By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2021 at 8:20 pm
ALBION – The Village Board this evening voted to opt in and allow legal marijuana dispensaries.
The board’s decision comes two days after Medina also agreed to not opt out of the dispensaries. Many of the other municipalities in Orleans County are against the dispensaries.
Albion officials said allowing the marijuana sites will make it easier for local residents to get the product in town, instead of driving to other communities and possibly putting others at risk on the roadways.
“It will be safer for residents if it’s closer to home and they don’t have any drive time,” said Village Trustee Stan Farone. “Safety is the most important reason.”
He also cited the potential tax benefits for the village. The state will have a 13-cent excise tax per $1 on the marijuana sales, and the village will gets 3 of those cents per dollar.
Trustee Chris Barry cast the lone no vote for opting in. He said he didn’t want to make it easier for people to have access to marijuana and encourage its use.
Albion Mayor Eileen Banker and trustees Gary Katsanis and Zack Burgess joined Farone in opting in.
The state has yet to approve the regulations for the marijuana dispensaries or detail the licensing process.
The village will also have public hearing next month on whether to allow on-site marijuana use at smoking lounges in Albion.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2021 at 1:04 pm
Central, eastern Orleans in particular often face long responses
Photos by Tom Rivers: Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of Emergency Management Office in Orleans County, speaks at Tuesday’s Orleans County Association of Municipalities meeting at Tillman’s Village Inn. Dale Banker, the EMO director at left, also shared challenges facing EMS providers.
ALBION – The EMS system is in crisis in Orleans County, with too few responders and not enough ambulances, often resulting in delayed responses.
That was the message from the county’s Emergency Management Office which reviewed recent data showing increased dropped calls and slower responses, especially in eastern and central Orleans.
The western end of the county, which is primarily served by the Medina Fire Department with career firefighters, isn’t plagued by the issues.
Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of Emergency Management Office in Orleans County, said many of the paramedic and EMT positions require extensive training, but don’t pay very well with little fringe benefits. The pay isn’t much better than working in fast food or minimum wage jobs, without the training and responsibilities.
The shortage of responders has long been a concern among local officials, but in recent months the response times have grown longer with more dropped calls in central and eastern Orleans, Niederhofer said.
The ambulance providers are fiscally challenged with low reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, and many patients who keep the insurance checks rather than turning them to the ambulance companies, Niederhofer said. There are also many patients without insurance resulting in little revenue for COVA, Monroe Ambulance and other providers.
The county is looking to establish a task force to strengthen the local EMS, and one solution may include creating some positions through the county to help improve response times and service to residents in a health crisis. Some other counties have added ambulances and staff to supplement services and fill gaps in EMS coverage.
“There are 12 broken pieces to the puzzle,” said Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management director.
He wants to see the state change a law to allow the ambulance providers to directly be paid by insurance companies, rather than the checks going to patients who often keep them.
The companies also need higher reimbursement rates to better cover their costs and pay their staff more.
Banker and Niederhofer said they will continue to look at models in other counties in the state, to see how they are trying to improve EMS services.
“Every county around us is being impacted,” Niederhofer said.
Allen Turner, communications director at the dispatch center for the county, said many people call for an ambulance when they don’t need one, which stresses the EMS system.
In Orleans County, only the Kendall Fire Department continues to run an all-volunteer ambulance. Albion, Clarendon, Holley and Carlton all have taken their ambulances out of service.
That puts more pressure on COVA in central Orleans and Monroe Ambulance for eastern Orleans to respond to calls.
The fewer ambulances in the county also are tend to be more unavailable with the closing of Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport. Those ambulances have to drive farther towards Rochester to hospitals. Although the Brockport site is now Strong West, the ambulances still are often sent to Rochester hospitals and that ties up crews for longer times. Niederhofer said the short-staffed hospitals also are slower in being able to accept patients. What used to be one or two hour call is often four hours or more, Niederhofer said.
That longer time commitment also is leading to increased burnout, especially for the volunteers, he said.
County legislators Ken DeRoller and John DeFillipps said the EMS challenges need to be a top priority for the elected officials at the village, town, county and state levels.
“This is a major deal,” DeRoller said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We need leadership in this county.”
DeFillipps urged the county officials to “step up” and take the lead. The county showed with broadband internet it can lead in resolving an issue of county-wide importance, he said.
Many of the town, village and county officials said they would serve on the task force and would push for solutions with the EMS crisis.
“Let’s get a task force together and get it done,” said Richard Moy, the Clarendon town supervisor.
In the meantime, Allen Turner, the county’s communications coordinator for dispatch, said a public information campaign is needed to educate people on appropriate calls for an ambulance. Many people could be transported in a personal vehicle which wouldn’t tie up an ambulance, Turner said.
“We have a lot of people who call unnecessarily,” he said.
The public also has an unrealistic expectation that the ambulance will be there within five minutes of a call, Turner said.
DeRoller said quick action is needed because he fears some of the ambulance providers are struggling and may not be able to keep providing service, “which will put even more pressure on the system.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) has cosponsored two pieces of legislation to protect Americans from the President’s proposals to weaponize the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and surveil the bank accounts of millions of Americans.
“Despite the numerous crises facing our nation, the President and Democrats are moving full speed ahead with their reckless plan to waste trillions of tax dollars and expand the size of the federal government,” Jacobs said. “Hidden in their proposal is a plan to weaponize the IRS to unjustly surveil millions of Americans. It is a frightening proposal that is an overreach of authority and threatens the privacy of everyday Americans.”
Jacobs cosponsored two pieces of legislation, the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act and the Protecting Financial Privacy Act. These pieces of legislation would prohibit the IRS from creating new mandates on financial institutions to report financial transactions of their customers.
Currently, Democrats are proposing to add millions of IRS agents to the agency to surveil any American who has more than $10,000 in transactions in one fiscal year. For reference, that encompasses anyone who spends on average just $28 per day. A transaction is considered any inflow or outflow from an account.
“The President once again has revealed his true colors. This plan is meant to expand the federal government’s control over Americans and erode their privacy to pay for his big government socialist agenda,” Jacobs said. “My colleagues and I are fighting this proposal and the entire reconciliation package in Washington to ensure that American’s don’t face higher taxes and our rights are protected.”
Silvia Rosario first at World Life Institute to achieve citizenship during pandemic
Photos courtesy of Linda Redfield Shakoor
WATERPORT – Silvia Rosario of Albion is celebrated at the World Life Institute on Tuesday evening after passing her U.S. citizenship test earlier in the day.
She is one of many students at the World Life Institute Education Center in Waterport to achieve citizenship in the past 20 years, and the first one since the pandemic to achieve this honor.
The program at the WLI includes English as a Second Language and US civics. It has been offered at the site on Stillwater Road since 1997 and is sponsored by Orleans/Niagara BOCES.
Susan Diemert, literacy director, presented Rosario with a US citizenship certificate. A congratulatory meal was prepared by Orleans BOCES teachers at the WLI school for Silvia, her husband Sergio Rosario, and several agricultural students who finished their several months of harvesting apples.
Silvia Rosario is a mother of four, including two who are in college. She recently purchased an apple farm called Rosario Brothers Farm in Medina. Her husband Sergio is the owner of an apple farm in Sodus.
Silvia Rosario and her husband Sergio are happy after she attained her US citizenship.
Students will be at North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital and Absolut Care of Gasport
Photos and information courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – The Health Occupations Technician students at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center have started the clinical portion of their training.
Teachers Rebecca Mahar Price and Courtney Slack took their students to the North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital and Absolut Care of Gasport for the invaluable part of their educational experience. The work-based learning experience helps students take what they are learning in class and gives them job readiness skills.
The top photo shows students in Slack’s class, who include Jovany Trejo (Albion), Keira Wass (Barker), Gracelin Mahnke (Medina), Antinina Sikora (Lockport), Seana Hamilton (Royalton-Hartland) and Courtney Slack.
Students in Price’s class include Rebecca Mahar Price with Mackenzie Clogston (Newfane), Alyssa Clare (Newfane), Sophia Tronolone (Newfane) and Hailey Empson (Royalton-Hartland).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2021 at 8:02 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – The traffic lights and taillights from vehicles reflect on a soaked Main Street in Albion last night after heavy rainfall in Orleans County.
Today is forecast to be mostly cloudy and then becoming sunny with a high near 54. Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high near 57, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 26 October 2021 at 9:28 pm
No. 4 seed HAC outlasted No. 9 Kendall 3-2 in double overtime in a rain soaked Section V Class C2 girls soccer semifinal round playoff game this evening at Brockport.
HAC scored the game winning goal on a direct kick by Chloe Fowler with two minutes to play in the second 10 minute overtime period.
Kendall sent the contest into overtime when Ava Quintern scored on a rebound shot with just 1:46 remaining in regulation time knotting the contest at 2-2.
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Kara Choate scored the lone goal in Roy-Hart’ s semifinal win
Kendall also broke onto the scoreboard first as Quintern scored off an assist from Grace Levett just 10 minutes into the first half.
However, HAC answered back with a pair of goals, the first on a breakaway and the second on a rebound shot off a missed penalty kick, to take a 2-1 lead at the half.
HAC will now face the winner of the No. 2 Byron-Bergen vs. No. 6 Bishop Kearney semifinal in the Class C2 title contest on Friday.
Section VI Class B2 semifinal Roy-Hart 1, Southwestern 0
No. 3 seed Roy-Hart nipped No. 7 Southwestern 1-0 in a rainy Section VI Class B2 girls soccer semifinal at Williamsville North.
Kara Choate scored the game’s lone goal for the Niagara-Orleans League champion Lady Rams with just four minutes remaining in the second half off an assist from Garce Parker.
Reanna Perkins made 9 saves to earn the shutout for Roy-Hart which will next face top seeded Fredonia for the title on Saturday. Fredonia defeated No. 12 Akron 3-1 in the other semi.
Class C Semifinal
Wilson 3, Holland/West Valley 1
Lily Avery, Leia Cloy and Madelaine Schultz each scored a goal for No. 4 Wilson in the 3-1 Class C semifinal win over top seeded Holland/West Valley.
Wilson will face No. 3 Frewsburg in the title contest on Saturday. Frewsburg downed No. 2 Portville 4-0 in the other semi.
BATAVIA – The Genesee County Health Department is seeking information about the location of a dog and its owner following a dog bite incident around 6 p.m. on Saturday. The owner was walking the dog on a leash on Clifton Avenue in Batavia (near James Street).
The dog is described as a medium-sized white dog with patches of black throughout the body. The dog had medium hair length, similar to a border collie mix and was approximately 40 to 50 pounds. The dog had ears that were flopped over and after the incident, there was damage to the left ear.
The dog’s owner is described as a white male, in his 30s. He was around 5’8” to 5’10”, medium build and wearing glasses. The owner has been seen walking the dog in this area before. After the incident, the owner and dog turned back and headed towards Farrell Park area.
It is important to locate the dog to determine whether or not it is current on its rabies shot. If the health status is not identified, post-exposure rabies shots will be offered to several victims.
If you have information about the location of the dog and its owner, please contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 October 2021 at 2:42 pm
MEDINA – The Village Board isn’t opting out of allowing legal dispensaries for marijuana, a vote that means the village will be opting in.
The board voted 4-1 on Monday evening to take no action on opting out. Medina officials think they are the first municipality in the county that will allow the legal dispensaries.
Mayor Mike Sidari said it may not come to fruition for 12 to 18 months as the village awaits guidelines and regulations from the state, and to see if a business can work through the permitting process from the state.
Sidari said marijuana was decriminalized by the state. He compared it to easing off the Prohibition laws about a century ago.
“I liken this to back in Prohibition time,” Sidari said. “They probably had the same exact meetings that we’re talking about with the marijuana. With marijuana I have a feeling it’s here and now.”
During a public hearing on Sept. 26, several speakers urged the village to not oppose legal dispensaries. Those speakers said they would have access to a safe, regulated product, and the village would stand to gain tax revenue.
Medina will get a 3 percent tax for every dollar spent at the dispensary, part of an overall 13-percent excise tax on marijuana.
“We don’t know what the dollar amount will be,” said Tim Elliott, a trustee on the board. “But we know it will be better than zero.”
The village has struggled in recent years to keep taxes from rising, partly because it’s revenue from the local sales tax has been frozen by the county since 1996. The state also hasn’t increased the share to the village in AIM funding.
“This is a guarantee of tax revenue, we just don’t know the amount,” Elliott said. “But we can definitely use those funds.”
The Village Planning Board is expected to weigh in on the matter, whether the dispensaries should be limited to certain locations in the village.
Elliott said he doesn’t want to see the dispensaries banned from the downtown.
“I have no problem with them being on Main Street,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for someone to open a business. I don’t see why they should be secluded. It will bring people into town and they will spend money at other businesses.”
Marguerite Sherman, a trustee on the board, cast the lone vote against taking no action. Sherman said there are currently too many unanswered questions about the legal dispensaries, especially with no regulations yet from the state.
Medina also set a public hearing for 7:05 p.m. on Nov. 22 on whether to allow on-site marijuana use at smoking lounges in the village.
Provided photo: Christian Navas is officially promoted to sergeant in the Medina Police Department during Monday’s Village Board meeting. Lt. Todd Draper, right, and Chief Chad Kenward pin Navas with his collar brass insignia. Navas’s wife Stephanie held the Bible during the swearing-in ceremony.
Press Release, Medina Police Department
MEDINA – Christian Navas was officially promoted and sworn in as a new sergeant of the Medina Police Department during Monday’s Village Board meeting.
He will be assigned as the afternoon shift sergeant. Sgt. Navas has been a member of the Medina Police Department for 5 ½ years. Through these years he has become certified as a law enforcement instructor, including specialty topics of principled policing and spike strips. Sgt. Navas is a member of the county’s multijurisdictional tactical team, a member of the Medina Police Advisory Committee, and also handles sex offender registry for our department.
Sgt. Navas’ wife Stephanie held the Bible as he was sworn in by Chief Chad Kenward. Chief Kenward and Lt. Draper pinned Navas with his collar brass insignia, and his wife pinned him with his Sergeant’s badge. In attendance at the swearing in was the Medina Village Board, colleagues, and Sgt. Navas’ wife, daughter and parents.
Our sincere congratulations go out to Sgt. Navas on a well-deserved promotion. Sgt. Navas is a respected member of our department and the community and his hard work and dedication are to be commended.
Press Release, NYS Division of Consumer Protection and the NYS Department of Public Service
ALBANY – The New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) and the NYS Department of Public Service is alerting consumers of phone calls in which scammers, pretending to be from electric companies are looking for overdue payments and threatening to suspend electricity services unless they receive a payment immediately.
Payment has been requested by means of untraceable services such as gift cards, and money transfer apps, including PayPal and Zelle.
“Scammers use persuasive tactics to try to get their hands on unsuspecting consumers’ money, before they have time to confirm what scammers are telling them,” said New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. “Like many others, this latest utility scam is prying on vulnerable New Yorkers who believe in the empty threats to shut off their utilities. New York consumers should be aware of some basic tips to keep their hard-earned money safe from scammers.”
The calls reported to DCP are coming from scammers purporting to be from New York electric and gas utilities. The scammers claim that the consumers’ utilities will be shut off in minutes due to an outstanding account balance unless the consumer makes immediate payment.
The scammer then asks for consumer information, including utility account numbers, social security numbers, and dates of birth, and demands payment for alleged past-due bills. Scammers will demand payment, in form of financial technologies, which includes cash apps and bitcoin, to bilk thousands of dollars from unsuspecting costumers.
Utilities give repeated notices prior to terminations including reaching out to consumers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options. However, utilities do not specify that the payment must be a prepaid card or other non-traceable money transfer. If someone demands payment via non-traceable method, consumers just need to pull the plug on these scams by hanging up the phone and reporting the calls.
To avoid falling victim to these scams, consumers should follow the tips below:
Hang up and call the utility company yourself. Call the company using the number on your bill or the utility company’s website even if the person who contacted you left a call-back number. Often, those call-back numbers are fake. If the message came by text, don’t respond. If your bill says you owe anything, pay it as you normally would, not as the caller says.
Consumers should never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, date of birth, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if they are at all suspicious. Consumers should not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes” or “No.” Consumers should exercise caution if they are being pressured for information immediately.
Utility companies do not ask for payments via gift cards or cash transfer apps. Gift cards allow scammers to get money without a trace. Real utility companies issue several disconnection warnings before shutting off utilities and they never demand money over the phone or specify a method of payment. The utility may call customers to discuss payment plans, but will NOT call the customers to threaten. The utility primarily communicates via letters, bills, emails and authorized texts.
Use call blocking tools from your phone provider and check into apps that block calls. The FCC allows phone companies to block robocalls by default based on reasonable analytics (see fcc.gov/robocalls).
Do not rely on the number that comes up on your phone. Callers can “spoof” the number to look like a government agency or local utility company. If someone has contacted an individual and they are suspicious, they should hang up and go directly to the official website for the agency or utility company or call the number on their utility bill to confirm whether there is a problem with their account.
To file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Protection, click here.
ALBION – Saint-Gobain ADFORS, a global leader in manufacturing customized reinforcement solutions, announced today that they have begun producing FlexScreen, the world’s first flexible window screen.
FlexScreen, as seen on the popular television show Shark Tank, is an innovative window screen that is designed to spring into place.
Last October, ADFORS announced its partnership with the company FlexScreen, which gave them the exclusive rights to sell their products in home improvement stores, like The Home Depot and online at flexscreenretail.com. Now ADFORS is producing FlexScreen products at their Albion plant from start to completion.
“Producing the FlexScreen product locally allows us to control the process and ensure we deliver a cost-effective, quality product” said Jim Griffin, Sales & Marketing Director for Saint-Gobain ADFORS. “Plus, its creating local jobs with a product that gets distributed nationwide,” Griffin stated.
The FlexScreen segment will be airing a repeat episode tonight on Shark Tank on ABC at 8 p.m. EST. To learn more about FlexScreen, visit flexscreenretail.com.
SHELBY – A special meeting of the Shelby Town Board will be held on Tue., Oct. 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. at the Town of Shelby, 4062 Salt Works Rd. Medina, NY 14103.
The purpose of this special meeting will be to schedule a public hearing for Tue., Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. (with the town board meeting following immediately after) for Local Law No. 2 of 2021 to opt out of allowing cannabis retail dispensaries and on-site consumption sites as authorized under Cannabis Law Article 4.
ALBION – Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) will be concluding his series of visits to local small businesses to commemorate National Women’s Small Business Month by visiting Roots Hair Salon and Milk & Honey Boutique in Albion this Wednesday, whose owners have gone above and beyond to promote everything Albion has to offer.
Roots Hair Salon, owned by local resident Amber Mogle, has been operating in Albion since 2017, and offers hair, nail, and other beauty services to local residents. The business employs numerous local stylists and retains a loyal following of customers who appreciate the friendliness of the staff. Amber has been active in promoting the greater business community of Albion, aside from her own business. She worked in 2019 with the owner of Milk and Honey Boutique, Courtney Henderson, to have the town featured on HGTV’s “Hometown Takeover” program by putting together a video showcasing the town’s charm and discussing the impact the program’s support could have on the lives of all who live there.
Milk and Honey Boutique, also owned by a local resident, Courtney Henderson, has operated in Albion since April of 2018. The boutique sells unique fashions for women and children that can’t be found anywhere else, and offers an opportunity for women to shop with their young daughters to find something truly special. As a mother herself of three young children, Courtney sought to create a business that welcomes mothers and their children with affordably-priced, uniquely-designed selections.
“After a great month of visits to local women-owned businesses representing numerous sectors of the economy, I look forward to ending October on a high note by visiting two more businesses that have gotten their start in the last five years and have managed to keep their doors open through the pandemic,” Hawley said.
Assemblyman Hawley will be visiting the Roots Hair Salon, located at 29 E Bank St., Albion on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. Hawley will then travel directly to visit Milk and Honey Boutique at 3:15 p.m., which is located at 49 North Main St., Albion.
During these visits, the assemblyman will discuss with each business owner their experiences opening and operating their businesses, as well as the difficulties they’ve faced in recent years as they contended with shutdowns, changing restrictions and guidelines, and other obstacles that threaten the continued success of their operations. While visiting, he will also be honoring them for their work promoting Albion as they attempted to have the town featured on HGTV’s “Hometown Takeover.”
“Surviving through everything the pandemic entailed economically, while getting through a months-long shutdown and then having to comply with ever-changing state mandates and guidelines is laudable, so I look forward to hearing about how these local women were able to help their businesses succeed during these unprecedented times,” Hawley said. “What they did to promote Albion to HGTV is impressive and appreciated, so I’m grateful to have an opportunity to thank them for their efforts.”
The assemblyman previously visited Gilliana’s Diner in Batavia, Revival Beauty Parlor in Medina, and The Dog Wash “Do-It-Yourself” Bath House in Brockport earlier in the month of October.
