Evening News Brief

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a universal mask requirement for child care and daycare centers in the state, effective today.  And this isn’t just for kids either, new masking requirements will also apply to congregate programs and facilities licensed, registered, operated, certified or approved by the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, Office of Children and Family Services and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. This includes but is not limited to certified residential and day programs, inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities, substance abuse programs, juvenile detention programs, juvenile residential facilities, congregate foster care programs, runaway and homeless youth, domestic violence and other shelter programs.  The mandate is that everyone must wear a mask if they are able to medically tolerate it, regardless of age or vaccination status.

Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro says he will veto any public money going to the new Buffalo Bills stadium as long as a COVID vaccine is required to go to the stadium.  He says “I will not support tax dollars to build a stadium if rules remain in place that only certain people can use it.  If everyone is paying for it, everyone should be able to use it.”  This followed the announcement that Highmark stadium and the Keybank arena will require that everyone 12 and over who attends an event must be vaccinated.

The ARC of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties is having a hiring fair before the merger of the counties into one organization.  This hiring fair is September 23^rd and will be in both Mt Morris and Batavia.  They are looking for direct support professionals to work in the day programs and residential settings.

Bills players Cole Beasley and Reid Ferguson are offering to buy the tickets of anyone who purchased them and is now unable to go to a Buffalo Bills game at Highmark stadium because they are unvaccinated.  They are asking on twitter that fans who bought tickets for games and cant attend send them a direct message on Twitter and they will happily buy back the tickets.  Pegula Sports and Erie county officials announced the vaccine requirement yesterday after many people decried the lack of masks at the first Buffalo Bills game of the regular season.  Season ticket holders have till Friday to ask for a refund from the team if they won’t get a vaccine but they will lose ticket seniority and seat location.  Individual tickets are not refundable.