Local News

Andrew Cuomo

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is being charged with a misdemeanor in what a state spokesperson is calling a “sex crime case.” This follows a criminal probe that stemmed from a number of women who accuse the former Democratic governor of inappropriate sexual conduct. Reports indicate the charge relates to allegations of “forcible touching” and an arrest warrant is being issued by the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. Cuomo resigned in August as state lawmakers were preparing impeachment proceedings.
The charge accuses Cuomo of forcibly touching a woman whose name will reportedly be redacted. More information is expected to come out this afternoon from Albany Criminal Court. Meanwhile, the Albany District Attorney’s Office says it is still investigating and this charge isn’t related to that.

A note for area motorists: a portion of Route 490 westbound will be closed from late tonight until early tomorrow for roadwork.
The highway will close at exit 2, that’s Byron/Bergen, at 11 o’clock tonight through 5 a.m. Friday morning. Detours will be posted. The work includes new overhead signage at the LeRoy Exit 47 interchange.

State Attorney General Letitia James will be revealing soon whether she’ll be running for governor next year. An adviser to the AG said in a statement yesterday that James’ announcement would be made in the coming days. Recent polls showed that James would lose in a potential head-to-head matchup against Governor Hochul if she seeks the Democratic nomination.

The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester is the recipient of fundraising proceeds from Batavia Downs.
The Downs hosted a fundraising dinner back in September to benefit the coalition. The money raised came from the sponsorship of races, direct donations, raffles and auction.
Today the Downs presented a check to the Breast Cancer Coalition in the amount of $19,650.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul held a COVID-19 update Wednesday and said a possible COVID-19 vaccine mandate in public schools in the state is “on the table.”  Tuesday, a Food and Drug Administration panel voted to formally recommend the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 5 and a CDC committee will meet next week to discuss granting approval.  When asked if she will put a mandate for children 5 and up in place the governor said if there is not adequate compliance, or COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations among children begin to rise, she will have “no choice.”

The New York State Health Department has announced new guidelines for COVID protocols in schools.  Currently, any unvaccinated student who was exposed to COVID is required to quarantine.  The new guidance suggests the “test to stay” method could be used. This strategy allows students who have been exposed to COVID to stay in school without having to quarantine – if they test negative.

New divorce legislation has now been signed and it changes how pets are treated by the courts.  The new bill signed into law Monday makes pets able to be disputed in Family Court.  What this means is that instead of the family dog or cat or other domesticated companion animal, excluding livestock, being treated as property, the judge must now consider the best well being of the animal in nearly the same way as a child during a divorce proceeding.  The Bill Takes effect immediately.

State Attorney General Letitia James has signaled her intent to run for the governor’s office in the 2022 election.  Although she has not officially announced her intent yet, the New York Times is reporting that her aides have have told political and union leaders she intends to run.  The rumor of James possibly running for governor has been a well publicized one, with even former Governor Cuomo’s legal team using it as one of the factors they say led to Cuomo’s resignation.

A new exhibit at the Rochester Museum & Science Center is pretty big.  It’s so big, large machinery was necessary to move it in.  Expedition: Dinosaur opens Nov. 5. It brings robotic reptiles from the Mesozoic era to life. There’s even a climbable T-Rex.  Crews installed it earlier this week at the museum.  Advance tickets are available at the RMSC website.

Liberty Pumps broke ground yesterday on a new expansion.  The 107 thousand square foot addition is anticipated to create 30 new jobs at the Byron Bergen facility.  The ground breaking ceremony was attended by members of Genesee County Economic development Center and state and local partners.  CEO of Liberty Pumps Charlie Cook says that the new expansion will “relieve congestion” and “free up manufacturing space for large pump systems.”  

Batavia Police have announced the official hours for Trick or treating this year.  Going door to door will go till 8pm officially.  The PD remind parents and kids to cross streets at corners and in well lit areas, make sure drivers see you before crossing and use some light colors or reflective tape in your costume or candy bag.  For drivers, slow down, stay alert, and keep your headlights on.  Together we can have a safe and fun Halloween.

Over the coming weekend at several churches are having Trunk R Treat in their parking lots.  The United Methodist Church at 8221 Lewiston Rd is having theirs saturday from 2 to 4.  Emmanuel Baptist Church at 190 Oak street is putting one on Halloween Night from 5-7.  Grace Baptist Church at 238 vine street is having theirs 530 to 730 on Halloween as well.  Tunk r Treats are great for kids to have the trick or treat experience without the dangers of traffic and dark streets.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says discussions on a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills are moving forward in a positive direction.
Goodell spoke during the league’s Fall meetings in New York City yesterday and said everyone who is involved in the negotiations are working towards getting a deal done soon.
The team’s ownership group has proposed an over $1-billion stadium be built near Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park which is where the Bills play now. The Bills’ current lease is scheduled to expire in 2023.

Halloween is just a few days away and the State Attorney General’s Office has issued an alert involving deceptive marijuana products. Officials say those items are designed to look like standard snack food and candy but actually contain high levels of cannabis and THC. The products are illegal and unregulated in New York and have been known to cause serious health problems among people who ingest them. Parents are being asked to take a very close look at what their kids get while trick-or-treating to prevent them from getting sick.

This weekend the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of Le Roy Police Department will participate in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.
While families spend time trick or treating and hosting parties with loved ones, law enforcement officers and STOP-DWI programs across New York State will participate in special efforts to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives.

The Genesee County Health Department is trying to sniff out information into a dog bite incident last Saturday. The department says the owner of the dog was walking the animal on a leash along Clinton Ave near James Street in Batavia.
The health department is looking for the dog’s owner to determine if the animal was current on its rabies vaccinations.

Dellinger Avenue in Batavia is closed today for a utility repair.
Dellinger is closed to all traffic between West Main and Washington.
Motorists who regularly use Dellinger are asked to find an alternate route for today.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning residents of marijuana products being packaged to look like popular kids treats especially at Halloween time.  The products can look like anything from Doritos, Sour Patch Kids, or Oreos to breakfast cereals and candy bars.  Many of them may say on the packaging that they have THC in them but might look like the normal product on first inspection.  AG James said the products are illegal and unregulated in New York and contain a high concentration of THC.  The AG’s office, citing information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the most common overdose incidents among children involve edible cannabis foods.

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center clinical study, the COVID booster you get does not have to match the type of COVID vaccine shot you recieved.  David Dobrzynski assistant professor of Medicine and infectious diseases at URMC says “We really didn’t see any signal for worst side effects with the vaccines in terms of whether you got Johnson, Johnson, Pfizer or Moderna.”  The FDA recommends a booster shot for adults 65 and older, those with underlying health conditions and those with occupational exposure, such as healthcare workers, teachers and bus drivers.  Those who got the Johnson and Johnson signal dose are encouraged to also seek a booster shot as the JJ shot has proven to be the least effective over time.  Young, health people don’t need a booster shot as of now. A more dangerous variant could change that, but only time will tell.

The Genesee County Health Department is looking for a dog and its owner after a person was bit around 6pm Saturday on Clifton ave in Batavia.  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 owner is described as a white male in his 30s around5’9 with a medium build and glasses.  They say that the dog and owner have been seen in the area before.  Several people were apparently bit by the dog and the Health department is looking for the dog to determine rabies status.

Statewide police, Troopers and Sheriffs are increasing their DWI patrols as apart of a STOP-DWI high visibility campaign.  This runs October 30th through November 1st.  The Statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign also targets Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day/End of Summer, Thanksgiving, Holiday Season, Super Bowl weekend and St. Patrick’s Day.  Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like this aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.  

Batavia’s Ellicott Station project was launched in March of 2016. Developer Sam Savarino of Buffalo proposed building a craft brewery, apartments and commercial space on the site that was once referred to as the Della Penna property.
Fast forward five and a half years and virtually nothing has been done on the property. Deadlines from the city have come and gone with nothing being done.
Only Ward Six councilwoman Rose Mary Christian seems to have had enough saying she has lost faith in the Savarino company. She voted not to accept a half-million-dollar state grant to help Savarino with demolition costs.
City Council President Gene Jankowski says he’s willing to see if Savarino lives up to his latest timeline

City Manager Rachel Tabelski said Savarino would not get this latest grant unless work was actually completed.

Ground breaking will take place tomorrow afternoon for the $13.5-million expansion of Liberty Pumps. The project is expected to create 30 new jobs.
The company sought and received various tax incentives from the county in support of the project.
Since its opening in 1965, Liberty Pumps has become a leading manufacturer of sewage pumps for residential, commercial and municipal systems.

The Buffalo Sabres have snapped their two-game losing streak with a big win over the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning five-to -one at KeyBank Center last night. Buffalo goalie Craig Anderson was solid once again in net, stopping 35 of the 36 shots he faced. Up next for the Sabres is a road game against the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night.

Plush Dozier

Attempted murder suspect Plush Dozier was moments away from going on trial when a judge ordered another mental health exam for the defendant.
Dozier is accused of allegedly setting his girlfriend on fire in a Maple Street apartment three years ago.
Jury selection started yesterday afternoon when the judge ordered the competency hearing.
At least one previous competency exam found Dozier fit for trial.
He’s charged with attempted Second-Degree Murder and arson. He could get 25-years to life if convicted.

Governor Hochul has decided to extend the state of emergency on gun violence for at least another few weeks. The emergency declaration was made back in July by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and will stay in effect through November 22nd. The extension allows the state keep giving out millions of dollars in funding to support initiatives that are aimed at curbing gun violence.

The Batavia City Council, with some reservation, appear willing to give the Ellicott Station developer a little more time to begin work on the multi-million-dollar project.
Council is growing increasingly impatient over the snail’s pace of progress with the project.
Council president Gene Jankowski said some of the delays were not the fault of the developer…

Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian said she had “no faith” in the Savarino company and voted “no” on two measures to secure yet another grant for the project. The final vote was 7 to 1.

The Buffalo Sabres have snapped their two-game losing streak with a big win over the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning five-to -one at KeyBank Center last night. Buffalo goalie Craig Anderson was solid once again in net, stopping 35 of the 36 shots he faced. Up next for the Sabres is a road game against the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night.

The Batavia City Council has some reservations about the work being done at Ellicott station, specifically about whether or not it will ever get done.  Discussion of the work shows that the committee has little trust that after 5 and half years of planning, working with NYS, COVID delays, Cost overruns and seeking permissions from various agencies that Savarino’s will begin actual physical work on the project.  The council did vote 7 to 1 to let the work continue with Rosemary Christian the only no vote on two resolutions, one to take a 500 thousand dollar grant to support the work and two to require Savarino’s to enter an Undertaking Agreement which makes the company responsible for meeting the grants requirements.  City Council President Eugene Jankowski argued to give them a chance.  Christian accompanied her No votes by saying she had no faith in the company.

Congressman Chris Jacobs criticized the Federal trade Commission for its lack of approval for the Tops Price Chopper merger which was announced earlier this year.  The deadline for the FTC to approve the deal is November 8th but so far there has been no movement from the federal agency to allow the companies to make the move.  Jacobs says that this could cause the closure of many Tops Friendly Markets locations, 30 of which are in his district.  Tops Markets is one of the largest private employers in Western New York and the largest grocery chain. Tops and Price Chopper have so far adhered to all the requests of the staff at the FTC, such as selling off approximately seven stores for anti-trust reasons.  The merger of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets grocery store chains will create a “powerhouse” company with nearly 300 supermarkets.

The chief of police for Greece has resigned following a crash on Thursday where he says he swerved to avoid a deer and totaled his police issue vehicle.  Forsythe drove nearly six miles to English and North Greece roads. At least two people called 911 and reported seeing a damaged vehicle in that vicinity just before 2 a.m. One caller said the vehicle was sparking and appeared to be missing a tire.  He says the crash disabled the radio and put his phone out of reach and he had to drive to get help.  The department says Forsythe was not given a breathalyzer test because alcohol impairment wasn’t suspected. An officer drove him home.  Town Supervisor Bill Reilich says the town had lost faith in the chief because of the crash and the right thing to do was ask for his resignation.

The Sabres beat the Stanley Cup Champs the Lightning 5 to 1 last night to go to 4 and 1 and 1 in the season.  Buffalo hasn’t beat Tampa Bay since November of 2018 and this breaks a 7 game losing streak against the Lightning.  Victor Olofsson, Drake Caggiula, Vinnie Hinostoza and Robert Hagg all scored with Olofsson putting in 2.  The Sabres will now head West for a four-game road trip that begins this Thursday.

The owners of Northside Meadows have been ordered to appear in court next month to answer to charges of violating city code violations.
Northside Meadows is located at 335 Bank Street. There are 24 units in the complex.
Northside Meadows is charged with violating city code pertaining to roofs and drainage and a violation of Fire Code for using plastic tarps as a roof covering.
WBTA News partner The Batavian discovered the charges after filing a Freedom of Information request with the city.
It was also discovered that the owners of the complex owe the city $615,000 in back taxes.
The local property manager is listed as David Renzo of V & Development Corporation of Batavia.

Batavia drivers are still going to be feeling the pain at the pump following another increase in gas prices.
According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular is now $3.45. That’s up 8-cents in the last week and is $1.25 more than this time one
year ago.

The Walmart Store in Geneseo had to be evacuated after a suspicious package was found in the produce department.
The store was evacuated yesterday and the Monroe County Bomb Squad was called in.
It was determined the package was not a threat, and the store was re-opened soon after the incident.

The Buffalo Sabres have lost their last two games and will be looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat tonight. The Sabres are hosting the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning at KeyBank Center. Face-off for tonight’s game is 7 p.m.

Batavia drivers are still going to be feeling the pain at the pump following another increase in gas prices.
According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular is now $3.45. That’s up 8-cents in the last week and is $1.25 more than this time one
year ago.

The Walmart Store in Geneseo was evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious package.
The package was found yesterday in the produce section and the Monroe County Bomb Squad was called in. The store was evacuated.
It was determined the package was not a threat, and the store was re-opened soon after the incident.

A successful Fall Festival for All Babies Cherished.
About $4,000 was raised yesterday through the participation of 90 vendors in the City Centre Concourse.
The agency will be hosting a free online fundraiser on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in commemoration of its 25th year.

The Buffalo Sabres have lost their last two games and will be looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat tonight. The Sabres are hosting the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning at KeyBank Center. Face-off for tonight’s game is 7 p.m.

A bag left in the Geneseo Walmart was cause to call in the bomb squad.  Police were called when a suspicious package was discovered in the produce section of the Supercenter at 4235 Veteran Drive Sunday afternoon.  Law enforcement officials decided to evacuate the store until it could be determined what the package was.  The bomb squad from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was called in to evaluate the package, due to its appearance.  It was determined the package was not a threat, and the store was opened soon after the incident.

Legislation that helps credit unions give out more small business loans was signed into law by Governor Hochul Sunday.  The legislation allows Credit Unions to participate in the Excelsior Linked Deposit Program where the state puts money into the Credit Union equal to the loan being given out which allows the institution to give out at a lower interest rate.  Then the deposit is paid back 4 years later.  Hochul and supporters say this will help unbanked communities. 

The Monroe County DA is investigating a crash involving the Chief of the Greece Police Department and his police issue vehicle.  Chief Drew Forsythe crashed into a guard rail while trying to avoid a deer on Interstate 390 near Latona Road around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the department. He had attended a function for the New York State Police earlier in the night, the department spokesperson said.  After the crash Forsythe reportedly drove for 2 miles with sparks flying from the vehicle and one tire deflated claiming that his radio wasn’t working, the crash had caused him to lose his phone and he was trying to get a signal.  He was not tested for impaired driving or treated for any injuries.  

All Babies Cherished, the pro-life nonprofit on Ellicott street that offers support, education and supplies to pregnant moms and new mothers and also helps with adoption services held their second Fall Festival Saturday and filled the City Center with vendors and some community organizations.  Notable were The Peace Gardens Basket Raffle, UMMC’s Baby Cafe and GLOW4BABIES tables along with over 90 craft, book, and various other vendors.  Coming up Thursday this week at 7pm is their online fundraiser to coincide with their 25th anniversary.  Follow the link to their website on wbtai.com.  

www.allbabiescherished.com www.facebook.com/AllBabiesCherishedPregnancyCenter/

The Buffalo Sabres couldn’t keep up with the New Jersey Devils Saturday night as they went down 2 to 1 in overtime.  Dylan Cozens gave buffalo their only goal 4 minutes into the game and that was the only goal till the third period.  Sabres Goalie Dustin Tokarski made 37 saves.  Buffalo has another quick turnaround on the horizon. The Tampa Bay Lightning come to KeyBank Center for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop tonight.

Governor Hochul signed new criminal justice reform legislation Friday which grants more freedoms to previously incarcerated individuals.  The 4 pieces of legislation give convicted felons the ability to be executors of estates, allow parolees to work overnights and overtime shifts without violating parole, allows those under supervised release to protest working conditions and grants official certificates to those who are being released with good behavior.  From the governor’s press release about this legislation: These pieces of legislation build on Governor Hochul’s vision of a balanced approach to public safety that strengthens fairness in the criminal justice system while ensuring that New York State’s streets are kept safe. 

Early voting is underway this weekend for Batavia and Genesee County and will run through Sunday October 31st.  The only local site for early voting for the City of Batavia and all Genesee County towns is the Arc GLOW Community Center on Woodrow Road in Batavia.  Voting continues, at various times, daily until October 31st.  Check wbtai.com for the list of times.  County wide, voters will elect a county court judge and the only candidate is Republican Melissa Cianfrini (sin-free-nee) a former Assistant District Attorney.  The lone candidate for Genesee County District Attorney is Kevin Finnell.  All nine members of the Genesee County legislature are running for re-election and all are Republicans running unopposed.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd.

Aspen Dental in Batavia is offering free dental care for Military veterans November 6th in honor of Veterans Day.  Appointments are required.  Call 8442773646 to schedule.  

Just because he used to be a Sabre doesn’t mean Linus Ullmark has to be nice to them.  In the matchup Friday night the Bruins beat the Sabres for their first loss in the regular season.  Ullmark blocked a lot of shots for the Bruins and helped them go to a 4 to 1 victory over his former team.  The Sabres had 36 shots on goal compared to the Bruins 26.  The lone goal for the Sabres was scored by Victor Olofsson. 

Early voting gets underway tomorrow for Batavia and Genesee County and will run through October 31st.
The only local site for early voting is the Arc GLOW Community Center on Woodrow Road in Batavia. This site serves as the early voting location for the City of Batavia and all Genesee County towns.
The hours of early voting for tomorrow are Noon to 5pm.
Voting continues, at various times, daily until October 31st.
The schedule on dates and times came be found HERE.

While you are welcome to vote early, there are few choices in this local election. Most races feature candidates who are running unopposed.
In the city of Batavia, voters will select three councilmen at large from a field of four candidates. The field includes incumbents Gene Jankowski, Bob Bialkowski and Jeremy Karas, all Republicans and the lone Democrat on the ballot is Erica O’Donnell. The top three vote getters are elected.

County wide, voters will elect a county court judge. The lone candidate is Republican Melissa Cianfrini (sin-free-nee) a former Assistant District Attorney.
The lone candidate or Genesee County District Attorney is Kevin Finnell.
All nine members of the Genesee County legislature are running for re-election and all are Republicans, and all are running unopposed.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd.

Shiela Taylor

Some statewide recognition for a Direct Care Specialist for the Arc GLOW.
Sheila Taylor has been selected to receive the Thomas A. Maul award for excellence. Only four persons in the state are chosen to receive the award from hundreds of nominations.
Sheila works at a home for Livingston County for Developmentally disabled individuals. Arc GLOW is made up of the recently merged Arc Chapters in Genesee, Orleans, Livingston and Wyoming Counties.

The Buffalo Sabres are back on the ice tonight as they look to continue their perfect start to the brand-new season. The three-and-oh Sabres are hosting the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.
Face-off for tonight’s contest is scheduled for 7 p-m.

While Election Day is still over a week away, voters could begin casting ballots this weekend.
Early voting gets underway tomorrow and will run through October 31st. Turnout is likely to be high once again this year because most people will want to avoid potentially crowded polling places on Election Day due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
In Genesee County, the only site for early voting is the ARC Community Center on Woodrow Road in Batavia. This site serves as the early voting location for the City of Batavia and all Genesee County towns.

Early Voting Schedule at Arc GLOW Community Center, 38 Woodrow Rd., Batavia

Saturday, Oct 23  12pm – 5pm

Sunday, Oct 24  12pm-5pm

Monday, Oct 25, 9am – 5pm

Tuesday, Oct 26  12pm – 8pm

Wednesday, Oct 27  12pm – 8pm

Thursday, Oct 28,  9am – 5pm

Friday, Oct 29  9am – 5pm

Saturday, Oct 30  12pm – 5pm

Sunday, Oct 31  12pm-5pm

In the city of Batavia, voters will select three councilmen at large from a field of four candidates. The top three vote getters are elected. The filed includes incumbents Gene Jankowski, Bob Bialkowski and Jeremy Karas, all Republicans and the lone Democrat on the ballot is Erica O’Donnell.

County wide, voters will elect a county court judge. The lone candidate is Republican Melissa Cianfrini,  a former Assistant District Attorney.
The lone candidate or Genesee County District Attorney is Kevin Finnell.
All nine members of the Genesee County legislature are running for re-election and all are Republicans, and all are running unopposed.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd.

A new poll is revealing how New Yorkers are feeling about the COVID-19 pandemic these days. According to the Siena Research Institute, 50-percent of people surveyed said they believe the worst of the health crisis is over. But 36-percent predict the worst of the pandemic is yet to come. When asked if think every day about protecting themselves and their families from coronavirus, 78-percent of people polled said yes.

The Buffalo Sabres are back on the ice tonight as they look to continue their perfect start to the brand-new season. The three-and-oh Sabres are hosting the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.
Face-off for tonight’s contest is scheduled for seven p-m.

Town of Batavia property owners can expect a tax rate decrease of about 12-percent next year…but that does not mean your property taxes are going down.
Town Supervisor Greg Post says the town will use about 1.1-million dollars in its fund balance to hold down the actual tax levy.
While that may sound like good news, the devil is in the details. Property assessments have gone up
That means the actual amount of money you pay out in taxes could increase even though the tax rate has gone down.

Much the same situation at the county level. County Manager Matt Landers says he expected the tax rate to do down by about 4.5 percent. But again, assessments have gone up in most towns and villages and the city of Batavia.

Student-athletes at high schools across New York State can now benefit from their accomplishments on the field.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association changed a rule that allows them to monetize their name, image, and likeness.
But an athlete will lose their amateur status if they accept gifts, endorsements, or money connected with activities involving their team or school.
Athletes also can not appear in the uniform of their school or utilize any marks or logos.

Governor Kathy Hochul is signing legislation to ensure retirement plan security for New Yorkers. The new law requires private sector employers who don’t provide retirement plans to automatically enroll employees in the state’s Secure Choice Savings Plan. It’s a self-sufficient retirement savings program that works in the form of an automatic enrollment payroll deduction IRA. State AARP Director Beth Frankel said the Governor is empowering millions of working New Yorkers to save for a financially secure and independent retirement, while providing small businesses an effective way to attract and retain employees.

Property owners in the Town of Batavia can expect a tax rate decrease of about 12-percent next year.
Town Supervisor Greg Post says the town’s expenses are up and revenues are down. So how do you get a decrease?
Post says the town will use about $1.1-million in its fund balance. That will keep the tax levy about the same as this year.
Now factor in an increase in assessments and you get a tax rate decrease.
Does that mean your tax bill goes down? No, because your assessment has likely gone up.
Post is quick to point out final adoption of the budget is scheduled for November 17th and changes could be made by then.

Much the same situation at the county level. County Manager Matt Landers says he expects the tax rate to do down by about 4.5 percent.
That news is also tempered by an increase in assessments.

Student-athletes at high schools across New York State can now benefit from their accomplishments on the field.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association changed a rule that allows them to monetize their name, image, and likeness.
But an athlete will lose their amateur status if they accept gifts, endorsements, or money connected with activities involving their team or school.
Athletes also can not appear in the uniform of their school or utilize any marks or logos.

The lawyer for ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo is accusing state Attorney General Letitia James of being biased against him. Rita Glavin claimed that James interfered with the investigation into sexual harassment allegations that were made against Cuomo by several women. Glavin went on to say that James’ alleged actions were politically motivated and aimed at destroying Cuomo’s reputation.
Cuomo resigned as governor back in August but hasn’t publicly ruled out running for office again.

Leroy will be getting a spray ground to replace the old leaky wading pool at Wildwood Park.  This was decided in a town and village Board meeting earlier this month.   The spray park will be installed with 2,000 square feet of misting stations, aqua arches, showers, spills, and water weaves of intertwining spouts from the base outward. Activities are geared for kids of all ages and sizes, and the park will be handicap accessible.  A cooperative effort by both town and village boards, the project is estimated to cost $300,000 to be split by each municipality. The money is coming from the federal COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

With the cost of gas rising rapidly across New York State, Republicans in the State Senate are asking Governor Hochul to suspend the state’s tax on fuel. New York currently has the ninth-highest gas tax in the country at just over 46-cents per gallon. Right now, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in the area is $3.45 which is up 10-cents in the last week and 17 cents in the last month.  Republicans are also trying to stop a bill that would raise the gas tax by 55 cents and home heating gas by 25 percent in addition to the rise we are seeing.

The Buffalo Common Council is now calling for city, county and state officials to seriously consider building a new Bills stadium downtown.  They said they feel that moving the Bills to Orchard Park was an “error” and that bringing the team back into the city limits would help Buffalo continue to grow.  The resolution acknowledged the speculation that the cost to build the new stadium in Buffalo would cost much more than the proposed $1.4 billion price tag to build a new one in Orchard Park due to major infrastructure changes. But they said the changes would stimulate further economic growth.  The Bills organization has said it does not want to leave Orchard Park.

State Police have announced the results of their Columbus Day weekend crackdown on dangerous drivers. Troopers say they issued almost 18-thousand tickets from October 7th through October 12th and arrested 207 people for impaired driving.   Most of the traffic tickets were handed out for speeding, distracted driving and seatbelt violations

Governor Kathy Hochul came to town today to ceremonially break ground for Plug Power on the STAMP project in the Town o Alabama.
Plug Power plans to spend 290-million dollars building a green Hydrogen Fuel production plant and 450-megawatt electric substation to provide power to the STAMP site.
Hochul said employees with a strong work ethic is a calling card for the region…

Plug Power expects to employ 68 people in Alabama.
STAMP has been the hallmark of the Genesee County Economic Development Center. Over the years potential projects have come and gone. Right now, the Plug Power project is the only one to actually start construction.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, center, is flanked by local politicians and Plug Power officials at ground breaking for the $290-million Hydrogen Fuel plant in the Town of Alabama

Development will be on the mind of the LeRoy Village Board tonight. Citizens are expected to again voice their opinions on a 30-unit housing project just off of East Avenue in the village. Batavia Businessman Eric Biscaro is behind the project to provide duplex housing to persons 50 and over.
Tonight’s Village Board meeting will be held in Memorial Auditorium on Trigon Park at 7pm.

With the cost of gas rising rapidly across New York State, Republicans in the State Senate are asking Governor Hochul to suspend the state’s tax on fuel. New York currently has the ninth-highest gas tax in the country at just over 46-cents per gallon. Right now, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in the area is $3.45 which is up 10-cents in the last week and 17 cents in the last month.

State Police have announced the results of their Columbus Day weekend crackdown on dangerous drivers.
Troopers say they issued almost 18-thousand tickets from October 7th through October 12th and arrested 207 people for impaired driving.
Most of the traffic tickets were handed out for speeding, distracted driving and seatbelt violations

Governor Kathy Hochul is visiting Genesee County’s STAMP project this afternoon. Her office says she will make announcement about so-called “green jobs.”
Plug Power is building a green hydrogen fuel facility at the site.
The governor was here for the official ground-breaking for the project that is expected to employ about 65 people.

Governor Hochul says parents of young children should start planning to get their kids vaccinated against COVID-19. While FDA approval of a vaccine for children five to 11-years-old is likely still a few weeks away, the governor is urging parents to make an appointment with their child’s pediatrician now instead of waiting for that to happen. The governor says the state will depend mostly on pediatricians to distribute vaccine doses. But she also says she’s looking into reopening mass-vaccination sites and working with schools in order to get kids immunized.

A proposed housing development in LeRoy the hot topic for tonight’s LeRoy Village Board meeting. The development, proposed by Batavia businessman Eric Biscaro, has drawn criticism from nearby property owners. Biscaro is planning to build 30-duplex units for persons 50 and over on land just off East Ave in the village.
Previous meetings have had property owners express concerns over traffic and storm water run-off from the project.
Tonight’s meeting will be held in Memorial Auditorium on Trigon Park.

The Buffalo Sabres have extended their winning streak to three games and are off to their best start since the 2008. The Sabres beat the Vancouver Canucks by a final score of five-to-two at KeyBank Center last night. Sabres goalie Craig Anderson picked up his second victory of the year by stopping 32 of the 34 shots he faced. The Sabres will finish up their homestand on Friday when they host the Boston Bruins.

Governor Hochul told parents to get ready for vaccines for kids 5-12 by setting up appointments with their primary care physicians to get their kids vaccinated as soon as the COVID vaccine is approved.  Hochul said the state anticipates Pfizer’s vaccine for children ages 5 to 12 will be out in November.  Hochul said there will be “options” when it comes to getting kids vaccinated. If a parent can’t get their child in to the pediatrician, she said schools will have resources to make it happen.  Hochul has said she won’t put a vaccine mandate for kids to attend school in place right away but is ready to if not enough kids get the shot.

Strong Museum of Play has a new way for kids to experience the museum.  A robot that can be controlled from anywhere in the country.  This robot will be partnered with a tour guide for kids to go to and explore the museums exhibits remotely.  Right now the plan is for the robot to be used by kids who are in hospitals including Golisano Children’s Hospital.  VP of marketing and communications at Strong, Sara Poe says children are also able to drive the robot from their bed.  The robot essentially looks like an tablet attached to a pole on wheels with the ability to go up and down and pitch to look around. 

The Buffalo Sabres triumphed again Tuesday night against the Vancouver Kanucks.  The 5 to 2 victory was due to a rapid succession of goals in the third period which took the Sabres from behind to winning in a short period of time.  Buffalo took 43 shots compared to Vancouver’s 34.  The Sabres next game is friday against the Bruins at Keybank center.  

The Bills announced yesterday that Tight end Dawson Knox has fractured his hand.  The injury happened during the game against the Titans.  Knox threw the pass in the second half to QB Josh Allen that put the Bills up 31 to 24.  Knox left the game after that play.  Knox is off to a career year. He has 21 catches for 286 yards and five touchdowns in six games. It’s worth noting that no Bills tight end has ever had more than six touchdowns in a single season.

23-year-old Kaleb Bobzien of Batavia has been indicted on a variety of felony charges for allegedly trying to strangle two people in a violent confrontation this past summer.
At the time of his arrest, sheriff’s deputies said Bobzien placed a blanket over the face of one of his victims and then choked a second victim with his arm. One of the victims was under the age of 17. One of his victims lost consciousness for a time. The indictment charges Bobzien with criminal obstruction of breathing, two counts of harassment, witness tampering and other charges.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is noting she has COVID-19 related concerns heading into the holiday season…

New York experienced an uptick in coronavirus numbers last year around this time as the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays brought friends and family together. Officials hope that things will be much better this time around given the relatively high rate of vaccinations.

Two local airports cash in for some state money.
The Genesee County airport is getting $400,000 for buying service equipment to maintain operations during bad weather. The Perry /Warsaw Airport in Wyoming County is getting $600,000 to build a new above ground spill containment fuel farm.

Congressman Chris Jacobs gets an up-close and personal look at the recently combined Arc GLOW, serving developmentally disabled people in a four-county area.
Jacobs toured the agency’s Day Habilitation Center in Elba yesterday. He met several individuals served by the agency and greeted several staff members. The Arc GLOW is geographically the largest chapter in the state.
The agency sought Jacobs’ support of the “Better Care Better Jobs Act.”
Also discussed were staffing shortages and poor wages that have plagued agencies like Arc GLOW.

PHOTO: Chris Jacobs (R-NY) meets Danny at Arc GLOW Day Hab facility in Elba

The Buffalo Sabres are off to a two-and-oh start to their season and they’ll be looking to secure their third straight win on home ice tonight. They’re hosting the Vancouver Canucks at KeyBank Center and goalie Craig Anderson is expected to be in net for the Sabres.
Face-off for this evening’s contest is set for 7 p-m.

Chris Jacobs (R-NY)

Congressman Chris Jacobs gets an up-close and personal look at the recently combined Arc GLOW, serving developmentally disabled people in a four-county area.
Jacobs toured the agency’s Day Habilitation Center in Elba yesterday. He met several individuals served by the agency and greeted several staff members.
The Arc GLOW is geographically the largest chapter in the state.
The agency sought Jacobs’ support of the “Better Care Better Jobs Act.”
Also discussed were staffing shortages and poor wages that have plagued agencies like Arc GLOW.

PHOTO: Alicia and Kathy present Jacobs with a puzzle art piece made at the Day Hab Center in Elba

Governor Hochul announced state funding for the Genesee County Airport. The airport is getting $400,000 for buying service equipment to maintain operations during bad weather. The Perry /Warsaw Airport in Wyoming County is getting $600,000 to build a new above ground spill containment fuel farm.

The four-game winning streak of the Buffalo Bills is over following a heartbreaking loss on Monday Night Football.
Quarterback Josh Allen had the ball with seconds left in the game but came up short on a fourth down attempt as the Bills lost to the Tennessee Titans 34 to 31.
With the loss, Buffalo is four and two this season but is still in first place in the AFC East.

The Buffalo Sabres are off to a two-and-oh start to their season and they’ll be looking to secure their third straight win on home ice tonight. They’re hosting the Vancouver Canucks at KeyBank Center and goalie Craig Anderson is expected to be in net for the Sabres.
Face-off for this evening’s contest is set for 7 p-m.

Governor Hochul announced state funding for airports and Genesee County Airport and Perry Warsaw Airport are getting some of the pie.  Genesee county Airport is getting 4 hundred thousand out of the 20.7 million going out.  The money is earmarked for buying service equipment to maintain operations during inclement weather.  Perry/Warsaw Airport is getting 6 hundred thousand for a new above ground spill containment fuel farm.  

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Batavia is up for the second week in a row.  Triple-A shows the average price per gallon in Batavia is $3.38, up 5-cents from just last week.  13 cents up from 2 weeks ago.  Nationally, the average price of a gallon of regular is at a seven year high.

Buffalo Zoo has a new baby animal and it’s a doozy.  A female baby greater one horned rhino was born to Tashi at 3:29 am Saturday morning.  She was 130 pounds.  The Association of Zoos and Aquariums includes the Buffalo Zoo in its Species Survival Plan for the greater one-horned rhino. In the past 17 years, five calves have been born at the zoo.  Tashi’s calf does not yet have a name, and the zoo has not yet announced when the public will be able to view her.

The Buffalo Bills fell before the Titans after a last minute drive failed to carry the game for them Monday night in Tennessee.  The final score with the Bills at the 3 yard line on the 4th down was 34 to 31. The Bills are now 4 and 2 and have a bye next week.  Their next game is Halloween against the Miami Dolphins at Highmark Stadium.  

Labatt USA made a gift of over 600 orders of buffalo chicken wings to the city of Nashville medical workers as a thank you for hosting Bills fans for Monday’s game.  The wings went to health care workers at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown and West locations.  Labatt said the donation is a continuation of a program it launched in 2020 named “Buffalo Brings the Wings,” when it donated almost 100,000 chicken wings to front line workers across six core markets during the pandemic.

COVID-19 infection rates in the Finger Lakes is still among the highest in the state.
Right now, the region’s seven-day average coronavirus positivity rate is 4.9 percent. In Genesee County alone, the 7-day rate is 6.9 percent.
Only the North Country, Mohawk Valley and Central New York regions have a higher infection rate.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Batavia is up for the second week in a row.
Triple-A shows the average price per gallon in Batavia is $3.38, up 5-cents from just last week.
Nationally, the average price of a gallon of regular is at a seven year high.

Nicolas Maher

The investigation continues this afternoon into the murder of an Oakfield man.
69-year-old Martin Maher of Drake Street was found dead in a home he he shared with his son, 37-year-old Nicolas Maher.
Within hours of the grim discovery, Nicholas was arrested and charged with murdering his father.
The Sheriff’s Office has not revealed the cause of death or released any information about a possible motive.

O-At-Ka milk has been the target of a cyber-attack CEO Bill Schrieber says the attack effected company computers, timeclocks, and other equipment. He called the attack sophisticated and labeled it a ransomware attack.
O-At-Ka is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to recover and resume normal operations

The Buffalo Bills will be in the Music City tonight as they look to extend their current winning streak to five. The AFC East leading Bills are taking on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville tonight.
Buffalo is five and one this season and hasn’t lost since falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 12th.

Nicholas Maher

An Oakfield man is charged with killing his father.
37-year-old Nicholas Maher has been charged with second degree murder in the death of his father, 69-year-old Martin Maher in a home they shared at 32 Drake Street in the village.
Deputies say they were called to the Maher home yesterday to check on the welfare of the elder Maher.
When they entered police found Maher’s body. They said it was determined he was the victim of a homicide.
Authorities have not disclosed the cause of death.
The investigation quickly led them to Maher’s son Nicholas who was located in Erie County and taken into custody without incident. Nicholas is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.

PHOTO: 32 Drake St., Oakfield

Our weekly gasoline prices report shows the average price of a gallon of regular in Batavia is up again, for the second week in a row.
Triple-A shows the average price per gallon in Batavia is $3.38, up five cents from just last week.
Nationally, the average price of a gallon of regular is at a seven year high.

O-At-Ka milk has been the target of a cyber-attack CEO Bill Schrieber says the attack effected company computers, timeclocks, and other equipment. He called the attack sophisticated and labeled it a ransomware attack.
O-At-Ka is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to recover and resume normal operations

The Buffalo Bills will be in the Music City tonight as they look to extend their current winning streak to five. The AFC East leading Bills are taking on the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville for Monday Night Football. The Bills are coming off of a win last week over the defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs and will try and avenge a 42 to 16 loss to the Titans last year. Buffalo is five and one this season and hasn’t lost since falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 12th. Kickoff for tonight’s contest is set for 8:15 p.m.

O-At-Ka milk was the target of a cyber attack starting Thursday night.  CEO Bill Shrieber says the attack effected company computers, timeclocks, and other equipment.  Schreiber said O-At-Ka routinely prepares for such attacks and “the contingencies we put in place have been effective in restoring and maintaining our business functions.”  He called the attack sophisticated and labeled it a ransomware attack.  O-At-Ka is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to recover and resume normal operations.

Gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin was in Batavia Friday to visit Chapin Manufacturing and find out what local manufacturers and those in upstate NY care about and the issues they face. CEO of Chapin Jim Campbell said local companies want less regulation and more employable workers. They also asked Zeldin questions, he was asked how he could think he could win NY and said that he just needed to raise the number of people in rural counties who went to the polls.  

A Genesee County man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a person by shoving them, which caused them to break their foot, while yelling racial slurs at them.  Investigators say 44-year-old John Gaylord of Elba was charged with assault in the third degree as a hate crime.  The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office believes the victim was selected based on their race.  Gaylord is expect to re-appear in court on October 27.

A man from Oakfield is charged with killing his own father.  Police responded to a welfare check call on Sunday morning around 11 to a home on drake street in Oakfield.  They discovered that 69 year old Martin Maher was deceased and the victim of a homicide.  After investigating, deputies arrested Maher’s son, 37-year-old Nicholas Maher, who lives in the same house. He was found in Erie County around 3:30 Sunday afternoon and taken into custody without incident.  Maher is charged with 2nd degree murder.-0-

The snow leopard cub at the Seneca Park Zoo has a name!  Kenji, which means strong in Himalayan was born in April and a fundraising campaign was held where members of the public could donate to vote on names.  

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Arizona Coyotes 2 to 1 in a shootout Saturday.  Cody Eakin scored the regulation goal for the Sabres while Tage Thompson and Artuu Routsalainen scored the 2 shootout goals.  The Sabres take on the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night at 7pm.

Billie Owens

Billie Faye Owens, 63, editor of The Batavian from 2010 to 2021, died at Rochester General Hospital on Friday evening from complications from congestive heart failure.

She was taken to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia with health issues on July 26 and remained hospitalized for 81 days. At no time did she test positive for COVID-19.

She was born in 1958 in Charlotte, N.C., to Barbara Jean Carter and Billie Eugene McSwain. Her mother moved her when she was 5 to San Diego where she would eventually attend San Diego State University, earning a B.A. in Journalism.

She went to work for the Daily Californian in El Cajon, Calif. in 1989, where she met her second husband, Howard Owens, then a wire and copy editor at the Daily Californian, and currently publisher of The Batavian. They were married on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene College in 1993.

Her journalism career began with an internship at the Los Angeles Times and included stints at the San Diego Business Journal, the Ventura County Star, and the Canandaigua Daily Messenger.

She won numerous regional and statewide journalism awards in San Diego for her writing and reporting.

She was passionate about her craft and one thing Howard and Billie bonded over quickly was the fact they both had substantial collections of books about journalism, which has grown to more than 400 titles over the years. They also both enjoyed old movies with main characters who were reporters and editors.

She loved animals and was upset by anybody who abused animals. She made it a mission to publish reports of people leaving dogs in hot cars and made local animal abuse cases her beat in Genesee County. She was also well-known for her colorful reports of lost and missing pets and shelter animals in need of adoption.

In 2015, Howard and Billie adopted Rocky, a mix-breed pit bull who had been abused by a previous owner. Rocky succumbed to cancer on July 31.

Billie is survived by her husband and three grandchildren, whom she loved. Her mother, Barbara France, passed away in December in San Diego.

In lieu of flowers or condolences, donations can be made to Volunteers for Animals in the name of Billie and Rocky. There will be no local service. Her wishes were that her ashes be deposited in the Pacific Ocean off the Ventura County Pier, where her son’s ashes, Charles Raymond Sutherland, were deposited in 2018.

O-At-Ka Milk Products is spending 20-30 thousand dollars a day trucking waste water away from Batavia as their waste is too contaminated to go into the City’s Waste treatment ponds.  The city says they need to fix the waste or the city taxpayers will have to pay fines from the state.  O-At-Ka CEO Bill Schrieber disagrees.  Schrieber says it is right in their contract that they are responsible for paying the fines and are able to do so till they can fix the water issue.  Earlier this week, City Manager Rachel Tabelski said the city cannot allow  willful violations of permits for the waste water treatment plant.  Shrieber says the city has been unwilling to sit down and talk about the issue.  Schreiber says the company is seeking a “bridge” to get through the next several weeks and the city appears unwilling to cooperate.

The Spotted lantern fly is a pest and a plague on crops says Us Representative Joe Morelle.  He announced he has secured 4 million dollars to keep lanternflies from spreading and damaging crops.  Experts say if you happen to see a spotted lanternfly you’re advised to take a photo, report the location to the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and then kill it.

The body that was recovered from the Niagara river on Thursday has been identified as the boy who fell into the river while fishing with his father.  15 year old Kameron Stenzel of Sanborn and his father were fishing at Whirlpool state Park when he slipped and fell into the water and never resurfaced.  Canadian authorities located the body near Niagara on the Lake.

November 8th will be the day when fully vaccinated Canadians can once again cross over to the US using the land bridges.  The reopening will take place in two phases. Phase one will open the border to nonessential travel from Canada and Mexico in November. The second phase starts in January and will allow travel through land and ferry ports of entry from other foreign nationals.

A local drug Take Back Day has been scheduled in Genesee County.
Law Enforcement agencies will collect un-wanted and expired medications at various sites next Saturday from 10 until 2.
The Batavia Police Department will accept prescription drugs and sharps in the Alva Place parking lot, the Sheriff’s Office will collect prescription drugs at the Pembroke Town Hall and LeRoy will accept prescription drugs at their headquarters on West Main in LeRoy.
Authorities remind homeowners that medicines that languish in home medicine cabinets are susceptible to misuse and abuse. Get rid of them, no questions asked, next Saturday.

Batavia Downs is supporting Operation Warm, a fund-raising effort by Batavia City Firemen to buy new coats for kids this winter.
The Downs presented a check for $2,000 to support the effort that has a goal of purchasing 300 new, American made coats for local child in need.
The money contributed by the Downs was raised at the Summer Concert Series through the rental of chairs.

State Park Police say a male body has been found in the lower Niagara River near an area where they’ve been searching for a missing teenager. Police say it could be the body of 15-year-old Kameron Stenzel, who fell into the water earlier this week while fishing with his father. The identity of the body has yet to be confirmed.

The Buffalo Sabres have started their brand-new season the right way with a big win on home ice. The Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens by a score of five-to-one at KeyBank Center last night.
Buffalo goalie Craig Anderson was solid in net and stopped 30 of the 31 shots he faced. The Sabres will have today off before hosting the Arizona Coyotes tomorrow afternoon at one p-m.

The City of Batavia announces that city wide leaf collection will begin October 25th.
Do not bag your leaves and be sure to rake them close to the curb line without placing them in the street.
Schedule of collection locations.

The city-wide leaf collection program in Batavia begins on Monday, October 25th and continues through November 24th.

Residents are asked to rake leaves into piles and leave them in the parkway (un-bagged). Please, place close to curb line/edge of roadway without placing in the street. Do not pile around fire hydrants, trees, utility poles or signposts. Leaf piles should only contain leaves and no branches, grass clippings or other materials.

Leaf operations typically have one crew on the Northside working from Grandview Terrace moving West, North of Main Street, and a second crew on the Southside beginning on River Street moving East in areas South of Main Street. A third crew will work using a vacuum along main roads and numbered routes. It takes about 2 weeks to go through the entire city.

Any resident with leaves can also bring them to the Yard Waste Station until it closes for the season on December 11^th, 2021. The Yard Waste hours are 8am-2pm Monday through Friday, 12pm-6pm Saturdays through October 30, and then 11am-5pm from November 1^st through December 11^th due to daylight savings. The Yard Waste Station will be closed November 25^th and will officially close for the season after December 11^th, 2021.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LEAF COLLECTION:

• Leaf piles must be clear of sticks and other debris.
• Leaf piles must be clear of all animal waste – if animal waste is found in the piles, they will not be picked up
• Grass clippings, Flower potting’s, Branches, Pumpkins cannot be picked up and residents may bring those items to the Yard Waste Station on Law Street (which will be open through December 11^th, 2021)
• Leaves should not block traffic.
• Leaves should not be piled near intersection corners. This causes sight issues for motorists/bicyclists/pedestrians.
• Keep leaf piles clear of drainage ways and catch basins. Blocked drainage leads to localized flooding.
• Leaves should not be piled around mailboxes, power poles, fences, fire hydrants or other obstacles.
• Do not park on leaf piles. The heat from a vehicle exhaust system could start a fire.
• Do not wait to get your leaves out. We will normally collect leaves twice within the month of leaf collection.
• If it is snowing, we plow first. If it continues to snow, then leaf operations will be suspended.
• There is no leaf pickup in the spring.

Contact the Bureau of Maintenance @ 585-345-6400 option 1 if you have any questions.

Attorney General for New York State Letitia James came to Batavia thursday to present a check for 1 million 60 thousand dollars to The Recovery Station on Clinton Road.  James is conducting a statewide tour to recognize communities for their efforts in fighting the opioid epidemic and to distribute funds awarded to New York through a settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors. Yesterday afternoon, she presented oversized ceremonial checks in Waterloo, Rochester and Batavia.

The animal control in Basom are asking the public not to approach or feed a large white Great Pyrenees dog that has been wandering the community.  It is skittish and runs from humans.  They are hoping that if people stop feeding the dog it will go for the food placed in a trap placed on wednesday.  If you are the owner or know who owns the dog or sight the dog call 585 343 6410.

The Buffalo Sabres came out strong in their matchup against Montreal Thursday night.  It was the opening night for the Sabres as the preseason has ended and Buffalo gave a lackluster showing before the regular season got started.  But this 5 to 1 win over the Canadiens sets up the Sabres to hopefully do a little better this season.  Last year they ended with not just the worst record in the NHL but the worst record in the history of the NHL.  Coach Granato says they are going on offense and planning to be much more aggressive this season.  

Sabres legendary announcer Rick Jeaneret has announced that he will call 20 regular season games and then hang up his microphone.  He has had a hall of fame career calling Sabres games since 1971 on the radio and then moving over to tv in 1995.  He will retire after calling the April 29th game against the Chicago Blackhawks.  Dan Dunleavy will finish out the season.

A school bus carrying 35 BOCES students crashed into a ditch on Route 98 in Alexander after swerving to avoid striking a car.
None of students on board were seriously hurt. Some were evaluated by EMS at the scene, one student sough medical attention after the accident.
The accident happened shortly before 1 p.m. this afternoon.
The bus, owned by the Caledonia-Mumford School District, was carrying students from the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center to a building trades project site. The bus driver was not injured.
After the crash, the students were returned to the Career and Technical Center in Batavia.

The city of Batavia wants Oatka Milk to clean-up the contamination of waste water it dumps into the city’s sewer system. Oatka says it’s doing the best it can to control the contamination by trucking away the waste, but the cost of that operation is prohibitive. City Manager Rachel Tabelski addressed the issue on WBTA’s Main and Center program this morning

City Hall says taxpayers could face huge environmental fines until the contamination is brought down to acceptable levels.

New York is now facing the worst home care shortage in the nation and state lawmakers are calling for fair wages to end the crisis. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senator Shelley Mayer and other officials are urging passage of the Fair Pay for Home Care Act to end the shortage by paying home care workers a living wage. The recent loss of over 15,000 nursing home residents to COVID has prompted an increasing number of families to choose home care, yet reports indicate over 40-percent of the state’s home care workers live in or near poverty.

The Buffalo Sabres begin their new season tonight and they’ll get to do it in front of their home crowd. The Sabres are taking on the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center, but they’ll be doing so without star player Jack Eichel who is involved in a dispute with team management and may end up getting traded. Face-off for tonight’s contest is scheduled for 7 p.m..

Rachael Tabelski

The city of Batavia and one of areas largest employers are trying to resolve a dispute over waste water contamination. The city maintains that Oatka is dumping contaminants into the waste water stream that exceeds EPA guidelines. The company says the cost of shipping its excess waste-water out of the city by truck is cost prohibitive.
City Manager Rachel Tabelski, speaking on WBTA’s Main and Center program this morning, says the stakes are high

As Oatka faces a substantial increase in expense, the city faces potential environmental fines unless the contamination is cleaned up.

The Chancellor of the State university of New York – SUNY – is praising students for their efforts in preventing the spread of COVID-19
99-point-five percent of students have already been vaccinated against COVID-19. Only 15-hundred students have not been vaccinated yet and most of them are commuter students from community colleges.

Flu season is underway, and Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to roll up their sleeves and protect themselves from the virus. The state Department of Health says that everyone six months of age or older should receive a flu shot and that it’s especially important for kids under the age of two and people over the age of 65 to get immunized. Officials say flu season typically peaks between December and February. In 2020, there were a record low number of flu cases statewide due to people following mask-wearing and social distancing protocols.

The Buffalo Sabres kick off their new season tonight and they’ll get to do it in front of their home crowd. The Sabres are taking on the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center, but they’ll be doing so without star player Jack Eichel who is involved in a dispute with team management and may end up getting traded. This season, the Sabres are hoping to end their postseason drought which is currently the longest in the National Hockey League. Face-off for tonight’s contest is scheduled for 7 p.m.

With Pfizer seeking FDA approval for their vaccine to be administered to children 5-12 any parents and educators are wondering if a new mandate is coming and Governor Hochul is indicating that yes, a vaccine mandate for schools is inbound.  Governor Hochul says that once the COVID vaccine is approved for young kids she is planning to wait a couple of months to see how many parents get their kids the shot voluntarily and then impose a mandate for every school age child to get vaccinated in order to attend school.  She points to other vaccines that are required for school attendance in order to say that vaccine mandates are not unusual.  Critics point out that nearly all vaccines required for students were studied for years or even decades before being mandated and that the diseases they prevent are much more deadly to children than COVID.

The mail at the post office is getting slower and more expensive and New York State is not happy.  NYS Attorney General Letitia James is joining in with 20 other attorney Generals across the US to bring a lawsuit against the USPS over the slowdown and increase in prices that have made first class mail take up to 5 days to arrive and package fees go up.  The lawsuit alleges that the Postmaster General made wide sweeping changes without going through the USPS regulatory process and seeks to stall the changes and increased time and cost till at last after christmas. 

Genesee County is trying to locate a dog and its owner over a dog bite incident. The bite occurred late Monday morning in Centennial Park. The dog is described as a grey Pitbull with white markings around its neck, front paws and left ear. The dog is believed to weigh between 55 and 60 pounds and was wearing a camo collar. The dog was not accompanied by its owner and was running loose in the park.  Health Department officials need to know if the dog is current with its rabies shot, otherwise the victim will need post exposure rabies shots. If you have any information, you are asked to call the Genesee County Health Department.

O-AT-KA milk is facing a tough situation after the City of Batavia discovered exceedingly high levels of contaminants in the waste water sent into the ponds from the Cedar Street industry.  The city is facing thousands of dollars in fines from the State Department of Environmental Conservation if it can’t fix the contamination problem.  O-At-Ka is having to ship the waste water by truck away to other dumping grounds and is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra expenses.  Something that Chairman John Gould says they can’t do much longer.  The company is investing 6 million dollars into upgrading its waste water pretreatment facility but it may not be enough.  Gould says that if the city still restricts its ability to dump its waste water into the city waste treatment ponds they may have to look at reducing operations at the Batavia location or relocating the plant altogether

Genesee County is trying to locate a dog and its owner over a dog bite incident.
The bite occurred late Monday morning in Centennial Park. The dog is described as a grey Pitbull with white markings around its neck, front paws and left ear. The dog is believed to weigh between 55 and 60 pounds and was wearing a camo collar. The dog was not accompanied by its owner and was running loose in the park.
Health Department officials need to know if the dog is current with its rabies shot, otherwise the victim will need post exposure rabies shots. If you have any information, you are asked to call the Genesee County Health Department.

The City of Batavia wants Oatka Milk to stop contaminating its waste water treatment system. The city claims waste water contamination from Oatka exceeds state environmental guidelines. The city says it could be liable for thousands of dollars in fines if Oatka doesn’t clean up. The company maintains that the equipment required to bring their discharge within limits does not exist. Talks between the company and the city continue.

New York State is urging New Yorkers to be aware of an ongoing scam. Officials say the text message phishing scheme is asking people to validate their COVID-19 vaccination status in an attempt to steal their personal data such as passwords and Social Security numbers. The message appears to be from the Department of Health and tells the person receiving it they must enter their information in order to prove they’ve been vaccinated. Anyone who gets a text message like this should delete it immediately.

A new poll shows Governor Hochul is leading fellow Democrats who could end up facing her in a primary next year. According to the Marist poll, Governor Hochul has the support of 44-percent of people surveyed while state Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams finished with 28-percent and 15-percent support, respectively. While James has been rumored to be considering a run for governor, she hasn’t launched a campaign yet and Williams has only created an exploratory committee. New York Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs has already endorsed Hochul as she looks to win a full four-year term.

Everyone knows that Western New York winters can be long, snowy and brutally cold. Can you imagine being a child trying to get to and from school in these conditions and not having a warm coat to wear?

The City of Batavia Firefighters Local 896 is once again teaming up with Operation Warm to provide winter coats to children in our community. Local 896 has partnered with Batavia Downs raising money to purchase brand new American made winter coats so children can comfortably and confidently get to school this winter.

In the past Local 896 has donated more than 300 coats through Operation Warm. Our goal this year is to raise enough funds to purchase 300 coats. City firefighters will coordinate with Batavia Community Schools and distribute coats in the coming months.

To donate easily and securely please visit this website

The City of Batavia has issued a cease-and-desist order to Oatka Milk demanding the company clean-up its waste water.
The city maintains the waste water contamination from the Cedar Street plant exceeds state environmental guidelines.
The issue surfaced at last night/’s city council meeting.
The city says it could be liable for thousands of dollars in fines if Oatka doesn’t clean up. The company maintains that the equipment required to bring their discharge within limits does not exist.
So far, the city and the company continue to talk.

New York State is urging New Yorkers to be aware of an ongoing scam. Officials say the text message phishing scheme is asking people to validate their COVID-19 vaccination status in an attempt to steal their personal data such as passwords and Social Security numbers. The message appears to be from the Department of Health and tells the person receiving it they must enter their information in order to prove they’ve been vaccinated. Anyone who gets a text message like this should delete it immediately.

A new poll shows Governor Hochul is leading fellow Democrats who could end up facing her in a primary next year. According to the Marist poll, Governor Hochul has the support of 44-percent of people surveyed while state Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams finished with 28-percent and 15-percent support, respectively. While James has been rumored to be considering a run for governor, she hasn’t launched a campaign yet and Williams has only created an exploratory committee. New York Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs has already endorsed Hochul as she looks to win a full four-year term.

The City of Batavia Firefighters Local 896 is once again teaming up with Operation Warm to provide winter coats to children in Batavia.
The union partnered with Batavia Downs raising money to purchase brand new American made winter coats so children can comfortably and confidently get to school this winter. In the past the firefighters union has donated more than 300 coats through Operation Warm.
City firefighters will coordinate with Batavia Community Schools and distribute coats in the coming months.

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that New York must continue to allow health care workers to seek exemptions from a statewide vaccine mandate on religious grounds.  Judge David Hurd in Utica had issued a temporary restraining order a month ago after 17 doctors, nurses and other health professionals claimed in a lawsuit that their rights would be violated with a vaccine mandate that disallowed the exemptions.  Hurd’s ruling Tuesday means New York will continue to be barred from enforcing any requirement that employers deny religious exemptions.  Lawyers for New York State say the case will continue being appealed to higher courts.

According to Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Brian Higgins say that the land border with Canada will be opened up to Canadians who are fully vaccinated by early November. Governor Hochul applauded the Federal government for pledging to reopen the border.  

Heath officials have authorized the first electronic cigarettes in the U.S., saying the R.J. Reynolds vaping products can benefit adult smokers.  The Food and Drug Administration said data submitted by the company showed its Vuse e-cigarettes helped smokers either quit or significantly reduce their use of cigarettes.  Tuesday’s action is part of a sweeping effort by the FDA to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of regulatory delays.  In September, the agency rejected applications for more than a million e-cigarettes and related products, mainly due to their potential appeal to underage teens.

The City of Batavia Firefighters Local 896 is once again teaming up with Operation Warm to provide winter coats to children in our community. Local 896 has partnered with Batavia Downs raising money to purchase brand new American made winter coats so children can comfortably and confidently get to school this winter.  In the past Local 896 has donated more than 300 coats through Operation Warm. The goal this year is to raise enough funds to purchase 300 coats. City firefighters will coordinate with Batavia Community Schools and distribute coats in the coming months.

Replacing Jack Eichel as team captain this season is not 1 but 2 players.  Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons will both be wearing the A on their jerseys and share an alternating captaincy.  Coach Granato said they both have passion and love for the Sabres.  Girgensons has been with the Sabres since 2012 and missed all of last season with an injury. Okposo has been with the Sabres since 2016, and has been regarded as a leader inside the locker room.

A Raymond Ave. couple has been arrested on several charges accusing them of illegal drug sales in the city of Batavia.
32 year old Cecilia Tina Rodriquez and 28 year old Herbert Gennis III, both of Raymond Ave., were arrested today. The investigation, by the Genesee County Drug Task Force, began with a search warrant conducted last August 16y. Police said drugs and a firearm were located during that search. Both were charged with low grade felonies and misdemeanors and were issued court appearance tickets.

While they’re currently not authorized for use on kids, area pediatricians are already working on how to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to their patients. Pfizer has asked the Food and Drug Administration to approve the use of its vaccine on kids between the ages of five and 12 and that could happen in a few weeks. Counties would then be in charge of deciding who would be able to give those shots and it’s likely doctor’s offices will be on that list. It’s also possible that mass immunization sites will need to open to meet demand for the vaccine.

An Attica prison corrections officer was stabbed in the chest by an inmate serving time for murder.
The guard was not critically injured despite being stabbed multiple times with a metal object. Two other officers had to step in to break up the assault. The officer was leading the prisoner out of this cell at the time.
The officer was treated at ECMC for a cut to the upper chest and an injury to his ankle. He remains unable to return to work.

From the Bad Boys & Girls report:
32-year-old Rae Cook of Batavia has been arrested for assault after allegedly stabbing another person in then neck during an argument.
The fracas was reported on Fisher Park in Batavia earlier this month and just made public by Batavia Police. Cook was locked up $5,000 bail.

18-year-old Marcos Velazquez of Batavia is charged with smashing out the windows of a car with a baseball bat. Police say the incident occurred following a fight with Velazquez’ sister. He was given a court appearance ticket.

A sure sign of Halloween approaching. Rolling Hills Asylum in Bethany is now open and offering guided tours almost every night. The building had served as a poor farm dating back to the 1800s and as mental facility till the 1970s. Many believe the place is haunted. If you would like to visit you can buy tickets at the Rolling Hills website.

New York State keeps incidents of violence at Attica State Prison very close to the vest but the union representing Corrections Officers does not.
The union has reported that a guard was stabbed in the chest last Friday
by an inmate serving time for murder.
The guard was not seriously injured despite being stabbed multiple times with a metal object. Two other officers had to step in to break up the assault.
The prison officer was letting a prisoner out of their cell at the time.
Later, officers found the 45-year-old inmate in possession of a 14-inch rusted piece of metal and a five-inch sharpened copper tube.
The officer was treated at ECMC for a cut to the upper chest and an injury to his ankle. He remains unable to return to work.

This week’s gasoline report: Prices are up an average of 7-cents a gallon in Batavia. The Triple-A says the price is $1.12 more than last year at this time.

While they’re currently not authorized for use on kids,area pediatricians are already working on how to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to their patients. Pfizer has asked the Food and Drug Administration to approve the use of its vaccine on kids between the ages of five and 12 and that could happen in a few weeks. Counties would then be in charge of deciding who would be able to give those shots and it’s likely doctor’s offices will be on that list. It’s also possible that mass immunization sites will need to open to meet demand for the vaccine.

Rescue crews are set to resume their search today for a 15-year-old boy who fell into the Niagara River and hasn’t been seen since. Officials say the teen was fishing with his father yesterday at Whirlpool State Park when he lost his footing and ended up in the water.

Rolling Hills Asylum is now open and offering guided and self guided tours almost every night. Opened in 1826 the Asylum ran as a western NY mental facility till the 1970s when it was shut down and has since been known as one of the most haunted places in the world. If you would like to visit you can buy tickets at the Rolling Hills website.

An officer at Attica Prison was reportedly stabbed in the chest by an inmate on October 8th.  According to the Correction Officers and Police Benevolent Association an officer was letting a prisoner out of their cell when they turned and stabbed the officer multiple times with a metal object before 2 other officers were able to intervene.  The 45 year old inmate who is serving a life sentence for murder was subdued and a 14.5 inch rusted piece of metal and a 5.5 inch sharpened copper tube were found in his possession.  The officer had a cut in their upper chest and a hurt ankle and was taken to ECMC for treatment and remains unable to return to work.  

44 year old Jon Magliocco of Batavia was released from prison on August 2nd and is back behind bars accused of 2 rapes in the same week.  2 people accused him of rape, the first on August 10th and the second on August 14th both at a home on Mill St.  Magliocco is charged with 3rd degree rape, 3rd degree criminal sexual act, and 1st degree criminal sexual act.  He was originally released as a level 3 sex offender and is now being held in Genesee County Jail. 

Rolling Hills Asylum is now open and offering guided and self guided tours almost every night.  Opened in 1826 the Asylum ran as a western NY mental facility till the 1970s when it was shut down and has since been known as one of the most haunted places in the world.  If you would like to visit you can buy tickets at the Rolling Hills website. HERE

The NYS Department of Health has released a new study showing the effectiveness of COVID vaccines over time.  They say that the results show a drop off in how effective the vaccines are in preventing infection by covid of about 20 percent over 5 months for people between the ages of 18 and 64 and closer to 10 percent for those older than 64 for all major vaccines.  They say that this is seen more with the delta variant and less with other variants.  The vaccines are effective in preventing hospitalization by over 86 percent across age groups and this effectiveness wanes less than 6 percent over the 5 months for all age groups.  Dr. Eli Rosenberg of the Department of Health says that these findings support the need for booster shots for all age groups but specifically for those who are older or immunocompromised.  

Restaurant goers may be met with a new way to combat the lack of servers, robots.  In several Rochester restaurants automated servers are being tasked with delivering food and drinks to tables when the servers are hard pressed to keep up due to staffing shortages.  The robots can carry 80 lbs, memorize the floor plans of restaurants and even sing and dance.  The distillery and Henrietta Food Supply are using them.  The question now is, how do you give a tip to a robot?

The northern lights may be visible in the northern sky tonight.  Those who can be closer to the shore of Lake Ontario have a better chance of seeing them once it gets sufficiently dark this evening.  A large geomagnetic storm has struck the planet and space forecasters expect a decent Aurora reaction in the Northern Hemisphere.

Governor Kathy Hochul has signed five new bills aimed at reducing drug related overdose deaths.  One of the bills will decriminalize possession and sale of syringes and other drug paraphernalia.  Hochul says this will reduce the transmission of HIV and hepatitis.  Some of the other bills will establish programs to treat inmates in state and local correctional facilities along with expanding the label of substance use disorder so judges can send people for treatment instead of to jail.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is warning of a text message phishing scheme. Phishing texts are fraudulent messages that try to get your data or sensitive personal information, which is then used to either commit identity theft or trick you into installing malicious software onto a computer or mobile device.

The illegitimate text messages ask you to verify your driver’s license information and to validate your COVID-19 status. If you get this message, the DMV says delete it right away.

Get ready for a hike in gas prices this winter – to the tune of 43%. National Fuel says the price hike is because of fluctuating gas prices which is caused because of low supplies. As for how much in dollars it will cost you, National Fuel says the average home will pay, in total, $200 more this winter. You may be able to get help from New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program, which is accepting applications, and they encourage you to apply early.

Tonight the Batavia Blue Devils will host Honeyoe Falls-Lima in high school football tonight. The game is at 7 p.m. and you can hear it here on WBTA. The team is asking for donations of non perishable foods or hygiene items at tonights game. The donations will help the Family and Community Engagement Center’s Community Closet. Any non-perishable food or hygiene item donation enters you to win four season passes to Six Flags Darien Lake- good for the remainder of this season to enjoy Fright Fest and Magic of Lights.  Then on Saturday, October 16, the Batavia Bulldawgs and Community Schools will be hosting another Hygiene and Food Drive at VanDetta during their games at 1, 3, 5 and 7 pm. 

The Western New York National Cemetery Honor Guard for Genesee County needs volunteers to help with provide military honors in funeral services.  The National Cemetery, located in Pembroke, has become the final resting place for over 600 veterans so far this year and they need help from anyone with an honorable discharge from the military.  Right now there are 47 volunteers from Genesee county but the number is shrinking as winter arrives and many get ready to head south.  For more information on how you can help, stop by the Batavia American Legion, 8969 Alexander Rd on Saturday, October 9 from 1-4 pm or call Carl Hyde at 585.356.2658. 

Governor Kathy Hochul signed 5 new bills aimed at reducing drug related overdose deaths yesterday.  Among the legislation was a bill to decriminalize possession and sale of syringes and other drug paraphernalia.  Hochul says this will reduce the transmission of HIV and hepatitis.  Also legislation was included that establishes programs to treat inmates in state and local correctional facilities.  Another bill expands the label of substance use disorder so judges can order individuals to treatment instead of incarceration.  

National Fuel is warning customers ahead of the winter months to get ready for a hike in gas prices.  How much of a hike?  43 percent.  They say the rise and continually fluctuating price of gas due to low supply is the culprit for why the average home will see an increase from 498 dollars for fuel for the entire winter to 714 dollars.  New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program is accepting applications and encourages people to apply early.

Buffalo Mayoral hopeful India Walton’s car was towed for an expired inspection sticker and multiple unpaid parking tickets and she says she may be getting targeted by Mayor Byron Brown.  Walton accused Mayor Brown of a “deliberate act of harassment and intimidation.”  She says that Brown may have targeted her with petty vindictiveness in the same way he targets black, poor and working class Buffalo residents instead of taxing his rich friends.  Critics have pointed out that she wants to run the city but hasn’t paid her own fines.  Some supporters are offering to pay her fees and fines for her.

The Batavia Blue Devils are asking for donations of non perishable foods or hygiene items at tonights game against the Honeoye-Falls Lima Cougars at 7pm.  Help support your community by bringing donations for the Family and Community Engagement Center’s Community Closet! Any non-perishable food or hygiene item donation enters you to win four season passes to Six Flags Darien Lake- good for the remainder of this season to enjoy Fright Fest and Magic of Lights.  Then on Saturday, October 16, the Batavia Bulldawgs and Community Schools will be hosting another Hygiene and Food Drive at VanDetta during their games at 1, 3, 5 and 7 pm. 

The Western New York National Cemetery Honor Guard for Genesee County is looking for volunteers to help with the important task of providing military honors in funeral services.  The National Cemetery, located in Pembroke, has become the final resting place for over 600 veterans so far this year and they need help from anyone with an honorable discharge from the military.  Right now there are 47 volunteers from Genesee county but the number is shrinking as winter arrives and many get ready to head south.  For more information on how you can help, stop by the Batavia American Legion, 8969 Alexander Rd on Saturday, October 9th from 1-4 pm or call Carl Hyde at 585.356.2658. 

Buffalo Bills and New York State may be looking downtown in Buffalo for their new Stadium.  In the proposal from Empire State Development and engineering firm AECOM, one of the sites for a new stadium for the Bills would be at South Park Avenue and Louisiana Street in Buffalo.  The Bills previously said they were looking into building a new stadium in Orchard Park on Abbott Road and would not continue to play in Highmark Stadium after the team’s lease with Erie County ends after 2023.

The tradition of food challenges continues for the Buffalo Bills in their game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.  The Kansas City, Mo. Police Department is challenging the Buffalo Police Department and whoever’s team wins gets food from the losing city.  If the Bills beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, the Kansas City Police Department will give Buffalo police barbecue from Gates Bar-B-Q.  If the Chiefs win, Buffalo police will need to send Kansas City police chicken wings.  The Chiefs beat the Bills in the AFC Championship Game in January.

A homeless Batavia man has been arrested for rape in a case that goes back more than 20 years. Batavia Police have arrested 57-year-old Roger K. Brinkman has been arrested for the first-degree rape of a girl who was 14 years old at the time.
Batavia Police said the attack occurred on Liberty Street in Batavia in 2000.
Brinkman is being held on 100-thousand dollars bail.

Another step into the future for Batavia. There are now two new electric vehicle charging stations. One is located adjacent to City Church the other at T F Browns restaurant.
Paul Gistner is with National Grid. He says electric vehicle usage is on the rise across New York State and there are incentives to businesses large and small to install the stations

These two electric charging stations are the first in downtown Batavia.

A Mercy Flight helicopter was damaged in a hard landing at the Genesee County Airport.
The chopper was returning from Strong Hospital last night when it attempted to land in a heavy fog.
There was no patient on board. The crew was evaluated at the hospital but was not injured. The hard-landing damaged the underside of the helicopter fuselage.

The NY state highway department has announced that they will begin using speed cameras on the thruway in work zones. The pilot program will include 30 cameras across the state set up in 10 work zones. This is to combat highway worker deaths. About 123 workers are killed a year nationally. No start or end dates have been announced.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appears to have been planning to boot current Governor Kathy Hochul as his running mate if he sought a fourth term. The New York Post reported earlier this year aides for the ex-governor told then-Lieutenant Governor Hochul that she would be replaced on the Democratic ticket in 2022. Hochul became governor back in August when Cuomo resigned after being accused of sexual harassment.

A mercy flight helicopter returning from Strong Memorial hospital made a hard landing at Genesee county airport at around 9:30 last night.  The Bell 429 helicopter sustained damage to its underside fuselage and the crew were taken to the hospital as a precaution but no injuries were reported. The reason for the crash is under investigation. 

Just before noon on Wednesday a neighbor saw smoke coming out of 127 Tracy Ave and called the fire department.  Its a good thing they did as a fire had started in the kitchen and no one was home.  Batavia Fire Department reports that the fire was oxygen deprived so it didn’t grow out of control.  The home did not suffer much fire damage.  Lots of smoke damage throughout the house and unfortunately one cat died.  

Genesee and Orleans counties are under a special weather advisory this morning for areas of dense fog.  The weather service predicts that there will be visibility obscuring fog in low lying areas until about 10am this morning.  Be careful when driving as you may not be able to see far ahead.

The state highway department announced yesterday that they will begin using speed cameras on the thruway in work zones.  The pilot program will include 30 cameras across the state set up in 10 work zones.  This is to combat highway worker deaths.  About 123 workers are killed a year nationally.  No start or end dates have been announced.

A 75 year old Rochester man has died from COVID after Rochester General and Rochester Regional Health refused to treat him with Ivermectin.  Jeremy Carter was hospitalized last week with COVID and his condition deteriorated to the point that he was placed on a ventilator.  His primary care provider recommended Ivermectin as it has helped in other similar situations.  Ivermectin is a Nobel Prize Winning drug mostly prescribed for parasites in humans that has been described in the media as a horse de-wormer and is not FDA approved for treatment of COVID.  The hospital refused to give it to Carter prompting a lawsuit.  The judge order the hospital to treat him with the drug but they refused and appealed the decision.  The new decision was set for Monday but Carter died on Sunday.  His attorney, Ralph Lorigo, says that he has filed 3 lawsuits for Ivermectin treatments in Rochester Regional Health facilities and all of those were granted and the people recovered and went home.  He questions the reasoning for stopping treatments when a person is headed for death.

St Paul Lutheran School is having a chicken BBQ fundraiser on Sunday the 10th.  Chiavettas tickets are 12 dollars a meal.  Starts at 11am and goes till 3 or sold out.  You can call the church at 585 343 0488 to order yours. 

The governor announced the second round winners of the NFL cooperative vaccine prizes yesterday and they include 1 person from Genesee county.  Chad Kowalik won prizes from the Buffalo Bills after being vaccinated against COVID.  Prizes could be game tickets, in game experiences, stadium tours, signed gear or meet ups with the players.  The contest goes through October 24th for anyone who receives their first dose before then

BREAKING:  Batavia Fire has responded to a home at 127 Tracy Ave. Early reports from the scene say the home was unoccupied. The fire was confined to the kitchen. A neighbor called in the fire having seen smoke streaming the structure.

Regina Jo Roberts

A Batavia woman reported missing last weekend has been found safe.
Police had been looking for 53-year-old Regina Jo Roberts who went missing on Sunday.
Batavia Police issued a statement thanking the public and media for help in locating the woman. No explanation was given for her disappearance.

It appears the ongoing strike a major Buffalo hospital going to continue for at least one more day. Officials with Catholic Health and members of the union that represent roughly 25-hundred employees at Mercy Hospital met for several hours yesterday.
The main point of contention continues to be staffing levels at the hospital, but the union says progress has been made towards a pay raise for employees

Governor Hochul says another group of health care workers are going to need to roll up their sleeves and get their COVID-19 vaccine shots. The governor says employees at psychiatric hospitals in the state’s Office of Mental Health network as well as workers at specialty hospitals certified by the state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities must receive their first vaccine dose by November 1st. Employees won’t have the option of being tested for COVID-19 instead of getting a shot. A mandate that hospital and nursing home workers get vaccinated went into effect last week.

Batavia Police are looking for a woman who was reported missing earlier this week.  They say Regina Jo Roberts, 53, was reported missing on Sunday. Roberts is described as 5′ 4″ tall, weighing approximately 165 lbs, and is believed to be driving a gray 2011 Toyota Highlander, NY registration JPU7881.  Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

Governor Hochul announced Tuesday the plan to expand the healthcare worker vaccine mandate to include employees who work in certain facilities served by the Office of Mental Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.  Employees in these areas have to have their first dose by November 1st.  Before the requirement takes effect, unvaccinated staff for those offices that work in hospitals will have to submit to weekly testing beginning October 12.  On Thursday, October 7 the vaccine mandate takes effect for workers at adult care facilities and home healthcare workers

An Attica man has been sentenced to serve four and a half years in state prison for what had been described as a hate crime.
21-year-old Dillen Powell accepted a plea deal to a charge of second-degree burglary.
Last April Powell was accused of breaking into the home of his neighbor, who is black, brandishing a knife and making racial slurs.
He was originally charged with a first degree hate crime, menacing burglary and other charges.

The LeRoy Village Board heard nearly three-hours of comment during a public hearing into a proposed senior housing project.
Eric Biscaro has proposed the project arguing there is a need for such housing and it would benefit the community.
About 50 people attended last night’s hearing, most of them opposed to the project citing traffic concerns, storm water runoff and tax incentives.
The project would be eligible for thousands of dollars in tax incentives from the county.
Another issue is the extension of East Avenue to accommodate the project. Biscaro now says that he would foot the bill for the road work saving taxpayer dollars.
The project still must go through environmental studies and final approvals before construction could ever begin.

From the Bad Girls report this afternoon:
27-year-old Carrie Anne Clay of Albion has been arrested by Genesee County Sheriff’s deputies for allegedly attacking a person with a hammer.
The fracas happened on September 25th in Byron but was just announced today. Lawmen charged Carrie Anne with burglary and assault. Her victim suffered minor injuries. Carrie Anne is being held on $5,000 bail.

Congressman Chris Jacobs has co-sponsored federal legislation changing the rules for transporting a firearm across state lines.
Jacobs says constitutional rights are not confined to state borders.
The bill changes the definitions of existing laws allowing firearms to be carried across state lines for temporary lodging, food, fuel, vehicle maintenance and medical treatment.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul maintains the state is prepared to fill any staffing issues medical centers may have as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Her comments come as two urgent care centers have been forced to close in the Albany-area, since the mandate went into effect. Governor Hochul argues one such measure is the use of student nurses, adding it won’t be a “perfect scenario” during the mandates. She also vows to eventually provide numbers as to how many hospitals and medical centers are dealing with staffing issues.

The LeRoy Village Board heard nearly three-hours of comment during a public hearing into a proposed senior housing project.
Eric Biscaro has proposed the project arguing there is a need for such housing and it would benefit the community.
About 50 people attended last night’s hearing, most of them opposed to the project citing traffic concerns, storm water runoff and tax incentives.
The project would be eligible for thousands of dollars in tax incentives from the county.
Another issue is the extension of East Avenue to accommodate the project. Biscaro now says that he would foot the bill for the road work saving taxpayer dollars.
The project still must go through environmental studies and final approvals before construction could ever begin.

An Attica man has been sentenced to serve four and a half years in state prison for what had been described as a hate crime.
21-year-old Dillen Powell accepted a plea deal to a charge of second-degree burglary.
Last April Powell was accused of breaking into the home of his neighbor, who is black, brandishing a knife and making racial slurs.
He was originally charged with a first degree hate crime, menacing burglary and other charges.

Inspectors with the Erie County Health Department say 14 people were turned away from Sunday’s Buffalo Bills game at Highmark Stadium. They say those folks couldn’t enter the Orchard Park facility after failing to provide proper proof they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Members of New York State’s Cannabis Control Board are holding their first public meeting today. The panel was recently put together to create guidelines for the state’s cannabis industry and issue applications and licenses to businesses. A law legalizing the use of marijuana by adults for recreational purposes has been in effect for months.

Lovely Warren (Courtesy: 13-WHAM)

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren is resigning from office after accepting a plea deal.
The mayor was facing two felony counts related to allegations of her campaign finances being mishandled during the 2017 mayoral election in Rochester.
Under the deal, Mayor Warren pled guilty to an election law violation admitting to “knowingly and willfully contributed, accepted campaign donations in an amount more than the maximum amount specified.”
The plea deal will also satisfy the gun and child endangerment charges against her that stem from the New York State Police raid of her house back in May.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center is expected to take final action this week on a 1.7-million-dollar project in Pembroke.
J and R Fancher Property Holdings is proposing to build a 14-thousand sq ft two-story building with commercial space on the first floor and six market rate apartments on the second floor.
The building will be adjacent to Yancy’s Fancy on Brickhouse Drive.
The developers are seeking over 250-thosuand dollars in tax incentives from the county.

Governor Kathy Hochul says she believes the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for health care workers is largely a success. Hospitals say ongoing staffing shortages- especially in urgent care centers – are made worse by the governor’s mandate that all hospital employees get vaccinated or lose their jobs. The governor says she is waiting on hospitals to reach out for help in staffing urgent care centers as the state has identified student nurses, retired practitioners and out of state and out of country professionals who are ready to step in.

Western New York drivers still aren’t noticing much of a change when it comes time to fill up their vehicles. According to Triple A, the average price of a gallon of regular in Batavia is $3.25, a penny less than last week and $1.04 more than a year ago.

Western New York drivers still aren’t noticing much of a change when it comes time to fill up their vehicles. According to Triple A, the average price of a gallon of regular in Batavia is $3.25, a penny less than last week and $1.04 more than a year ago.

The county’s Economic Development Center is expected to take final action this week on a $1.7-million project in Pembroke.
J and R Fancher Property Holdings is proposing to build a 14,000 sq.ft. two-story building with commercial space on the first floor and six market rate apartments on the second floor.
The building will be adjacent to Yancy’s Fancy on Brickhouse Drive.
The developers are seeking $254,000 dollars in tax incentives from the county.

Governor Kathy Hochul says she believes the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for health care workers is largely a success, even though some hospitals around the state have had to shut down some Urgent Care centers due to a staffing shortage. Hospitals say ongoing staffing shortages are made worse by the governor’s mandate that all hospital employees get vaccinated or lose their jobs. The governor says she is waiting on hospitals to reach out for help in staffing urgent care centers as the state has identified student nurses, retired practitioners and out of state and out of country professionals who are ready to step in.

The Buffalo Bills have extended their winning streak to three games following another victory in front of their home crowd. The Bills beat the Houston Texans 40 to nothing at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park yesterday. Buffalo’s defense has now shut out opponents in two of the last three games while the offense has scored 118 points in the last three weeks. The Bills will be on the road this coming weekend when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday Night Football.

Mayor Lovely Warren is having her first day in court for felony campaign finance charges today.  The trial is at the Monroe county courthouse.  Warren, along with Albert Jones Jr. and Rosiland Brooks Harris, were each charged with violating election laws. Both counts are Class E felonies. If convicted, each person could face 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison, or a range of sentencing options from probation to restitution.  Warren has maintained that the charges which are from the 2017 election in Rochester, are politically motivated and she is innocent.

Governor Kathy Hochul says she believes the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for health care workers is largely a success, even though some hospitals around the state  have had to shut down some Urgent Care centers due to a staffing shortage.  A number of hospital chains in New York have temporarily closed or limited services at their Urgent Care centers, citing an ongoing staffing shortage made worse by the governor’s September 27 mandate that all hospital employees get vaccinated or lose their jobs.  The governor says she is waiting on hospitals to reach out for help in staffing urgent care centers as the state has identified student nurses, retired practitioners and out of state and out of country professionals who are ready to step in.

With news of a new stadium being talked over in Buffalo and the cost that the Bills want to pass on to the public for it’s construction eyes are turning to how expensive high school graduations have been for school districts at Highmark Stadium.  3 School districts used the Bills stadium for their commencement ceremonies.  Frontier paid almost 22 thousand dollars to graduate their seniors there.  Hamburg was closer to 21.5 thousand and Orchard park was 20 thousand.  There was a flat 5000 dollar licensing fee to use the stadium and then costs such as 3200 for using the scoreboard and 2300 for security.  When asked, Hamburg Superintendent Michael Cornell said that using the stadium allowed them to get around COVID restrictions and make a graduation that parents and students wanted.

Mercy Hospital workers are striking for the 3^rd consecutive day today after negotiations did not proceed on Sunday.  In a statement, a Catholic Health representative said: “Given the verbal threats, intimidating actions and other inappropriate and possibly illegal behaviors by many individuals on CWA’s picket line and out of an abundance of caution for the safety and security of its bargaining committee, Catholic Health offered to meet today with the union only virtually.”  Catholic Health also said they are collecting evidence that picketers are engaging in hate crimes as the replacement workers are largely people of color and have been targeted by the striking workers with abusive comments and behaviors.

The Buffalo Bills beat the Houston Texans in a shutout Sunday afternoon 40 to zip.  The bills are now 3 to 1 in the season.  The last time they played the Texans was in January 2020 when they drew the wildcard and lost.  Their next game will be against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday the 10^th at 8:20pm.

Genesee County Sheriffs Deputies are looking for 2 suspects who stole more than a thousand dollars of Buffalo Bills merchandise from Dicks Sporting Goods on Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia on September 12th.  They say the suspects left the store, bypassing points of purchase, without paying for the items.  Deputies say the suspects reportedly entered a light blue Honda Odyssey that did not have visible license plates.

This week is fire prevention week and the City of Batavia Fire department is promoting the theme “Learn the sounds of safety.”  A regular beeping or series of 3 beeps in a row form your smoke detector means smoke or fire and get out of the building.  A single chirp every 30-60 seconds means the battery is low. The City of Batavia has a free Smoke alarm installation program.  If you don’t have a smoke detector or if you don’t know if yours is working Fire department members will come to your home and ensure you have a working smoke detector free of charge.  Just call 585 345 6375 to make an appointment.

More than four years in the making, the nation’s first nature trail designed specifically for people with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities is now open at Letchworth State Park.  The trail was created with the help of more than $3.3 million in private fundraising, including custom handmade benches auctioned off to the public.  The trail is designed to encourage sensory perception and integration using nature and natural materials.  It includes sensory stations, a gentle maze with cuddle swings, a music circle, a meadow with balance beams and an obstacle course, and many more special areas.  Located near the park’s Humphrey Nature Center with parking, restrooms and Wi-Fi, the ADA-compliant trail was designed with input from Dr. Temple Grandin, a cattle industry expert who was diagnosed with autism in 1950 at the age of two and is now one of the world’s most well-known advocates for the autistic community.

The Buffalo Sabres lost the match up against the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday night in their first preseason game played at Keybank Arena.  Tage Thompson scored the lone goal for the Sabres who were unable to make any more headway as Pittsburgh put in 2 for a final score of 2 to 1.  The Sabres will be back at KeyBank Center on Monday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

A long-awaited merger of the leading agencies serving people with developmental disabilities became official today.
The Arc of Genesee-Orleans and the Arc of Livingston-Wyoming are one agency under the name of Arc GLOW for the four-county area it will now serve.
Arc GLOW is dedicated to helping people meet their full potential and find fulfillment in learning, personal relationships, employment, recreation, the arts, and more.

A special video marking the merger:

State Police say Nicole Granger has been located and she is in good health. Troopers had issued an alert for the 30-year-old Batavia woman earlier today. She had been reported missing for 10 days.
In a brief statement troopers said Nicole was located with the help of the public.

After 35 years of service, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Communications Coordinator Russell Lang retires today.
Lang began his career in 1986, as a Dispatcher and three years later , he was appointed Communications Coordinator and has held this position ever since.
During his career, Lang earned include two Distinguished Service awards and three Meritorious Service awards from the Sheriff’s Office.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is kicking off a series of visits to local small businesses to commemorate National Women’s Small Business Month. Hawley has started with a visit to Gilliana’s Diner in on Jackson Street. Hawley says he will be visiting other women-owned small businesses in the district throughout October. Gilliana’s Diner is a restaurant owned by Jill Antinore which opened at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Buffalo Bills will have the support of their home crowd this weekend as they look to win their third game in a row. The defending AFC East champions are hosting the Houston Texans at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The Bills are two-and-one this season after back-to-back victories over the Miami Dolphins and Washington Football Team where Buffalo outscored both of those opponents by a total of 57 points while giving up just 21. Kickoff for Sunday’s contest is set for 1p.m.

State Police say Nicole Granger has been located and she is in good health.
Troopers had issued an alert for the 30-year-old Batavia woman earlier today. She had been reported missing for 10 days.
In a brief statement troopers said Nicole was located with the help of the public.

After 35 years of service, Communications Coordinator Russell Lang is working his last shift today at the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. Lang began his career in 1986, as a Dispatcher and three years later , he was appointed Communications Coordinator and has held this position ever since. During his communications career, Lang earned several awards that include two Distinguished Service, three Meritorious Service for continuous excellence, and six Commendations.

PHOTO: Sheriff William Sheron (right) congratulates Russell Lang on 35 years of service to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office

Courtesy “The Batavian”

Batavia Downs has presented a check for $4,500 to the Make a wish foundation. The money was raised by renting chairs during the Rockin the Downs Summer Concert Series.
Make a Wish foundation workers volunteered at the rental booth this summer.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is kicking off a series of visits to local small businesses to commemorate National Women’s Small Business Month. Hawley has started with a visit to Gilliana’s Diner in on Jackson Street. Hawley says he will be visiting other women-owned small businesses in the district throughout October.
Gilliana’s Diner is a restaurant owned by Jill Antinore which opened at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Buffalo Sabres lost 6 to 2 after an early lead to the Detroit Red Wings Thursday night. The Sabres will be back home tonight at 7 when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Buffalo Bills will have the support of their home crowd this weekend as they look to win their third game in a row. The defending AFC East champions are hosting the Houston Texans at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The Bills are two-and-one this season after back-to-back victories over the Miami Dolphins and Washington Football Team where Buffalo outscored both of those opponents by a total of 57 points while giving up just 21. Kickoff for Sunday’s contest is set for 1p.m.

New York State Police need your help searching for a 30-year-old woman from Batavia.  Investigators say Nicole Granger was last seen 10 days ago.  Troopers say they received a missing person’s report on Wednesday.  If you have any information, you’re asked to contact New York State Police at (585) 786-5152.

3 people have been sentenced in connection to the murder of Cheyenne Farewell in Lockport at a 2020 Halloween party.  The district attorney says Shawn Johnson, the person who shot Farewell, pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, and two counts each of Assault in the First Degree and Assault in the Second Degree, and was sentenced to 20 years to life in state prison.  Another person who had a gun but didn’t shoot any shots, was sentenced to a minimum of 16 months and a maximum of three years in state prison for Manslaughter in the First Degree.  Jonathan Frey, the person who drove the car that was involved in the shooting entered a guilty plea to Hindering Prosecution and was sentenced to a term of two to four years in state prison.

After 35 years of service, Communications Coordinator Russell Lang is working his last shift today at the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.  Russ began his career on August 9, 1986, as a Dispatcher, and on June 17, 1989, he was appointed Communications Coordinator and has held this position ever since.  During his communications career, Lang earned several awards that include two Distinguished Service, three Meritorious Service for continuous excellence, and six Commendations.

Batavia Downs presented 4500 dollars to the Make a Wish Foundation on Wednesday.  The money was raised by selling the rental chairs for the Rockin The Downs Concert series.  Make a Wish foundation workers volunteered at the rental booth renting out chairs, selling koozys and glow jewelry.

Former Sabres owner John Rigas has passed away at 96.  Rigas owned the Sabres from 1997 to 2002 when he was convicted of wire fraud and the NHL took over the team.  He was released from prison in 2016 after being diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer.  He maintained his innocence till the end.

The Buffalo Sabres lost 6 to 2 after an early lead to the Detroit Red Wings Thursday night.  Buffalo started the game with Rasmus Asplund scoring the first goal of the game but the Sabres would only get one other goal by Arttu Ruotolainen. The Sabres will be back home tonight at 7 when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Governor Hochul has appointed Dr. Mary Bassett as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, effective December 1st.  Bassett will replace Howard Zucker as health commissioner.  Bassett is the director of the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and FXB Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights in the department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  Bassett says she will work to make New York State more equitable and fight structural racism.

The Genesee Orleans Health department is offering 2 Pfizer Vaccine booster shot clinics October 6^th and 7^th.  Wednesday the 6^th the clinic is at the Genesee County Health Department Building and Thursday the 7tyh it is at the Orleans county Health Department Building.  Both clinics are by appointment only.  Booster shots are recommended or those who are 65 and up, residents in long term care facilities, and 50 and up who are immunocompromised.

The Asbury Rd bridge, north of Harris Rd in the Town of LeRoy will be closed beginning Monday 10/4/2021 for bridge repairs. This project is expected to take six weeks. During this time the road will not be passable to regular traffic or emergency vehicles.

Students from every high school in Genesee county joined more than 700 students from throughout the GLOW region Tuesday at GLOW With Your Hands at the Genesee County Fairgrounds.  The event gave students a chance to experience a variety of trades including, bricklaying, carpentry, electrical, mechanical, and forms of manufacturing.  Among the 40 companies participating were Oxbow, Liberty Pumps, and O-AT-KA Milk.

Do you have antiques and you want to know what they are worth? Antiques Home Show is coming to Buffalo starting October 24^th at the WNED PBS studios.  Full vaccination is needed to attend, tickets are 14 dollars and the show runs from 9AM to 3:45pm

Highmark stadium is hiring for gameday employees.  The Bills stadium is looking for guest service ambassadors, ushers and ticket takers.  If you are interested you can apply at BuffaloBills.com/stadium/employment.

New York State is contracting with 2 organizations to look into a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.  Empire State Development has entered into a 500 thousand dollar contract with O’Melveny and Myers for them to provide legal services related to negotiations for the state related to the Bills Stadium.  The second contract is with real estate/infrastructure consulting firm AECOM for a contract around $150,000.  AECOM will be looking into locations, size amenities and the cost of renovating the current Highmark Stadium vs building a new one.

Governor Hochul said she stands behind the healthcare worker vaccine mandate even with over 72000 hospital workers and 12000 nursing home staff being forced out of work.  As evidence that the mandate is working Hochul points to an increase in nursing home and adult care facilities vaccination rates from 71 percent to 92 percent over the last 4 weeks.  Hochul said in a press conference Tuesday, “This new information shows that holding firm on the vaccine mandate for health care workers is simply the right thing to do to protect our vulnerable family members and loved ones from COVID-19.”

The mandate that businesses with over 100 employees must have everyone vaccinated or face fines and expensive testing each week is getting bumped up by the US congress.  As part of the 3.5 trillion dollar bill going to the senate the house passed an increase in the fines to businesses which refuse to force their employees to get vaccinated.  How much of an increase? Up to 700000 dollars per infraction. The legislative provision passed the Democratic-controlled Budget Committee, and if enacted would levy drastic penalties that could rapidly shut down companies refusing to comply.

Ellicott Place in Batavia is opening today for the first time for a first look by the public at the new retail space and apartments. The 3.15 million dollar Downtown Revitalization Initiative project will have an open house at 2 today with Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Senator Ed Rath, City Council President Eugene Jankowski, Genesee County Legislature Chair Shelley Stein and others who were part of the building and planning process attending.  The Ellicott Street DRI project is part of the $20 million of capital investment projects taking place in downtown Batavia, including the development of approximately 65 market rate apartments which addresses the critical need for high-quality residential units in downtown Batavia and Genesee County.

For the 38^th year the Jerome Foundation is looking for nominations for its Health and Humanitarian Award of Genesee County.  Award winners for the past four decades have included health care workers, builders, teachers, and many community volunteers.  The award recognizes outstanding men and women whose volunteer efforts have improved the physical, emotional or spiritual well-being of the greater Genesee County area.  Nomination forms due by October 10^th and are available on-line at www.thejeromefoundation.org or by calling 585-356-3419.

The Buffalo Sabres pulled out a win for their season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets.  After falling behind 4 to 1 a late game rally brought the score up to 5 to 4 in a shootout.  Arttu Ruotsolainen scored the first goal, then Michael Mersch got the next one.  JJ Peterka followed him with his first goal as a Sabre.  Weissbach made it a tied game and then Jack Quinn scored the winning goal after 5 minutes of overtime.

Across New York State roughly 72 thousand hospital workers and 16 thousand Nursing Home Employees were let go or placed on unpaid leave yesterday as the healthcare vaccine mandate went into effect.  As of Monday, the ECMC put roughly 5% of its hospital workforce on unpaid leave, and 20% of its nursing home staff. Catholic Health and U of R Medical Centers said they would postpone elective surgeries as well ahead of layoffs.  Several lawsuits are in the works to attempt to lift the mandate.  One was successful in putting a temporary hold in place for medical and religious exemptions which were left out of the mandate.  Another successfully blocked a similar mandate for teachers and school staff.

Governor Hochul announced on Monday that people who are considered at risk will be able to get a third shot of the Pfizer vaccine, considered a booster, to maximize their protection against COVID 19.  The Department of Health says that those 65 and older, residents in long-term care settings, and those between 18-64 who are at increased risk for COVID exposure should receive the booster.  Also it has to be at least 6 months since you had the last shot of the regular Pfizer COVID vaccination.  Those who got the Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccines are not eligible at this time.  Hochul also announced 65 million dollars to be spent in setting up booster shot infrastructure.

The western NY minimum wage is set to increase by the end of the year by 70 cents.  It was 12.50 and will rise to 13.20.  Even with it officially rising, many businesses were already paying employees above that.  McDonalds on West Main in Batavia is advertising positions starting at 16 dollars an hour.  Even with higher wages many businesses are finding it difficult to get prospective employees to apply.  Leading to things like the bussing shortage and shortages of goods in stores.

The City of Batavia is weighing the installation of a new playground at Austin Park.  This wouldn’t just be a regular playground though, City Manager Rachel Tabelski said at the City Council Meeting Monday night that it would be an “inclusive destination” playground.  The inclusive part of the wording is meant to apply to making the playground so it can be used by children who are differently abled.  Tabelski said she wants the playground to have a “wow” factor that will bring people to visit from around the region and “bolster activity in the downtown corridor.”  She says the playground would be paid for by roughly 400 thousand dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act.  Batavia received almost 1 and a half million dollars.

Dustin Nemec of Elba was killed when his 2020 Volkswagen left the road and struck a tree then a barn at 5693 chapel Road in Byron around 6pm on Saturday night.  Nemec was going east on Chapel Road when he apparently failed to follow the curve of the road.  Byron Fire, South Byron Fire and Elba Fire responded to the accident.  Nemec was pronounced dead at the scene.

Today is the day for the vaccine mandate deadline to go into effect for healthcare workers across New York State.  Governor Hochul has announced a plan to fill up staffing shortages caused by the requirement for all healthcare workers to be COVID vaccinated with at least one shot by today.  The plan includes declaring a state of emergency to employ qualified healthcare professionals licensed in other states, countries, recent graduates and retirees to practice in New York.  Other options include deployment of medically-trained National Guard personnel.  As of September 22, 84% of hospital employees in New York are fully vaccinated leaving large gaps in the medical field which is causing hospitals across the region to suspend some services while they try to shore up the empty positions.  The Department of Labor has issued guidance to clarify that workers who are terminated because of refusal to be vaccinated are not eligible for unemployment insurance without a valid doctor-approved request for medical accommodation.

The Bills say that 4 people were refused entry to the game on Sunday because their vaccine passports did not pass screening or were not the correct type of card.  They did not accuse the people of forgeries and cannot say how many other people were turned away at the door.

Douglas Allen, longtime singer of the National Anthem for Buffalo Sabres games, says he isn’t singing this year.  He says he in unvaccinated and will not be getting the COVID vaccine as he has already had the virus and believes his natural immunity is enough.  According to research done in Israel and reported in the Washington Post, Science magazine, the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health among other sources, those who have recovered from a COVID infection have as much as 26 times the protection against reinfection as those who have been fully vaccinated.  Though researchers stress that this is a “don’t try this at home” result and that vaccines on top of natural immunity further enhance your protections.  Keybank Arena is requiring all attendees to be Covid Vaccinated.

The Bills beat the Washington Football Team soundly on Sunday 43 to 21 for their first home win.  Josh Allen was on fire from the start and finished with a season high 32 of 43 for 358 yards, 4TD passes and a TD run.  The Bills next game is against the Houston Texans at Highmark Stadium Sunday at 1pm.