A wind advisory has been issued for Orleans County from 4 p.m. Thursday through 7 a.m. on Friday, the National Weather Service in Buffalo said.

The advisory also includes Monroe, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties.

There will be west winds 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 mph, the Weather Service said.

“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects,” the Weather Service said. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few isolated power outages may result.”

Cayuga dethrones Wyoming County as state’s top ag producer

Photo by Tom Rivers: Farm equipment heads down Route 31 in Ridgeway on Sept. 19, 2023. Agriculture is a huge economic driver in Orleans County.

Orleans County saw a big jump in farm revenue in the 2022 census, and the county’s $233.6 million puts it as the 15^th-leading county in the state for ag revenue.

The county’s revenue for farm products sold totaled $233.6 million, up 50.4 percent from the $155.3 million in 2017, a growth of $78.3 million

The county’s ag bounty is only about half of the state’s top county for agricultural revenue. Cayuga tops the 62 counties at $461.9 million. Cayuga also dethroned Wyoming as the state’s agricultural king.

The ag census is done every five years. During the previous census in 2017, Wyoming was the top ag producer at $307.5 million, followed by Cayuga at $287.9 million, Genesee in third at $234.9 million, Suffolk at fourth $225.6 million and Wayne in fifth at $221.3 million.

With the new ag census, Genesee drops from third to fifth, while Wayne jumps up two spots to third place.

Overall, statewide ag revenue was $8.04 billion in 2022, up by 49.7 percent from the $5.37 billion in 2017.

The 2022 Ag Census was released on Tuesday by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Here are the ag revenues for the 62 counties in NYS:

• Albany – $47.9 million
• Allegany – $69.8 million
• Bronx – D (withheld)
• Broome – $54.1 million
• Cattaraugus – $144.8 million
• Cayuga – $461.9 million
• Chautauqua – $242.0 million
• Chemung – $34.5 million
• Chenango – $123.0 million
• Clinton – $325.8 million
• Columbia – $111.2 million
• Cortland – $108.1 million
• Delaware – $66.8 million
• Dutchess – $45.1 million
• Erie – $192.0 million
• Essex – $11.8 million
• Franklin – $149.0 million
• Fulton – $9.4 million
• Genesee – $359.7 million
• Greene – $25.0 million
• Hamilton – D (withheld)
• Herkimer – $93.1 million
• Jefferson – $238.9 million
• Kings (Brooklyn) – D (withheld)
• Lewis – $178.6 million
• Livingston – $288.1 million
• Madison – $190.7 million
• Monroe – $101.1 million
• Montgomery – $126.1 million
• Nassau – $8.8 million
• New York (Manhattan) – D (withheld)
• Niagara – $156.9 million
• Oneida – $190.1 million
• Onondaga – $271.5 million
• Ontario – $293.6 million
• Orange – $95.6 million
• Orleans – $233.6 million
• Oswego – $68.9 million
• Otsego – $62.6 million
• Putnam – $1.5 million
• Queens – $285,000
• Rensselaer – $61.9 million
• Richmond (Staten Island) – $79,000
• Rockland – $4.0 million
• St. Lawrence – $270.4 million
• Saratoga – $115.5 million
• Schenectady – $6.4 million
• Schoharie – $63.5 million
• Schuyler – $68.1 million
• Seneca – $110.4 million
• Steuben – $251.8 million
• Suffolk – $364.2 million
• Sullivan – $37.5 million
• Tioga – $67.0 million
• Tompkins – $89.8 million
• Ulster – $105.5 million
• Warren – $2.5 million
• Washington – $263.0 million
• Wayne – $381.5 million
• Westchester – $11.6 million
• Wyoming – $421.0 million
• Yates – $152.4 million

Note: “D” is used in the ag census for a county with few farms to avoid disclosing information on individual producers.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted her groundbreaking State of the State proposal to fight retail theft, as larceny offenses continue to rise, especially in New York City.

This initiative would utilize proven crime-fighting strategies that have been used to drive down violent crime and gun offenses since Governor Hochul took office in 2021.

“Public safety is my top priority, and I won’t rest until every New Yorker feels safe on our streets, subways and storefronts,” Governor Hochul said. “Over the past three years we’ve made incredible progress on driving down violent crime and fighting the scourge of gun violence. Now, we’re using those same strategies to take on the quality-of-life issues like retail theft and property crime.”

Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget includes a plan to fight retail theft and property crime, including by launching a Retail Theft Joint Operation with all levels of law enforcement. The Joint Operation would coordinate a unified law enforcement response, modeled on the successful Interstate Task Force On Illegal Guns.

The plan also includes:

• Introducing legislation to establish criminal penalties for online marketplaces and third-party sellers that foster the sale of stolen goods and increase criminal penalties for assaulting retail workers.
• Setting up a New York State Police Smash and Grab Enforcement Unit. The Executive Budget includes $25.2 million in new funding to deploy a dedicated State Police team to build cases against organized retail theft rings and create a new State Police enforcement unit dedicated to this purpose.
• $10 million in funding for DAs to prosecute property crime cases and deploy dedicated Retail Theft Teams in District Attorney (DA) Offices.
• $5 million in additional State funding to build the capacity of local law enforcement efforts to combat retail theft.
• $5 million for a Commercial Security Tax Credit to help business owners offset the costs of certain store security measures.

President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Stuart Appelbaum said, “The safety of our members has never been more important. Retail workers face growing workplace issues they never imagined, and more importantly never signed up for. Ensuring the workers who help us provide for our families can go to work each day and return home exactly as they left is a basic requirement that cannot be overlooked. It has never been more important that we confront this issue head on and we applaud Governor Hochul for taking on this important issue.”

Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association

ALBION – A 22-year-old inmate serving a seven-year sentence for robbery, attacked two officers when they attempted to frisk him for contraband at the medium-security correctional facility last week.

On Feb. 7, the inmate was ordered to put his hands on the wall and submit to a pat frisk. The inmate became argumentative with staff and came off the wall and elbowed an officer in the shoulder.

The inmate was pushed back on the wall by the officer but continued to be combative. The inmate was forced to the floor in a body hold and OC spray was administered with no effect.

A second officer attempted to force the inmate’s arms behind his back. The inmate bit the officer on the hand, breaking the skin on the officer’s pinky.  A third officer responded and assisted in forcing the inmate’s arms behind his back, where handcuffs were applied. Once in handcuffs, the inmate became compliant.

The inmate was brought to his feet and escorted to a Special Housing Unit where he was decontaminated.

Two officers were injured in the incident. Both were treated by facility medical staff. One officer sustained a back injury and remained on duty after treatment. The officer who was bit, sustained a laceration to his pinky, near his knuckle. Medical staff deemed the laceration to be a significant exposure and the officer was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for further treatment.

The inmate was convicted in 2021 in Westchester County for Robbery 1st and Attempted Robbery 1st.

 “Senator Salazar and the legislators that supported taking away consequences for inmates are to blame for the daily attacks on our members like what happened at Orleans,” stated Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President.

“Their support of bail reform and the HALT Act have already increased violence in our communities and inside our state prisons. They continue to advocate for the inmates, rather than supporting the hard working men and women of law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day to keep New York communities safe.

“This inmate will get more attention for biting an officer than the everyday convict just doing his/her time. If the safety of the men and woman that work and live in prison is a top priority, how do these policies make sense?

“Anyone working inside the walls and fences know that certain legislators only care about making felons happy, rather than the employees working there. This logic is inexcusable and needs to change, today is biting a finger, tomorrow will be something different, someone is going to die working for the State of New York and certain lawmakers and their convict coddling policies will be the reason!”

Belson admits he made mistake in filing petitions, thinking the deadline was today

John Belson

LYNDONVILLE – Tuesday was the deadline to file petitions to run in the March 19 village election which includes the mayor and two trustees.

At 5 p.m. on Tuesday, only two people turned in petitions signed by at least 25 village residents. Danny Woodward Jr., a current trustee, and Steve Colon will be on the ballot running for trustee.

The big surprise was no petitions were turned in for mayor. John Belson, the mayor since 2016, said he made a mistake and thought the deadline was today. Ann Marie Holland, a current trustee, also missed the deadline on Tuesday, thinking she had until today.

Both had petitions signed and intended to turn them in today. However, now they will have to run as write-in candidates to be re-elected.

Belson said this morning he will run as a write-in. He said the village has made big strides recently, with investments on Main Street, from a new Dollar General to Robert Smith’s transformation of three buildings in the downtown which are used for a hotel, the Webber Kitchen Collaborative and additional office space. Belson also said the village has upgraded its sewer system, and now should look to replace some of the 100-year-old water mains.

“We’ve done a lot with the village,” he said. “We’re on our way back.”

Belson is a Kodak retiree who has a part-time job delivering auto parts for Carquest in Medina. He previously was the Yates town supervisor.

Holland also confirmed she will be running as a write-in for trustee.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today voted in favor of H.Res. 863, impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

H.Res. 863 passed the House by a vote of 214-213.

“The historic impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas will send a message to the Biden administration that the American people will hold them accountable for willfully refusing to enforce the laws of the United States,” Tenney said in a press release.

“The Mayorkas impeachment today follows a months-long investigation into the record-breaking 8 million illegal border crossings that have happened under his watch. I recently joined local elected officials from our community and the former New York Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director to discuss the severity of this crisis that continues to shatter records and squander taxpayer resources, turning every community into a border community.

“As one of the first members of Congress to call for Secretary Mayorkas’ impeachment, I firmly believe that today’s impeachment vote is a crucial step forward for our nation. Every day that Secretary Mayorkas is in office, he threatens our national security. On behalf of New York’s 24th Congressional District, I voted to impeach Secretary Mayorkas and reiterated my commitment to ensure Congress takes all necessary measures to secure the border.”

Greg Bennett and Jeff Holler will be lone names on ballot for March 19 election

ALBION – No additional candidates have emerged to run for the Albion Village Board. Today was the deadline for candidates to file petitions to run as independent candidates. No one submitted petitions by 5 p.m. today, said Tracy VanSkiver, the village clerk-treasurer.

Two candidates were previously endorsed. Greg Bennett and Jeff Holler both secured the Repulbican endorsement on Jan. 29, and Bennett also was backed by the Democrats on Jan. 23.

Bennett and Holler will appear unopposed on the March 19 ballot.

Bennett works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina. He also has been a long-time youth baseball coach.

Holler worked as an executive chef for 25 years, and then head cook for 13 years at the Orleans Correctional Facility. Since he retired in 2014, he has been a very active member at the Masonic Lodge. He also has been a busy volunteer for the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries, especially with the efforts to cook Thanksgiving meals and also an Easter egg hunt and prize giveaway.

Holler and Bennett are running for four-year terms for positions that are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek, who aren’t running in next month’s election. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed in December by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.

MEDINA – The Village of Medina has seven candidates who will be on the ballot for three positions in the March 19 election.

That is a far cry from recent elections where candidates have been unopposed.

Medina will have a new mayor on April 1 because Mike Sidari isn’t seeking re-election after 8 years.

He was elected in 2016, running with Marguerite Sherman and Tim Elliott. This time, Sherman is running for mayor with Elliott again seeking trustee. Sherman is recently retired as a special education teacher and Elliott is an entrepreneur who currently works for LynOaken Farms.

They are joined on “The Village Party” by Debbie Padoleski for a trustee position. Padoleski retired in June 2021 after 41 years in Medina’s clerk’s office, including the final eight years as clerk/treasurer.

Three other candidates are running as a team with “Roots of the Past, Eyes on the Future Party.” Michael Maak, a retired captain in the Medina Fire Department, is running for mayor. Maak has previously made unsuccessful bids for election as Ridgeway town supervisor and county legislator.

He is joined by Mat “Austin” Mosher and Jeffrey Pasnik who want to be trustees. Mosher is a former Medina firefighter and Pasnik is a council rep for North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters in Cheektowaga.

Mark Prawel, a retired Medina police officer, also turned in petitions to run as a trustee under the “United Party.”

The terms on the board are all for two years. Candidates needed to turn in petitions signed by at least 100 registered voters in the village to be on the ballot. Today at 5 p.m. was the deadline to submit petitions.

Press Release, UConnectCare

Provided photo: Johnny Vidal, outreach peer specialist, and Erin Phelps, Harm Reduction coordinator/case manager, stand next to UConnectCare’s mobile unit that travels to different locations in Genesee and Orleans counties to help those struggling with substance use disorder.

BATAVIA – A federal grant to provide harm reduction, treatment and/or recovery support services is empowering UConnectCare (formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) to meet those struggling with substance use disorder “where they’re at.”

The nonprofit agency has begun an Open Access program that will operate three days per week at The Recovery Station, 5256 Clinton St. Rd., Batavia, as well as a Harm Reduction Mobile Outreach unit that will travel to several locations in the two counties five days per week.

“Both programs reflect the agency’s goal of “meeting them where they’re at, without judgment,” said Erin Phelps, Harm Reduction coordinator/case manager. “Those seeking services will be greeted by a trained Peer Advocate to assist in developing a plan for the next steps and answer questions regarding recovery.”

Phelps and Amy Kabel, project director, emphasized that services will be available to residents, even if they’re not ready for agency intervention.

“Harm reduction is about keeping people alive and being ready to help them when they’re ready,” Phelps said, prompting Kabel to add, “or maybe they never are.”

Walk-ins are welcome to utilize Open Access. The program’s hours of service are 3-7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays at The Recovery Station.

The mobile unit will be set up in front of Genesee County Mental Health on the first and third Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at Orleans County Mental Health on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It also will go to Medina, Le Roy, Lyndonville and other venues in the Batavia area each month.

Johnny Vidal, outreach peer specialist, and Felicia Maybee, Open Access counselor, are part of the team that works on the mobile unit.

Phelps said harm reduction is a “compassionate approach to drug use,” focusing on positive change and safety without requiring that individuals stop using drugs as a precondition for support. Services include peer support, case management, transportation, naloxone training, fentanyl test strips, care/hygiene kits and parent/family support.

She added that a national harm reduction exchange event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 at a site to be determined.

Treatment evaluations will be available to provide referrals to the appropriate harm reduction support, recovery support and/or treatment, such as detox, inpatient or outpatient.

For more information about the program, opioid overdose prevention training and to see the mobile unit schedule, go to www.uconnectcare.org or the UConnectCare or The Recovery Station Facebook pages, or send an email to harmreduction@uconnectcare.org.

Orleans County sees 50% jump to $233 million; Statewide farm economy at $8 billion

File photo by Tom Rivers: The mucklands in Barre and Clarendon provide fertile soil for onions, one of many crop grown in a diversified agricultural economy in Orleans County.

The federal ag census, which track’s the farm economy every five years, came out today and the numbers for 2022 and much bigger than the previous census for 2017.

In Orleans County, receipts for farm products sold totaled $233.63 million, up 50.4 percent from the $155.28 million in 2017, a growth of $78.35 million. That includes sales of fruit, vegetables, milk, livestock and other farm products.

Statewide the ag revenue was $8.04 billion in 2022, up by 49.7 percent from the $5.369 billion in 2017.

The revenue went up dramatically, and so did farm expenses. In Orleans County, production costs went up about $60 million from $119.00 million in 2017 to $179.90 million in 2022, a 51.2 percent hike, according to the ag census.

Statewide production costs increased by $1.85 billion from $4.33 billion in 2017 to $6.18 billion in 2022, up by 42.7 percent.

A snapshot of Orleans County’s ag economy in 2022 includes:

• 444 farms (498 in 2017)
• 130,055 land in agriculture (129,573 in 2017)
• average size of farm – 293 acres (260 in 2017)
• estimated value of land and buildings – $1.416 billion
• 33 farms at more than 1,000 acres, but 140 are 10 to 49 acres, and 131 are 50 to 179 acres.
• 132 farms sell less than $2,500, while 126 sell $100,000 or more.

Press Release, Orleans County Youth Board

ALBION – The Orleans County Youth Board today announced it is extending the deadline for youth service program and project funding applications to March 1.

The reason for this extension is to give youth organizations more time to review different funding opportunities since the New York State Office of Children and Family Services made three new funding sources available in 2024.

According to Orleans County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch, the Youth Development Program has historically been the main source of funding. This year there are three additional funding sources available for Orleans County – Youth Sports and Educational Opportunity Funding, Youth Sports Education Funding Infrastructure and Youth Team Sports Allocation.

“The Youth Board wanted to ensure that there was no confusion as to which funding allocation each agency was applying for so the deadline was extended,” Welch said. “Hopefully this will provide potential applicants more time to review all the funding opportunities, understand the different requirements for each, and ultimately maximize their funding requests for the benefit of the youth they serve.”

Applications and the required documents for each funding allocation may be found on our Youth Bureau website by clicking here.

MEDINA – The Village Board is considering how to name three roads in the Medina Business Park, whether those street names should honor people who helped shape the community or instead be more generic and just state “Commerce Way.”

One of the three roads will likely be named for Pride Pak, a Canadian company that built a vegetable processing facility at the park in 2016. There already is a sign declaring the small street “Pride Pak Road.” That street could eventually extend farther back into the business park.

Medina Mayor Mike Sidari said Pride Pak Road was never officially formalized by a village resolution. He would prefer it to be “Pride Pak Way” to be consistent with Marcia Tuohey Way, a road leading into the business park off Bates Road.

Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency, said the understanding when Pride Pak came to Medina was the road would carry the Pride Pak name.

Pride Pak Road which leads to the Pride Pak vegetable processing facility hasn’t been officially named in a formal resolution by the Medina Village Board. The board is considering making it “Pride Pak Way” to stay consistent with the naming for other roads in the Medina Business Park. Marcia Tuohey Way is a road leading into the park off Bates Road.

Village Board members wondered if that name should stay if Pride Pak changed ownership and there was a different name for the facility. In that case, the road name could always be modified, board members said. Pride Pak lists the address of its Medina business as 11531 Maple Ridge Rd.

The names for the two other roads leading into the park from Maple Ridge are very much open-ended with no expectations from a business for an official name.

Village Board members are considering “Owen’s Way” for the roadway between Pride Pak and Cobblestone Inn & Suites. Owen Toale retired from the Village Board last March after 12 years, including several years as the deputy mayor. He also was publisher of the former Journal-Register newspaper and has been an active volunteer with the veterans’ van service that takes veterans to medical appointments.

Village Trustee Tim Elliott said he appreciates Toale’s service to the community, but Elliott wants to hear suggestions from the Planning Board and Village Historian Todd Bensley. Elliott would prefer names with deeper historical roots.

Courtesy of Orleans EDA: This map from the Orleans Economic Development shows three roads to the Medina Business Park along Maple Ridge Road that need official names. There is a road on the west side of Pride Pak, then one in between Pride Pak and the hotel, and then another road in between Takeform and BMP.

The next road, the short street between Takeform and BMP, could be Commerce Way, but village officials are open to suggestions.

They heard ideas from the crowd on Monday evening: John Kennedy Way for a Medina mayor in the 1960s, Charles Howard for a Medina native who started a Santa Claus school in Albion, Medal of Honor recipient Forrest Vosler from Lyndonville, the Sawyer family who were influential in the ethanol plant in Medina, and Medal of Honor recipient John Butts of Medina.

Mayor Sidari said the board is open to more ideas for naming the street names.

MEDINA – An inspirational book for young girls was introduced at Author’s Note on Saturday, in a timely presentation for Valentine’s Day.

“Love is in the Air” is a children’s book written by Buffalo author Dee Romito, who wanted to show the world “a girl can do anything, and should never give up her dreams.”

The book features Nancy Harkness Love, who wanted to learn to fly in an age when women weren’t allowed to even vote.

Romito said she has researched women’s rights and she wanted to tell Love’s story.

Photo from Wikipedia: Nancy Harkness Love was a pioneering woman pilot during the 1930s and 1940s. She is shown here in the cockpit of her PT-19 Fairchild. She also piloted a B-17 Flying Fortress.

“Here’s a woman who was going to do it anyway, and that fascinated me,” Romito said. “Nancy loved adventure and had a big imagination. One day a pilot buzzed their barn and she went right over and paid for a plane ride. The pilot was charging a penny a pound. As soon as Nancy turned 16, she started flying lessons.”

According to Wikipedia, Love earned her pilot’s license within a week. She worked as a test pilot and air racer in the 1930s and during World War II she convinced the U.S. Army Air Forces to set up a group of female pilots to ferry aircraft from factories to air bases.

Romito thought it was especially suitable to launch her book for Valentine’s Day, with the pilot’s name being “Love.”

The pioneering pilot became a member of the Women’s Air Force (WAF), but that group shut down after World War II and the women never got their due, said Romito, who has 11 books published on various interests, including three non-fiction series.

“Love is in the Air” is meant to convey a simple message – “Each one of us can do small things to make a difference, and that’s what Nancy did.”

The book sells for $18.99 and is available at Author’s Note and many other indie book stores.

She is already working on her next book, “Last Plastic Straw.”

POTSDAM – Katelyn Spierdowis of Albion received a bachelor of science degree with great distinction in civil engineering from Clarkson University on Dec. 16, 2023.

As a private, national research university with its main campus at Potsdam, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation.