Join Madison County for a First Day Hike at Oxbow Falls
The Madison County Planning Department is inviting you to kick off the New Year with a First Day Hike. What better way to have a fresh start in 2024, than to get outside? The First Day Hike will be held at Oxbow Falls County Park at 6919 Oxbow Road, Canastota. Use the Disc Golf Parking Lot (the “lower” parking area on Watson Road). The hike will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1. This event is free and open to the public.
There will be two hiking options: For a shorter hike, people can do the Blue Trail (0.7 mile loop) or for a bit more adventure, do the Blue Trail and the Orange Trail for a total of 1.7 miles. Both trails do include short sections of moderately steep terrain, but both are family-friendly.
Keep dogs leashed and under control. Dress for weather and trail conditions.
First Day Hikes are a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks, including New York State Parks, to encourage people to get outdoors. Join Madison County at Oxbow Falls County Park for our First Day Hike. There are also several other hikes taking place on New Year’s Day, including one at the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota. For more information, visit First Day Hikes check out the NYS Parks website.
Madison County continues participation in STOP-DWI
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office continues taking part in the statewide STOP-DWI Holiday Season High-Visibility Engagement Campaign; the effort continues through Jan. 1
Madison County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matthew White said law enforcement agencies and STOP-DWI coordinators participate in these special efforts to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.
This campaign is one of many statewide initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to reduce the incidence of drunken- and impaired driving. The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign also targets Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day/end of summer, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Weekend and St. Patrick’s Day.
Have a sober plan; download the “Have a Plan” app at www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp to always find a safe ride home. Impaired driving is preventable – all it takes is a little planning.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office hosts Shop with a sheriff
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office held its sixth annual Shop with a Sheriff event Dec. 9 at the Wal-Mart Superstore in Oneida. Madison County children of families in need have been selected to receive the opportunity to Shop with a Sheriff sergeant, investigator, deputy, corrections officer, 911 communicator or member of Madison County Emergency Management.
There will also be police “recruits” that are attending the Phase 1 Police Academy and other volunteers on hand at the gift-wrapping stations.
Children will be given a certain dollar amount to go shopping for toys, clothes or any item they would like for themselves or members of their family. The MCSO works with the elementary schools from across Madison County to identify 36 children to take part in the event. Three students from each elementary school in Madison County will take part, with the exception of the city of Oneida, whose police department hosts their own event. After this event, MCSO will have shopped with 198 kids from Madison County.
The program is sponsored in part by Oneida Wal-Mart Superstore, FLAX, JWM Construction, Traffic Safety Research LLC and Caz Cans, who all provided generous donations to supplement the funds raised by the deputies and corrections officers of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office who raised funds through their “No Shave” yearlong event.
Unlock your business potential at Madison County’s Small Business Summit Jan. 10
Get ready for an exciting opportunity to fuel your business dreams. The Small Business Summit is coming to Madison County Jan. 10 at SUNY Morrisville, and it’s all about helping you, whether you’re a rural small business owner, a solopreneur or an aspiring entrepreneur.
This summit promises to be an engaging and informative event, covering a wide range of topics to suit all types of businesses, including:
- Access to capital
- Regional resources for small business
- Accessing international markets
- Cybersecurity
- Government contracting
- Developing your workforce
- Marketing
- Rural women in business roundtable
There will also be opportunities for networking and one-on-one advising sessions with the Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, Partnership for Community Development and Wise Women’s Business Center.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in SUNY Morrisville’s Charlton Hall on Chenango Street. Tickets are $15 and include lunch and refreshments, register online here.
For more information, visit the Facebook Event page or hubmadisoncounty.org/workshops.
The Small Business Summit is an accessible opportunity for small business enthusiasts to connect, learn and grow. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, there’s something here for everyone. It is brought to you by the Madison County Rural Equity Group, which is comprised of local, state and national small business support agencies, including The HUB – Partnership for Community Development, Onondaga Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, SUNY Morrisville, SCORE Central NY, WISE Women’s Business Center and Madison County.
Space is limited; reservations are necessary.
Jury convicts Oneida men on child sexual assault charges
After a six-day trial, Madison County jury found two Oneida men guilty on charges related to the sexual abuse of two children. Brothers Theodore F. Presley, III, and Johnathan M. Presley were convicted in connection with the abuse that took place between 2012 and 2016 in Oneida.
Theodore F. Presley, III, was found guilty of two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child (a class A-II violent felony); and Johnathan M. Presley was found guilty of a single count of predatory sexual assault against a child. Conviction on this charge carries a mandatory sentence of a minimum of 10 years to life and a maximum of 25 years to life. Based on their convictions, both men must register as sex offenders.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024.
Madison County Assistant District Attorney Jane Raven prosecuted the case and commends the jury on its thoughtful deliberations and seeing that justice was done for the children involved.
“It is a wonderful day when I can call children and tell them that their voices were finally heard and that the jury believed them,” she said. “The system requires so much of child victims, particularly in sexual abuse cases, but the system works. This jury listened intently for six days and, in the end, justice was done.”
This case was investigated by Investigator Christopher “Kip” Bailey of the Oneida City Police Department in conjunction with the Madison County Department of Social Services and the Madison County Child Advocacy Center.
For more information, contact the Madison County District Attorney’s Office at 315.366.2236.
Buy Madison Program brings locally grown products to Parry’s in Hamilton
Buy Madison is partnering with Parry’s in Hamilton to bring locally grown and -made products into one location. Parry’s, Hamilton’s Modern Day General Store, sells just about everything, including goods from Dizzy Lizzie’s Farm, Kriemhild Dairy, Heartstone Artisan Baker and Farmstead 1868 with more being added daily.
“Shopping local has contributed to Parry’s success over the past 44 years, so we extend the opportunity to other local entrepreneurs to use our retail location as an extension of their own business to sell products through a consignment program,” said proprietors Gwenn and Evan Parry. “It enhances our store by partnering with other businesses, benefiting us all, including our community, who get easy access to local products and keep money local.”
Local Madison County businesses who want to partner with Parry’s and Buy Madison can connect with Gwenn Werner at 315.824.0002 or gwenn@parryshamilton.com.
Parry’s is located at 100 Utica St., Hamilton; hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Parry’s is a local, family-owned hardware/general store that offers a unique selection of products including a large local section. The local products include freshly baked, refrigerated and frozen foods, candles, prints, woodworking, music, clothing and more. Buy Madison County is a brand, a way of life, who we are here in Madison County, and participating is as simple as looking for Buy Madison County stickers and signs while shopping or dining out.
For more information, visit buymadisoncountyny.com or call 315.366.2822.
Madison County begins construction of new rural broadband network
Construction of the Madison County Rural Broadband Network started Nov. 3; the county has been working to bring broadband access to those unserved and underserved since 2019. The first hut that will house the new broadband network was placed in the Sullivan.
“This day has been over five years in the making,” said Madison County Board Chairman John M. Becker.
The Madison County Rural Broadband Network will bring high-speed internet to 1,087 unserved households and businesses in Madison County. About 270 miles of fiber will also bring service to more than 6,500 homes. Madison County will own the network and has partnered with Empire Access to provide the broadband service to the unserved areas, as well as to become a major competitor in the county to areas that are already served by other telecommunications companies.
In 2021, Madison County received a $12.8 million USDA ReConnect grant. The full project will cost $18.6 million, with a $3.4 million match from Madison County and $2.4 million investment from Empire Access. Madison County has worked with the USDA, New York Engineering Services, ECC Technologies and Empire Access to make this project a reality.
“The Madison County Rural Broadband Project will bring reliable high-speed internet to thousands in our community,” Becker said. “We are excited to place the first hut here in Sullivan. Reliable internet service is a necessity to connect people to not only each other but healthcare, mental health services, education and more.
“Madison County saw a need in our community, and we wanted to provide this essential service to our residents. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard for the past five years to make today a reality, including Senator [Chuck] Schumer, Director [Brian] Murray, County Administrator [Mark] Scimone, Empire Access, New York Engineering Services, ECC Technologies, and the great staff we have at Madison County. We still have a long road ahead of us, but this is a historic day for Madison County.”
“For far too long, communities throughout Upstate New York – including those in Madison County – have struggled to close the digital divide,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). “The groundbreaking of Madison County’s new rural broadband network marks the beginning of a new era in connectivity for county residents, ensuring that thousands of underserved households, businesses and farms can reap the benefits of a robust, high-speed internet.
“In our modern economy, access to reliable, fast internet service is crucial to success in everything from work to school to getting the healthcare you need. That is why I fought tooth and nail to secure the more than $12 million in federal funding needed to connect homes and businesses from Sullivan to Hamilton and across the county, so that our families, businesses, farms and students can access the top-notch, high-speed broadband they need. Today’s groundbreaking represents a major step forward in our commitment to bridge the digital divide and empower residents with the tools they need to thrive in the 21st century.”
“At USDA Rural Development, we are working each day to close the digital divide across rural America,” said USDA Rural Development NY State Director Brian Murray. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the ReConnect program is delivering on building brighter futures – starting right here in Madison County.
“The ReConnect program is expanding entrepreneurial opportunities and connecting businesses to new markets, helping to bring new and exciting educational opportunities to rural students, and it is connecting rural patients to the medical professionals and treatments they may need.”
“We are excited to finally get started,” said CEO of Empire Access James Baase. “This has taken five years; we cannot wait to bring competition and service to unserved and underserved residences in Madison County. These are the types of communities that fit well with Empire Access. I want to thank everyone for making Empire part of this project.”
“New York Engineering Services has been privileged to partner with a client that has a clear vision for bringing high-speed internet to meet the needs of Madison County citizens,” said New York Engineering Services President and Owner Bart Bretsch. “The Madison County broadband team has the will and the drive to ensure that they will be great stewards of this fiber optic project and leverage New York Engineering Services design, fielding, work prints and construction management talents to the fullest. It is an exciting time to live in Madison County.”
“Thank you to all those who have worked so hard on this project,” said County Administrator Mark Scimone. “Madison County set out over five years ago for the facts about who in our community truly had access to reliable high-speed internet. We partnered with ECC Technologies to get an accurate picture of broadband in our community. Our society revolves around being online, whether it is for school, health care or even for fun. Everyone deserves the opportunity to be able to access high-speed, reliable internet. When this project is complete, thousands of Madison County residents will have access.”
The construction of the 269 miles of fiber optic cable, purchased from Graybar, will take about two years to complete. As fiber is laid, the residents and businesses in that community will be able to connect. They will not have to wait until the full project is complete. There are three phases to the construction of the network: Phase 1 will include Sullivan, Chittenango, Lenox, Canastota, Lincoln, Oneida, Stockbridge, Fenner, Cazenovia and Smithfield. The network is beginning in the northern half of the County in order to connect to Empire Access’ network in Onondaga County. To view the other two phases, visit madisoncounty.ny.gov/2765/Madison-County-ReConnect-Broadband-Proje.
Becker was joined at the ceremony by Murray, Baase, a representative from Schumer’s office, New York Senator Joseph Griffo, New York Assemblyman Brian Miller, Scimone, Director of Broadband Development at ECC Technologies Andy Lukasiewicz, Lenox Supervisor John Pinard, Hamilton Supervisor Eve Ann Shwartz and City of Oneida Supervisor Joseph Magliocca.