent to draw from.
“It has become a richer experience for the cast, crew and the audience,” he said.
The two superintendents have even got in on the act with both performing in the pit band this year for The Addams Family.
The superintendents and the athletic directors meet on a regular basis as well to update one another on their findings and discuss how to improve upon their success.
“One thing that we are looking at in Lyndonville, in respect to sports, is the transportation department here at the schools to offer more comprehensive transportation,” Smith said. “We don’t want to put the students at a disadvantage to travel to and from Medina. That is something we have heard from our community over the past couple of months and we are looking to make some improvements there.”
Medina is exploring that as well, Kruzynski said.
“Now that the girls soccer will be hosted by Lyndonville next year, we will also be providing transportation for all of our soccer players who need it,” he said.
The combined Medina-Lyndonville varsity team wears Medina mustang uniforms and plays their home games in medina at Vets’ Park.
The superintendents have walked a fine line providing collaborative opportunities for all their students while maintaining their individual identities. Both districts believe that their school colors and mascots provide a common thread that runs through generations as symbols of their town’s character and history.
“It is interesting because both districts wanted to retain their identity as Tigers and Mustangs,” Smith said. “But both of our districts recognize the need to share. We have two districts that work very well together and both Mark and I work well together professionally and that is the key to our relationship.”
There has been a nice side benefit for partnering together on the activities as well.
“Many of our students have become friends across both districts,” Kruzynski said. “Relationships are being formed that would not be formed otherwise. That was not the primary goal, but it was definitely a benefit.”
Planning ahead, both superintendents says they will continue to meet to map out how they can provide the best opportunities for their students.
“Our board officers have met and are going to meet again in July to see how things are progressing, assess what is going well and see what we can improve,” Smith said.
“We are always looking for ways to save money for both the districts,” Kruzynski added. “In the long-term we are hoping this partnership can evolve to see where we can share costs well into the future.”
Cobblestone Museum coordinating event at 3 historic churches
Photos by Tom Rivers: Andrew Meier on Saturday will perform on the 1904 Estey Reed Organ at the former Childs Universalist Church, which is now part of the Cobblestone Museum. That stop on the progressive concert includes appetizers and wine.
ALBION – A new Cobblestone Society & Museum event on Saturday combines a progressive dinner with a progressive organ concert.
The event features three very different historic pipe organs. Local musicians will play the organs, with the event also highlighting churches that are federally recognized historic sites. The event has already nearly sold out, with 65 of the 80 tickets taken.
“It comes back to this magnificent place that we have here in Orleans County with this great heritage which includes these churches,” said Maarit Vaga, the event organizer. “We’re trying in many different ways to highlight the heritage we have in this community.”
The event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. with the first stop at the former Childs Universalist Church, which was built in 1834, making it North America’s oldest cobblestone church. Andrew Meier of Medina will play the 1904 Estey Reed Organ. This unusual instrument was built for church performance in Brattleboro, Vermont, and features two full keyboards and a pedal board.
Meier, principal organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Medina, will perform selections designed to highlight church music from the early 1900s and will demonstrate the full melodic function of the instrument. Born and raised in Medina, Meier graduated from Medina High School in 1997, and graduated magna cum laude in political science from the University of Rochester in 2001 and cum laude from the Syracuse University College of Law in 2004. Appetizers and wine will be served at this stop.
Darryl Smith will perform on the 1877 Steer & Turner Pipe Organ at Christ Church, where a beef bourguignon dinner will follow the concert.
The second stop in the recital will be at Christ Episcopal Church on Main Street in Albion, where organist Darryl Smith will demonstrate the 1877 Steer & Turner Pipe Organ. This instrument is unique in that it maintains its original mechanical linkage, known as tracker action, between the keyboard and pipes.
Darryl Smith is the principal organist at Christ Church. A life-long resident of Albion, Smith graduated from Houghton College with a Bachelor of Science in Church Ministries. She currently serves as the Administrative Secretary to the President of Roberts Wesleyan College. The entrée for the progressive meal, a beef bourguignon dinner, will be served following the concert demonstration.
The final stop for the “Progressive Organ Concert” will be at the First Baptist Church where Gary Simboli will demonstrate the 1925 Moller Pipe Organ. The instrument features two separate pipe chambers and pressure driven pneumatic action. Simboli is a graduate of State University College at Geneseo and is the award winning instrumental music teacher at Albion High School. Dessert will be served following Mr. Simboli’s recital.
Smboli will be joined by guest soloist, the Reverend Aleka Schmidt who is pastor of the First Baptist Church. She is also a classically trained soprano.
Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County historian, will also share stories and architectural highlights about the church buildings and some information about the organs.
For more information about tickets, call the Cobblestone Museum at (585) 589-9013 or check the museum’s website at cobblestonemuseum.org.
This project is made possible with funds from the state’s Decentralization Program through the New York State Council on the Arts.
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College on Thursday will host more than 100 high school students from across the GLOW region.
About 120 students from Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties will be participating in high-tech, agricultural career experience at GCC, hosted by The BEST Center. The third annual Precision Agriculture Day at the Batavia campus features a wide array of presenters from the industry who will share information on the latest technological, science, engineering, and agricultural trends including drones, embryo transfer, precision farming and processing, GPS/GIS, auto steering and robotics.
This emerging technology is anticipated to create new employment opportunities in the future. High schoolers from 13 districts across the four counties have the opportunity to discover more about these potential and exciting career pathways and will be checking out how these technologies are used in their own backyard of Western New York.
The Precision Agriculture Committee, chaired by Nathan L. Rudgers, senior vice president of Business Development at Farm Credit East, was formed in 2015. The committee, comprised of local precision agriculture consultants, agricultural leaders, as well as high school representatives, has been providing guidance and input on the development of programs to address the educational and awareness needs of this growing field.
Advances in technology have resulted in agricultural systems collecting data and using it in multiple operations all controlled through a computer, tablet or smart phone. This technology has created education and training opportunities, but there is a lack of skilled workers. Enter The BEST Center, which is working to provide multiple educational opportunities in this growing arena.
The BEST Center provides businesses and organizations with customized training solutions ranging from supervisory skills to technical training. The Center also offers numerous professional and personal development courses for individuals, including classroom and on-line opportunities.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2018 at 10:21 am
State Sen. Ortt endorses GOP candidate for governor
Photos by Tom Rivers: Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, speaks in Batavia last Thursday during a forum about better embracing people with disabilities.
BATAVIA – Marc Molinaro, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, says the state’s high costs are pushing out residents and businesses, making New York the top out-migration state in the nation.
Residents and businesses are moving out for better job prospects and less onerous taxes, Molinaro said. They do so despite the pull of family roots in New York.
“I know the way government is supposed to function,” he said. “Government in New York is too big, too bloated and too arrogant.”
Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, was in Batavia last Thursday to discuss the “ThinkDIFFERENTLY” initiative he started as Dutchess County executive three years ago. About 100 communities have now embraced the program, working to better accommodate people with disabilities.
Molinaro spoke at the Genesee Orleans Arc to promote Think Differently, which pushes to make public facilities – buildings, parks, crosswalks, fairgrounds, businesses – more accessible to people with disabilities. That includes having specific times at movie theaters and the midway at the fair where the noise isn’t so loud and there aren’t pulsating lights. That helps some people who feel overloaded with sensory stimulation.
The initiative has been wide-spread and expanding, including training police officers on how to best respond to people in crisis who have autism.
Molinaro, 42, was first elected as a trustee at age 18 for the Town of Tivoli, which has about 1,000 people near the Catskill Mountains. He was elected mayor at 19 and was re-elected five times to the position. He went on to serve in the Dutchess County Legislature, the State Assembly and then was elected county executive in 2011 when he was 36.
Molinaro speaks with reporters before the session at the Genesee Orleans Arc. He was joined by State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
Molinaro said he has experience making government work for the people. He said Andrew Cuomo’s state government has “a culture of corruption,” including the economic development programs.
“I believe in the people of the State of New York,” he told reporters last week. “We need to make New York affordable again and address culture of corruption that has paralyzed state government and effects all aspects of what we do.”
Priorities need to be reducing taxes, and other costs – insurance and energy – so the state is more affordable, he said.
“The governor has made it more expensive to live in New York State,” Molinaro said about Cuomo.
State Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, issued a statement on Monday, endorsing Molinaro for governor.
“I got to know Marc through his tireless work on behalf of New Yorkers with disabilities. Marc’s ThinkDIFFERENTLY initiative is transforming the way that government, non-profits, and businesses serve our most vulnerable individuals and families,” Ortt said. “Marc is an accomplished reformer. He restructured the manner in which Dutchess County delivers services efficiently and effectively for all its citizens – an innovative approach we desperately need at the state level. While it may be comical to watch Marc’s Democrat opponents engage in progressive back-and-forth to see who can bankrupt our state first, the stakes are real – and they’re very high across our entire state. We’re at a crossroads and Marc is the only candidate discussing job creation and cutting taxes. He will work with and fight for all New Yorkers – not just his Manhattanite donors or radical progressive extremists – and he will make a great Governor.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2018 at 7:55 am
3 others plead guilty in County Court
ALBION – A Rochester woman who stole a car in Albion on June 14 will spend 1 to 3 years in state prison after being sentenced on Monday in Orleans County Court.
Georgeta M. Coleman, 19, was sentenced for fourth-degree grand larceny. She had been approved for a diversion program and was at a drug treatment facility near Albany. However, Coleman only stayed briefly for orientation and left the site, stealing one of the counselor’s cars and driving back to the Rochester area. Coleman’s whereabouts were unknown for about two weeks.
“I think the system has tried very hard with Ms. Coleman,” District Attorney Joe Cardone told Sara Sheldon, interim County Court judge. “She seems to reject help. I think at this point she has exhausted people’s efforts to help her.”
Coleman’s attorney Nathan Pace said she has a “biological impediment” that makes decision-making difficult. He asked that she be sentenced to one year in the county jail instead of the longer sentence in state prison.
“She is still just a young girl,” Pace told the judge. “I ask for leniency.”
Coleman said she regrets her actions and struggles to make the right choices.
She was asked why she steals cars.
“I get a mental high,” Coleman told Judge Sheldon. “It’s like I accomplished something.”
The judge decided to give Coleman the maximum sentence.
“You got to stop this,” Sheldon said. “It’s got to end.”
Three other people also pleaded guilty to crimes in Orleans County.
• A former Middleport resident pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary and could face a maximum of 1 ½ to 3 years in state prison for a burglary in the county from about 3 ½ years ago.
Nichole Hart, 27, allegedly broke into a house Dec. 28, 2014 on East Lee Road in Barre.
She is currently in a residential drug treatment program in Manhattan. Judge Sheldon complimented Hart on her progress.
Hart will be sent to the Willard drug treatment program through the state corrections system. She also has to pay $6,000 in restitution for the burglary.
She will be sentenced at 2 p.m. on Sept. 17.
• A Rochester man who has been in the county jail for 15 months pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and will face a maximum of 2 years in state prison as part of a plea deal. The charge normally has a sentence of 1 ½ to 8 years in prison.
Victor T. Simmons, 47, is accused of selling heroin and cocaine in Albion. Cardone, the district attorney, said there are audio and video recordings of Simmons selling drugs. Simmons said he had heroin with the intent to sell in Albion on Feb. 28, 2017.
Simmons had previously declined all plea offers. His case was also slowed when he insisted on a different attorney through the assigned counsel program.
He was emotional on Monday while entering a guilty plea. The judge had a sheriff’s deputy give him tissues for his tears.
“I’m just thinking about my kids,” he told Judge Sheldon.
Simmons will be sentenced at 2 p.m. on Aug. 6. His time in the county jail will count towards the prison sentence. He also will have three years of post-release supervision.
• Vanessa Trouerbach, 26, of Churchville was accepted into a diversion program. She pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary, admitting to entering a garage on Monroe-Orleans Countyline Road on June 21. She and a co-defendant took tools. She agreed to pay up to $1,000 restitution.
If Trouerbach can follow the rules of the diversion program, the felony charge will be dismissed and she will be on probation for three years for a misdemeanor charge. If she doesn’t get through the program, she could be sentenced up to 2 1/3 to 7 years on the burglary charge.
