Today, Congressman Joe Morelle, D-Irondequoit, introduced legislation to restore stability to the dairy sector and lower the cost of milk for everyday families.
The Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act will allow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and dairy producers to consider proposals to adjust the federal milk pricing system, in turn reducing costs at the grocery store for consumers.
“We’re all feeling the effects of high prices, and volatility in the dairy market means uncertainty at the supermarket,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation that will result in lower milk prices at the grocery store, easing the financial burden on families at a time when they need it most. New York State has a proud history of dairy production, and my bill will help continue that legacy for farmers struggling under the current pricing system while supporting everyday consumers.”
New York is the fourth largest dairy producing state, and the complicated structure of their pricing system along with increased competition from plant-based products is leaving our dairy farmers without adequate pay. This has resulted in the loss of almost 40,000 dairy herds since 2003 and increased costs for consumers.
The Dairy Pricing Opportunity act corrects this by requiring the USDA to hold public hearings and receive input from dairy producers on how best to repair the faulty pre-pandemic federal pricing policies and lower the price of milk.
This legislation has been endorsed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, New York Farm Bureau, American Dairy Coalition, and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association.
Provided photo: Albion students meet with county workers in the foster care program.
Press Release by Albion senior internship student Natalie Baron
ALBION – This year, grades from throughout the Albion Central School District packed bags for the Orleans County Department of Social Services to provide support to foster infants, toddlers, children, and teenagers.
Mrs. Miller & Mrs. Hitchcock’s Kindergarten classes put together infant bags with aid from their music teacher, Mrs. DeMena, and the Elementary School’s social worker, Mrs. Nicholson. Items that were packed included safety locks, books for reading to babies, rattles, and baby blankets made by Mrs. Zayac’s High School Child Development class. Along with these items was stuffed a brochure providing information about why nurturing, safety and reading are important.
Bags for children aged 6-10 were created by fourth grade students from Mrs. Kast, Mrs. Napierala, and Mrs. Salerno’s classes. Music teacher Mrs. DeMena and the school’s counselor, Mrs. Badura, helped out. Included were fidget toys, books about emotions, math games practice cards, rain sticks, and fleece blankets. Mrs. Moskaluk’s Middle School math students completed research on math games and designed a pamphlet to be provided to foster parents talking about how children can learn math at home.
Mrs. Conde’s literacy classes in the High School created the bags for teenagers, filled with literature chosen by the students, fleece blankets, fidget items, journals, and personal hygiene items.
The district’s service-learning coordinator, Toni Plummer, worked with DSS to find those in need and reached out to teachers to make this project possible. This has been another successful project that teaches students how to help community members in need.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2022 at 2:53 pm
ALBION – An Oneida County man admitted in Orleans County Court on Wednesday that he tried to ring fentanyl into the Albion Correctional Facility.
Gerald Berg of Lee Center pleaded guilty to attempted promoting prison contraband in the second degree. He could face up to 6 months in the county jail and five years of probation when he is sentenced on March 15.
He admitted to trying to bring fentanyl to the prison on July 23, and told the court he was aware it was a dangerous substance for someone to use.
In other cases in County Court on Wednesday:
• Judge Sanford Church set Feb. 6 as the start of a trial for Ajea McCoy of Elmira, who is accused of mailing methamphetamine and fentanyl in June to an inmate at Albion Correctional Facility. She is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and promoting prison contraband in the first degree. The drugs were allegedly in another package.
• Imani Williams, an inmate at Albion Correctional Facility, was arraigned for second-degree assault after allegedly physically assaulting another inmate. On Nov. 15, 2021 she allegedly struck another inmate, causing a fractured orbital bone.
• Tafari Holley was arraigned for trying to bring OxyContin into the Orleans Correctional Facility on Sept. 4 while visiting an inmate. She is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and promoting prison contraband in the first degree.
Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation (S.1130/A.4283) to ban the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits at retail pet stores, aiming to end the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline and stop abusive breeders.
Based upon an agreement with the Legislature, this legislation will take effect in 2024 and will also allow pet stores to charge shelters rent to use their space for adoptions.
“Dogs, cats and rabbits across New York deserve loving homes and humane treatment,” Hochul said. “I’m proud to sign this legislation, which will make meaningful steps to cut down on harsh treatment and protect the welfare of animals across the state.”
Legislation (S.1130/A.4283) aims to prevent the buying and selling of animals from large-scale, abusive breeders that lack proper veterinary care, food or socialization. Often times, these animals have health issues resulting from poor breeding and can cost families thousands of dollars in veterinary care.
The legislation will continue to allow pet stores to host adoption services in conjunction with animal shelters or rescue organizations to help connect New Yorkers with animals in need of a home.
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled a “New York State Licensed Cannabis Dispensary” verification tool that will be posted in the windows of legally licensed retail dispensaries, which are set to begin opening before the end of this year.
The designation will ensure consumers know they are buying from a dispensary regulated by New York State. A universal symbol on each product sold will also show that it is up to standards set by the state. The combination provides consumers certainty that they have acquired a tested, regulated product.
“It’s critical for New York’s cannabis consumers to understand the risks of buying untested, illicit products and to have the tools to guide them to the safer, legal market that’s poised to open,” Hochul said. “These tools will help to protect public health and strengthen our ability to deliver the equitable cannabis market our law envisions. We will continue to work with our partners in municipalities across the state to enforce the law and shutdown illicit operators who are selling products that put New Yorkers at risk.”
As stores continue to open in the first quarter of 2023, the state will also be releasing a public education campaign called “Why Buy Legal New York,” which will explain the benefits of purchasing legal adult-use cannabis for cannabis consumers in New York State. The campaign will discuss the risks of buying untested illicit products, and how those products undermine the goals of New York’s cannabis law to build the most equitable and inclusive cannabis market in the nation.
The dispensary verification tool unveiled today will be posted in the front windows of each legally licensed dispensary. It will include a QR code that can be scanned by consumers and local community members. Additionally, a similar version will be available for licensees who are looking to jump start sales through delivery.
Every product sold will also include a “universal symbol” designating it as a tested, regulated product. Consumers should check both the storefront for the dispensary verification tool and the product label to ensure they’re purchasing a safer product.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 December 2022 at 9:49 am
BARRE – The town may send out surveys to residents, gauging their opinions on many issues, from industrial wind turbines to tiny homes.
Town Council George McKenna presented a list of issues on he would like to hear from residents about, including whether they would support a dollar store, an electric charging station, term limits for Town Board members and other boards (Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals).
McKenna, speaking at Wednesday’s Town Board meeting, also wants to hear from residents on whether the town should pay for announcements in the local media, consolidation of justice courts in the county, marijuana dispensaries, the use of agriculture land for solar projects, and whether the town should adjust its zoning law to not allow industrial-sized turbines.
He would like the Planning Board to take the lead in crafting the survey, and that board could add more questions to the survey.
McKenna said it would make the Town Board’s job easier to know how residents feel about the many issues that could confront the board.
“We can start the ball rolling,” he said about getting a survey in motion.
Town Supervisor Sean Pogue said Planning Board could work on the survey with the Town Board getting a final look at the document before it’s sent out.
Pogue and the board members said residents may need more information on some of the issues, such as “tiny houses.” Pogue said those could be patio homes that are more affordable to senior citizens and younger families.
The Town Board voted to have the Planning Board begin work on the survey. McKenna also suggested an open-ended question for residents to offer ideas to improve the town and also to lower taxes.
In other action at Wednesday’s board meeting:
• Supervisor Pogue said Verizon is looking for a site in Barre for a tower to improve coverage in the community. Pogue said the tower would likely be somewhere near the town hall. The town property at the town hall doesn’t have enough room for a “fall zone” for a tower, Pogue said.
Town employees are well aware of the struggles to get a strong signal.
“It should improve our reception so the guys in the highway don’t have to step out of the garage into the parking lot to talk to somebody,” Pogue said.
• The board voted to advertise for a town attorney. Bridget O’Toole has worked the past year in the position, following Lance Mark who served the town for 37 years.
Board members said O’Toole has done a good job for Barre. However, the majority of the board wanted to give other attorneys a chance to apply for the position.
Councilman McKenna questioned spending the money to put out advertisements when the board is satisfied with O’Toole.
Councilwoman Kerri Richardson also said she didn’t think the advertisements were necessary, when the board is happy with O’Toole.
But Pogue said Richardson wasn’t being consistent with her thinking because she insisted the board advertise to fill vacancies on the Planning and Zoning boards. (There weren’t any new applications from the community for those positions and the board on Wednesday reappointed Tom Keeler to the Planning Board and Larry Gaylard to the Zoning Board of Appeals.)
Richardson said that was different because the Town Board was trying to reach out to community members to serve on those boards.
Councilwoman Margaret Swan said advertising for the attorney position may give someone in Orleans County a chance to apply for the post.
• The board approved a modified contract for ambulance services with Monroe Ambulance. Barre was the first of seven towns in eastern and central Orleans to approve a contract with Monroe on Nov. 9, calling for Barre to pay $8,000 towards ambulance services.
The original contract called for seven towns to pay $200,000 to Monroe to have ambulances based in Albion and Holley in 2023. But the Kendall Town Board didn’t vote to be in the agreement, saying Kendall was already covered through a contract between Monroe and two fire districts.
The revised contract without Kendall is among six towns for $181,200. Barre’s share remains at $8,000.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2022 at 9:50 pm
Farms in GLOW region have top yields in 3 categories
Orleans County farmers have typically fared very well in the annual National Corn Yield Contest.
Last year, Adam Kirby of Albion won for top yield in the state with a yield of 293.1 bushels in the strip, min, mulch, ridge – till non-irrigated category. Kirby also won in 2019, and 2020.
Kludt Brothers in Kendall won the state title in 2009 and 2010, and finished fourth in the country in 2009 with 295.9 bushel yield.
The results of the National Corn Yield Contest were announced on Tuesday and no farm in Orleans made the leaderboard, but several entries from the GLOW area were among the biggest yields.
Matthew Swede of Piffard in Livingston won the conventional non-irrigated category with a yield of 284.0 bushels. Lance Rovers of Crazy in Clinton County won the no-till non-irrigated category with a yield of 265.3 bushels.
Ryan Swede of Pavilion in Genesee County is tops in the strip, min, mulch, ridge-till non-irrigated category at 282.2 bushels. Thomas W. Jeffres of Wyoming in Wyoming County is first in strip, min, mulch, ridge-till irrigated at 257.9 bushels, and Paul Campbell of Nichols in Tioga County won conventional irrigated with 246.4 bushels.
For more information on the contest, and results from other states, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2022 at 5:11 pm
KENDALL – Tony Cammarata, the Kendall town supervisor, insists the town was smart to not take action on a contract with Monroe Ambulance.
Kendall was initially part of a seven-town consortium in Orleans negotiating a contract for ambulance services with Monroe Ambulance. The agreement was for $200,000 to be shared among the seven towns, with the amounts based on their share of projected call volume.
Kendall is different from the other seven because it already had ambulance coverage in 2023 at no charge to the town as part of a deal with two fire districts – Kendall and Hamlin-Morton-Walker.
Cammarata spoke with the fire district leaders and they didn’t see a need to commit town funds for an ambulance contract when Monroe already offered to cover the fire districts in the town.
Tom Coyle, the Monroe president and owner, said during Carlton’s Town Board meeting on Tuesday that Cammarata “misconstrued” the contract and the services offered by Monroe.
The new contract with the seven towns would have an ambulance stationed on Holley that would serve Kendall.
But without Kendall not in the contract with the other Orleans towns the ambulances serving Kendall will come from Monroe County. Monroe officials said they plan to have three ambulances available in western Monroe next year. They currently keep ambulances stationed in Brockport which can be routed to Kendall for EMS calls.
Mike Schultz of the Kendall Fire Department said Kendall will be covered and should receive good service as part of the contract with Monroe.
Cammarata insists paying the $18,000 would have been an unnecessary expense for the town in 2023, when it already had coverage from the contracts with Monroe from the fire districts.
Those contracts expire after 2023. Cammarata said Kendall will likely have to pay with town funds in 2024.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2022 at 4:10 pm
Chart from Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
Nearly three years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, residents continue to contract Covid in Orleans County, although the most recent week shows a drop from 47 confirmed cases during the week of Nov. 30-Dec. 6 to 26 from Dec. 7-13.
Genesee County saw an increase in cases, from 55 to 76, according to data from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
Both counties are considered at the medium level for community level. At that level, the CDC recommends people at high risk of getting sick to wear a high-quality mask or respirator (e.g., N95) when indoors in public.
Right now, influenza cases are outpacing Covid locally. There were 125 cases reported last week in Orleans, and 115 in Genesee, according to the state Department of Health.
The 44,426 cases in the state, for the week ending Dec. 3, were up 64 percent from previous week.
Governor Kathy Hochul today urged New Yorkers to take basic steps to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections.
“As we continue the spread of respiratory illnesses, the flu, and Covid-19 throughout our state, I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy,” Hochul said. “Stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel this holiday season. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 14 December 2022 at 11:15 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Sherry Tuohey, left, talks with volunteers before they begin “shopping” to fill Christmas boxes Monday at the Grove United Methodist Church. Next to her are Sue VanBuren, B.J. Thomas, Nelda Callard, Sally Grimm, Sandy Smith and Diane Mazur. Tuohey is the chairwoman of the MAAC Christmas box program.
MEDINA – More than 100 families will have a Merry Christmas this year, thanks to the generosity of individuals and businesses in the Medina area.
Packing boxes of food and gifts got underway Monday at the Grove United Methodist Church, where volunteers from the Medina Area Association of Churches began their annual task of filling Christmas boxes for families who applied.
Medina firefighters picked up the 40 barrels Wednesday from local businesses, stores, churches, the school and library. Volunteers spent the rest of the week sorting and stacking the donations into categories for ages and gender. On Monday, volunteers, known as “shoppers” for the day, took the families’ names and chose appropriate gifts for everyone.
Nelda Callard stands next to a row of boxes packed with crocheted blankets and toys which will be delivered to families with food for Christmas dinner. Medina firefighters will deliver the boxes on Saturday.
Boxes were assembled Monday and Tuesday by Jim Sipple, Ron Furness and Gordie Smith. The gifts, along books and food for Christmas dinner, were packed into the cardboard boxes, ready for delivery. Each family will not only receive a gift and hat, gloves, mitten and socks for each child, but a ham, potatoes and vegetable. Some families will receive crocheted blankets which had been donated.
Sherry Tuohey, who has headed the MAAC Christmas giveaway for five years, said they had the most volunteers Monday and Tuesday than any year since she has been in charge.
“We have so many new people this year,” said Sue Metzo, who previously chaired the project.
Tuohey praised her committee and the job they did. Judy Holbrook took charge of thank-you notes and seeing that every family got a Christmas card. Kathie McMoil solicited and sorted more than 2,100 personal care items donated by high school students.
Metzo did all the computer work, creating applications, etc. Norma Jean Foster was in charge of making sure they had enough food and hams. Barb Vreeland took charge of collecting hats, mittens, scarves and socks.
Metzo said how heartwarming it was to hear from families who appreciated the donations they received, such as the grandmother who was raising three grandchildren. She read a letter she received from a Medina graduate whose family received a MAAC Christmas box when he was a teenager.
A member of the Class of 1968, he said reading about the MAAC Christmas barrels on Orleans Hub several weeks ago brought back memories of the day several firemen knocked on his door and gave them a big box filled with food and toys.
“It was a December afternoon, and we didn’t know who they were,” the man wrote. “They said ‘Merry Christmas’ and left. You can imagine the joy of my two brothers and I when we opened the box and found an assortment of toys, games and puzzles. It was the most unbelievable thing that could have happened to us. We enjoyed those toys and things for weeks and weeks. That was the most memorable Christmas in my life.”
He enclosed a check, saying he wanted to pay it forward.
The MAAC Christmas program will provide Christmas gifts and dinner for 114 children and 97 adults this year.
At 8:30 Saturday morning, the firefighters and volunteers will be treated to breakfast at the church, with help from Bill Dunn, before the firefighters start delivering the packed boxes.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 14 December 2022 at 11:00 am
Provided photo: Ornaments painted by artist Carol Culhane of Gaines are available to honor or remember a loved one and benefit Supportive Care of Orleans/Hospice. Ornaments may be ordered online or picked up at the administration building at 14080 Route 31, Albion.
ALBION – It’s not too late purchase a Christmas ornament to benefit Supportive Care of Orleans/Hospice and honor and celebrate loved ones who are no longer here, according to Julia Alt, director of development for Supportive Care of Orleans.
The annual Light a Life fundraiser is a tradition during the holiday season, and everyone is invited to participate by purchasing one of several ornaments for Hospice’s Christmas tree.
Bells on Ice is a bell with the loved ones’ name and costs $10. For $25, a snowflake designed by Gwen McLaughlin can be purchased.
For several years, local artist Carol Culhane has designed and painted ornaments for the Light of Life tree. This year, she drew inspiration for her porcelain ornaments from a painting she did for the Martin-Linsin Residence. One, a Winter Scene, costs $50, while the Limited Edition is $100.
Order forms should include the choice of ornament, inscription, name, address, e-mail, phone, credit card number or check. Ornaments may also be picked up at the administration building at 14080 Route 31, Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2022 at 9:12 am
CARLTON – The Town Board approved a one-year ambulance contract with Monroe Ambulance for $14,800 for 2023.
This makes Carlton part of a six-town block that will pay Monroe $181,200 for 2023. The agreement is with the towns of Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines and Murray.
Monroe agrees to station an ambulance in Albion and also in Holley as part of the deal. Monroe has been providing ambulance services in eastern Orleans at no charge to the towns, but the ambulances came from the Brockport area outside Orleans.
John Caufield, chief operating officer for Monroe Ambulance, went over the contract on Tuesday evening with Carlton officials. Monroe’s contract says it will respond 90 percent of the time within 15 minutes for priority 1 calls, 20 minutes for priority 2, and 25 minutes for priority 3. Priority 1 are the most urgent calls.
Mercy Flight EMS also proposed to serve Carlton at a cost of $17,000 a year with a shared ambulance with Hamlin.
Carlton voted 4-1 in favor of Monroe with yes votes from Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery and board members Dana Woolston, Debbie Yockel and Brian McCue.
Town Councilman Josh Narburgh voted for Mercy Flight. He thinks residents would get better service from Mercy Flight with the shared ambulance with Hamlin.
Monroe is proposing to have two ambulances in the county, and can draw on other ambulances in western Monroe if needed.
David Bertsch of Carlton, a long-time employee of COVA, said the contract results in reduced service for residents in central Orleans than what COVA provided. COVA had three ambulances based in Albion.
“We’re going backwards with this,” he said about the new plan for ambulance services in central Orleans.
COVA ceased operations last month and was taken over by Mercy Flight, which has agreed to keep operating in Orleans until Monroe is ready to start.
John Caufield, chief operating officer for Monroe Ambulance, said it will take Monroe about 90 days to ramp up operations in Orleans County.
He welcomed the former COVA employees to pursue jobs with Monroe to serve Orleans County.
The central and eastern parts of the county have about 3,300 ambulance calls a year with about 250 in Carlton, Caufield said. The time from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. is the busiest for ambulance calls, he said.
Monroe was seeking $200,000 from seven towns, including Kendall. But Kendall didn’t sign a contract, saying the fire districts already had an agreement with Monroe for ambulance coverage at no cost to the town.
“I don’t find it right they get it for free and we all now have to pay,” said James Fisher, a Carlton resident who worked for COVA.
Tom Coyle, owner and president of Monroe Ambulance, said Kendall town officials “misconstrued” the agreement with the fire districts. Kendall isn’t included in the Orleans contract with the six towns, and any calls to Kendall will be served by ambulances coming from Monroe County instead of Orleans. Kendall won’t be getting the same level of service as the six towns in the agreement, Coyle said during the Carlton meeting.
Orleans County Legislator John Fitzak, a former Carlton town councilman, said an EMS task force has been meeting regularly since March. The EMS system has been “in dire straits” with a shortage of volunteers and low reimbursement rates, Fitzak said.
(The Kendall Fire Department is ending its volunteer ambulance by the end of the year. Kendall will still respond to EMS calls but won’t be doing transports.)
The changes in EMS is pushing out nearly all the volunteer-run ambulances, with many municipalities needing to pay to ensure for services.
Fitzak thanked Monroe Ambulance and Mercy Flight for both submitting proposals and wanting to serve central and eastern Orleans.
He worries that the decline in active volunteer firefighters could present a big challenge for the community in the near future.
He encouraged people to consider volunteering with their local fire department.
“If we had people to do this work we wouldn’t be in this situation,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 December 2022 at 9:25 pm
HOLLEY – School district residents approved a proposed $18.1 million capital project today with a vote of 192 yes and 46 no.
project will be funded with $14.1 million in state aid and $4 million that is already in a Holley capital reserve fund. School leaders say there won’t be any new taxes on residents with the project.
The proposed project is focused on safety, program improvements and site renovations, according to a newsletter about the project.
The scope of the project includes:
Safety
New secure entrances at the Elementary School and Middle/High School
Security film applied to doors at both schools’ main entrances
Program Improvements
Music rooms renovated in both schools
New STEM and instructional spaces created at the ES
M/HS Auditorium lighting updated
Site Renovations
New bleachers, scoreboard, lights and parking lot installed at The Woodlands
Air conditioning established in remaining ES classrooms
Storage added inside and outside district buildings
Signage increased on campus
Track resurfaced in Hawk Stadium
Hawk Drive and sidewalks upgraded
Holley’s last capital vote was in December 2014. The new project will need detailed plans to be prepared by Holley’s architects and construction management team. Those plans will be submitted to the state Education Department for review, a process that typically takes several months.
The district will push to have all the needed approvals and bidding process on schedule for construction to start in the summer of 2024.
