Local News

A child was seriously hurt after she was accidentally run over by a pickup in Batavia. First responders were called to a home on Otis Street just before 4 p.m. Monday. A person at the home was reportedly unhooking four-wheelers on a trailer and putting them in a side yard. Batavia police said the individual did not know a 6-year-old child was also in the side yard. When the man unhooked the trailer, got back into his vehicle, and started to move it, he heard the child scream. The child was airlifted to Strong Memorial and is in serious but stable condition. No charges are pending.

New York Officials now say that the statewide 7-day average COVID positivity rate has dropped to 0.67 percent, a new low. It marks the eighth consecutive week of decline. Hospitalizations have also dipped to a new low… slightly more than 1,000…the lowest figure since October 24^th.

A rock throwing event in the City of Batavia led to the arrest of a 25-year-old man. Batavia police say they took 25-year-old Zachari Morgan into custody. He was charged with felony assault involving serious injury and criminal possession of a weapon. It’s alleged that Morgan threw a rock at another person causing serious injury. Morgan was released under supervision.

32-year-old Kevin Thomas turned himself in to Genesee County Jail on, on numerous active warrants he had. Thomas was arraigned in Batavia City Court. He was arraigned on charges of burglary in the second degree, criminal contempt in the second degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal contempt in the first degree following a domestic incident that occurred last month. He’ll return to court this month.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Romulus, Seneca County, has been chosen by a State-appointed committee as the site of New York’s first State Veterans Cemetery. This decision brings New York one step closer to establishing a permanent, State-owned resting place to honor New York’s veterans and their family members. Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery is situated on 162 acres along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region. New York is one of only a few states nationwide that does not have a state veterans cemetery.

New York Congressman Tom Reed has joined with over 100 members of Congress in a bipartisan letter to push for more funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The program aims to help restaurants and other impacted businesses keep their doors open throughout the pandemic. In a statement, Reed said while he did not support the American Rescue Plan Act, this program is critical to small businesses and restaurants across the district. Providing more funding to this program will deliver significant benefits to our local businesses and help keep them open as they deal with the impact of COVID-19.

It’s a go for the Genesee County Fair. The event will run from July 24-31. Events will be posted at gcfair.com.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation allowing veterans to qualify for state benefits after a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a traumatic brain injury or disclosure of military sexual trauma from any person licensed to provide health care services in New York State. Previously, veterans had to be diagnosed by a provider at the Department of Veteran Affairs. This legislation removes barriers from access to care for those who have given so much for our freedom, and builds on the Restoration of Honor Act, signed in 2019, that allowed additional discharged veterans to receive benefits for certain qualifying conditions.

Health officials say the state’s 7-day average positivity rate is now 0.71%.  That’s the lowest number since the COVID-19 crisis began.  The previous record was 0.75% set in August 2020.  We have now seen 55 days of consecutive decline here in New York State.

Attica celebrated Lt Chelsey Hibsch Day yesterday in honor of the first woman in the Air Force to qualify as a Ranger.  Only about 300 Air Force personnel have qualified as rangers since the Army started accepting Airmen into the program in 1955.  In 2019 Hibsch made the cut.  Hibsch has now been assigned to Travis Air Force Base in California, where she will serve as a flight commander in the 821st 821st Contingency Response Squadron.

Labor shortages, disruptions to trade caused by the COVID pandemic, and a whole lot of new people getting into camping have caused a shortage of camping supplies in Upstate New York.  Tent stakes, fishing rods and many other staples of going out into the outdoors are missing from store shelves because more people are buying and the supply is not coming in.  The closure of the border with Canada and less trade coming in from places like China are reducing the supply to a 42 year low coinciding with a 70-100 percent increase in purchases.  Sales of new powerboats are also up 35 percent.

There are still spots open for the Genesee Park and Forest Environmental Science Camp.  This outdoor hands on camp is for 7^th through 10^th graders and goes from Monday July 12^th through Friday July 16^th from 9am to 4pm.  This weeklong adventure includes wildlife surveys, stream studies, tree identification and more taught by professionals in different fields of Environmental Science.  Deadline to register is Monday June 28^th and the cost is 95 dollars per camper.

New York State’s 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate dropped over the weekend to 0.73%. That’s the lowest since the pandemic began. 1,142 patients remained hospitalized.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested 30-year-old Marc C.J. Cook Sr. of Church Street in Alabama. He was charged with third-degree bail jumping. Cook was arraigned virtually and remanded to jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond. He is due back in city court on June 15.

A State Supreme Court, Appellant Division has ruled against a claim filed by the Batavia Fire Chief. Stephano Napolitano had challenged the City of Batavia and the Workers’ Compensation Board. The Chief filed a claim for benefits in April 2019 seeking to recover for an injury sustained as the result of a work-related slip and fall that occurred in December 2018. Upon administrative review, the Workers’ Compensation Board disallowed his claim, finding that he failed to give timely notice of his injury. In a four-page ruling, the court said it found the arguments from the chief lacked merit.

A Corfu man was ticketed after an ATV crash in the Town of Bennington. 29-year-old Brandon D. Forsyth was charged by Troopers with driving while intoxicated and failure to stop at stop sign. Forsyth was issued traffic tickets returnable to Town of Bennington Court in June.

After investigating a domestic dispute, sheriff’s deputies arrested 39-year-old Matthew Zon of Byron. He was charged with felony first-degree criminal contempt and criminal obstruction of breathing. He was arraigned and sent to jail in lieu of bail.

After waiting more than a year for substantial rent relief, struggling New Yorkers can soon apply for funds from the state’s $2.7 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program will begin accepting applications starting tomorrow. The state Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (OTDA) will open the application portal at 9 a.m.

Spots are still open for Environmental Science Camp at the Genesee County Park & Forest! This hands-on outdoor camp is for students entering seventh – 10th grades. Maximum 15 campers, registration deadline to register is Monday, June 28th. Camp meets Monday through Friday, July 12th – 16th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest.

As people across the United States observe Memorial Day, a Western New Yorker killed in action is being honored on the national stage. From WIVB…during the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s Kurt Busch drove with Marine Corporal Jason Dunham’s name on his windshield. Dunham, an Allegany County native, threw himself on a grenade while serving in Iraq in 2004. He died eight days later. Marine Cpl. Dunham’s actions saved the lives of his fellow marines. He posthumously received the medal of honor. Dunham, who was from Scio, was just 22-years-old when he died.

New York State Park Police were able to successfully rescue a dog at Letchworth State Park Sunday. In a Facebook post, they say a 3-year-old black lab fell nearly 200 feet into the gorge at around 5 p.m. The Genesee High Angle Rope Rescue team was able to find the dog and pull him from the gorge. The dog suffered a broken rear leg, but is otherwise healthy.

Court action is pending for an Alexander man who allegedly sent threatening text messages that caused another person to be in fear. Deputies charged 40-year-old Ernest Heineman of Old Creek Road with aggravated harassment. He’s due in county court July 13^th.

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel is pleased to announce that in conjunction with Twenty6 Productions they will welcome the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra to their stage along with the Strictly Hip, Western New York’s top tribute band to The Tragically Hip, for a concert on Sunday, July 18^th.

The Strictly Hip and the BPO have teamed up several times before to celebrate the legacy of the Tragically Hip, the legendary Canadian band that defined rock for a generation.

The special performance will take place at 6pm with doors opening at 5pm.  Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, June 2^nd at 10am at  bataviaconcerts.com.  Tickets will range from $20 to $75.

Due to limited capacity, A limit of 4 tickets purchased per person will be enforced.

Batavia Downs will not require a negative COVID test, nor vaccination to enter the concert.  All pairs of seats in the VIP and Premium Sections will have chairs provided and be arranged as per CDC regulations.  Those who purchase tickets in the Lawn Section are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs or rent a chair for $5.  Limited rental chairs are available.

“We are pleased to welcome the BPO & Strictly Hip to our concert venue this summer,“ said President and CEO of Batavia Downs, Henry Wojtaszek.  “We know what kind of fantastic performance is expected when these two great bands get together and we look forward to the show.”

Genesee County residents are being asked to conserve water.
That might be hard to understand with days of rain, but demand for water is outpacing supply.
County officials say rapid increases in residential growth and increased agricultural and industrial use are the reason for the shortage.
Officials are asking residents to avoid filling swimming pools, watering lawns and washing cars….and only use your automatic dishwasher for full loads.
The County says if voluntary conservation measures are unsuccessful, mandatory water conservation may have to be enforced.

A Town of Alabama man is behind county bars charged with bail jumping. Deputies say 30 year old Marc “C J” Cook of Church Street never showed up for a court date last year on a drug charge. Lawmen caught up with him yesterday, and jailed.

No damage has been reported after a small earthquake rattled part of Livingston County.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the epicenter of last night’s two-point-four magnitude trembler was near Mount Morris.
The Livingston County Sheriff says everyone at the salt mine on Route 63 has been accounted for, and the mine itself didn’t collapse.
No injuries have been connected to the earthquake.

New York State has experienced the lowest COVID positivity rates since last August.
The statewide rate has plunged to 0.65%. Just around 1,200 people remain in the hospital for virus-related issues and the number of people in Intensive Care has dropped to 300.
In the latest report, there were only ten COVID-related deaths.

If you’re looking for work or want a new job, the Transportation Security Administration has positions available. With a busy summer travel season expected, the agency is hiring new officers at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Pay starts at $17.11 per hour for full-time positions, and benefits include paid training, health care and paid sick leave. Plus, anyone who is hired before September 30th will receive a $500 bonus plus an additional $500 bonus after one year

The United Way of Genesee County and the Day of Caring Committee would like to thank all volunteers who participated in completing 26 projects throughout Genesee County on May 19th for the Annual Day of Caring.

Projects included planting a vegetable garden at Community Action, staining the decks at the Arc residential homes, repairing bicycles for those in need with the Lions Club, and grooming the sensory trails at Purple Pony Therapeutic Equestrian Center; plus, many outdoor spring clean up projects.

The Muckdogs have annually offered Dwyer Stadium as the host site for the energizing Day of Caring kick-off. Due to restrictions this year, the kick-off could not happen. Therefore, the Day of Caring Committee created their own volunteer team and gave back to the Muckdogs by spending the entire day cleaning the stadium.

The Day of Caring this year was a huge success, because of the commitment of volunteers who register through their company, service group, agency or individually to participate in making an impact to the agencies, schools and churches in our community.

An enormous thank you to the following volunteer teams:

• Team OATKA Milk Products
• Team Leadership Genesee
• Team Northgate Church
• Team Freed Maxick
• Team GCASA
• Team Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Team Tompkins Bank of Castile and Insurance Agencies
• Team Howard Hannah
• Team Student Transportation
• Team Remedy Staffing
• Team PathStone
• Team Lions Club
• Team Batavia Rotary
• Team Liberty Pumps
• Team YWCA
• Team UMMC Staff
• Team UMMC Residents
• Team Town of Batavia
• Team US Gypsum Corp
• Team Day of Caring Committee

An additional thank you to Arctic Refrigeration for supplying water and ice to all of our volunteers. And, to the agency project sites for feeding lunch to almost 175 hard-working participants.

The Day of Caring would not exist without all of these amazing folks.

For questions about the United Way of Genesee County, or how to make a donation, please contact Tammy Hathaway at 585-343-8141.

Directors of the Batavia Development Corporation have approved a revolving loan fund grant request of $18,800 for sidewalk replacement at Ellicott Place. The Downtown Revitalization Initiative project will result in 10 new market-rate apartments on the upper floor of the Save-A-Lot building at 45-47 Ellicott St., as well as the rehabilitation of 18,000 square feet of vacant commercial space.

Here are some updates for construction and road work that will be happening in Genesee County in the next few weeks. The Tower Hill Road Bridge west of Searls Road in Byron will be closing Tuesday for a bridge replacement project. This project is expected to take three and a half months. The County Highway Department will be doing work on June 1st and June 2nd on Swamp Road in Bergen between West Sweden Road and the Village line. The road will be closed during the day and reopened at night. On June 3nd and 4th the Highway Department will be doing work on Cook Road in Pavilion between Route 63 and Route 20. The road will be closed during the day and reopened at night.

New York officials say the state has experienced the lowest COVID positivity rates since August 27^th of last year. The statewide rate has plunged to 0.65%. Just around 1,200 people remain in the hospital for virus-related issues and the number of people in Intensive Care has dropped to 300. In the latest report, there were only ten COVID-related deaths.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region welcomes Holly McAllister as a Taking Control Consumer Administrator. McAllister has a range of office work experience.

Officials from Genesee County, the City and Town of Batavia, Village of Oakfield, Village of Elba, and the Genesee County Department of Health are requesting residents connected to the Public Water Supply System to conserve water. Demands for water are outpacing supply improvements during the summer months. To avoid water emergencies, all residents served by the countywide public water system are asked to do their part to conserve water.

Western New York Off-Track Betting has confirmed that, as of now, people heading to Batavia Downs Gaming for its summer concert series performances will not be subject to testing for the coronavirus and will not be required to have face coverings. Attendees will be required to follow any CDC rules in effect at the time.

NY state representatives will join advocate Travis Flanagan and his family to announce the passage of important legislation to allow New York air ambulance services to carry and transfuse blood products while transporting patients to hospitals. The legislation’s swift passage is credited to the tireless advocacy of Travis Flanagan, who lost both legs in a tragic farming accident but could have lost his life if not for the quick actions of first responders and the fact that a Pennsylvania-based medical helicopter was able to treat him. Travis’ dedication to use his tragedy to enact positive change was instrumental in propelling this bill forward to help save lives. A joint press conference is set for Saturday morning.

The Byron Town Board will hold a special meeting via Zoom, today at noon. The purpose of the meeting will be to consider the Intermunicipal Agreement with the Town of Elba to allow residents on Transit Road to receive water from the Elba Water District, and also an Executive Session to consider strategy for presentations before the Siting Board on the Excelsior Solar Project Application.

What felt and sounded like an explosion reported Thursday night in Livingston County was an apparent earthquake. 13WHAM meteorologist Scott Hetsko confirmed the tremors felt were from a quake in southern Livingston County. Livingston County Sheriff Tom Dougherty said a preliminary report indicated it was a 2.4 magnitude quake. It was felt near the American Rock Salt mine.

The impeachment investigation into Governor Cuomo met with the Assembly Judiciary Committee yesterday to give an update on the case.  Public was not allowed to be a part of the meeting but the chairman of the committee Charles Lavine said that the attorneys are representing 75 individuals and entities and they have reviewed over 10,000 pages of documents.  Lavine also says the Assembly investigation hotline has received 290 messages.  There was no talk of a timetable for completing the investigation.

Governor Cuomo announced today that if someone misses work because of the COVID 19 vaccine side effects it will be covered by the New York Paid Sick Leave Law.  A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found 48% of people who were unvaccinated said they were afraid of missing work due to potential side effects from the vaccine.  New York’s positivity rate stands at 0.65% Thursday. That is the lowest point since August 27.

Batavia Downs has just announced that there will be no testing requirement for entry into the Rockin’ The Downs Concert Series.  Those attending who have been vaccinated will not be required to mask up but pairs of seats will be 6 feet apart.  In accordance with CDC regulations, those that are not vaccinated, including minors attending the concerts, are encouraged to wear a mask while indoors but can take off their mask once outside.  If rules or regulations regarding testing or vaccinations within New York State change, then Batavia Downs will adapt to any such modifications.

The Agribusiness Child Development Center on 18 Brooklyn Ave was shut down today due to a gas leak.  The children in the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start program were dismissed for the day.  No one suffered any ill effects due to a small leak in the kitchen natural gas pipeline.  National Fuel And the Batavia Fire Department responded and the line was repaired.

Some Updates on the road work going on about Genesee County: The Tower Hill Rd west of Searls Road in Byron will be closed June 1^st for a bridge replacement.  This will take about 3 and a half months.  Swamp Road in Bergen  between West Sweden Road and Village line will have road work June 1 and 2.  The Road will be closed during the day but open at night.  Cook rd. in Pavilion between Rts 63 and 20 will have road work on June 3^rd and 4^th.  It will be closed during the day and open at night.

A fallen Marine from WNY will be honored this weekend at Nascar’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Driver Kurt Busch will pilot the No. 1 GEARWRENCH Chevy Camaro and will carry the name of fallen U.S. Marine Corporal Jason Dunham. A native of Scio in Allegany County, Dunham was just 22-years-old when he died during the Iraq War. On April 14, 2004, his unit came under attack. Cpl. Dunham threw himself on a grenade, which exploded. He saved the lives of his fellow Marines. Dunham died eight days later. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. The United States Post Office in Scio was also renamed the Corporal Jason L. Dunham Post Office.

Genesee County Manager Matt Landers said he is ready to do his part to conserve water this summer as all indications point to “another tight water season for us here.” Echoing what County Engineer Tim Hens said in a report on The Batavian last month, Landers is urging residents to take steps to use less water as hot summer days near. Speaking at the Genesee County Legislature, Landers said a water conservation press release is going out on Friday, listing 10 “little things” that people can do to conserve.

The New York Statewide COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped to 0.70%, the lowest since August 30^th. The state has also had 51 straight days of decline. The hospitalization rate is now less than 1,300 with only 297 patients in the ICU. The latest report shows 17 COVID-related deaths,

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced the ‘Get a Shot to Make Your Future’ incentive for 12- to 17-year-olds to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Participants can enter into a random prize drawing and potentially receive a full scholarship to a SUNY or City University college beginning tomorrow. Winners receive a full scholarship to any public college or university, including tuition and room and board. New York State will administer the random drawing and select 10 winners a week over five weeks for a total of 50 winners. Federal COVID-19 relief and outreach funds will be used to cover the cost of this vaccination incentive program. The winners will receive up to four years of full-time undergraduate study or five years in an approved five-year bachelor’s degree program.

The 10th annual free Shred Day hosted by Brighton Securities in Batavia happens tomorrow from 12 to 3 p.m. The location is 212 E. Main St. downtown. Bring your old bank records, credit card statement and any other sensitive documents for secure, eco-friendly destruction and disposal!

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has announced that the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s estimated overall investment return was 33.55 percent for the state fiscal year that ended March 31. It reflects the financial markets’ dramatic rebound from lows reached during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Route 77 between Pembroke Town Park and the intersection of Indian Falls Road will be designated as the “Specialist Four Clarence ‘C. Jay’ Hall Memorial Highway.” This change was championed and passed by Senator Rath who said “Specialist Four Clarence “C. Jay” Hall served as a rifleman in the United States Army in Binh Duong, Vietnam.  He was mortally wounded on October 7, 1969, during an intense attack by enemy forces.  Specialist Hall earned the NYS Conspicuous Service Cross, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with One Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Silver Star, which is the nation’s third-highest award for valor.”

Governor Cuomo in a press conference today in New York City announced a new incentive program for getting people, especially young people to take the COVID vaccine.  The state will be holding a weekly raffle Wednesdays, giving away full-time scholarships – covering room and board – for any public college or university for four years. Anyone between the ages of 12-17 who gets a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine between Thursday and July 7 will be entered into a pool for a weekly drawing.  Demand for the vaccines has dropped 50 percent in the last few weeks.

COVID Update: Since Friday there have been 14 new cases in Genesee county and 24 people have recovered.  In Orleans county there are 18 new cases and 16 people have recovered.  There are 41 active cases in Genesee county and 50 in Orleans.

The Genesee Orleans Counties Health Department announced a new joint website this morning.  Go Health Director Paul Pettit says, “This effort has been in the works for almost a year and a half in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We believe having a joint website will not only save time and resources, but be easier for our residents to access our forms, data and timely updates.”  There are two ways to access the new website:  www.GOHealthNY.org or by going to the respective county websites and choosing Public Health.”

Police Chief Shawn Heubusch issued a statement today on the problems with bail reform in the case of Devon Wright.  Chief Heubusch writes:  Bail reform, a measure recently passed into law by the state legislature and the Governor, is seriously flawed. In this particular case, we get a front-row seat of the unintended consequences of so-called bail reform playing out across our State. Bail reform is putting the safety of our officers and our citizens at risk. I, along with my colleagues in law enforcement, implore the State Legislature to examine the current bail reforms and restore protections for the citizens of New York against violent criminals who are brazenly flaunting the law, knowing they will be back out on the street in a matter of hours.

The local unemployment rate hit its lowest level in April at 5 percent, more than 10 percentage points down from what it was in April 2020, the worst month locally for the job market during the pandemic. The 5 percent rate is still a point-and-a-half or so above the 3.6 percent rate of April 2019. The Labor Department reports 27,900 people in Genesee County’s labor force, which is the aggregate of everybody employed and everybody seeking work.  Of those, 26,500 have jobs and 1,400 are looking for jobs.

Two people are facing charges following a pursuit Monday night in Genesee County. The Sheriff’s Office says the chase began on Route 63 in Oakfield. When the deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over for speeding, the sedan reportedly did not stop. The vehicle continued onto Route 262 and Fox Road. At the intersection of Fox and Maltby Roads, deputies say the sedan drove through a stop sign, went airborne off the shoulder, hit a tree and drive into a field. At this point, deputies say a passenger in the back seat jumped out of the sedan while it was still moving. The vehicle allegedly kept traveling northwest, into a crop field nearby. Deputies say an illegal weapon and scales containing residue were found in the vehicle. The driver, 38-year-old Jason Fitzpatrick of Michigan, was wanted as a parole absconder out of Michigan. He also faces several charges locally. 22-year-old Samantha Makar of South Carolina was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and obstructing governmental administration. Deputies say the back seat passenger complied with the investigation and was ultimately not charged.

New York’s statewide 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate has declined for 50 consecutive days, dropping to 0.89%. Hospitalizations have declined to less than 1,400, with 307 patients in an Intensive care Unit. On Monday, just 16 new deaths were reported.

Picnic in the Park, scheduled for July 4th at Centennial Park in Batavia, will be cancelled this year due to COVID.  Beyond the issues of COVID regulations, sponsors of the event have had to pull their funding, as a result of the restraints COVID put on their budgets.

This Memorial Day weekend, the average price for gas will be the highest since 2014. The national average for the price of gas is just over $3 per gallon. The forced shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline after a cyberattack is still partly to blame, along with an increase in demand. AAA predicts 37 million Americans will travel by road and air this holiday weekend.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced $3.5 billion in assistance for renters and small businesses experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rental assistance program makes emergency rental assistance available for struggling New Yorkers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications for the program will be accepted starting June 1 for eligible New Yorkers who are behind on their rent and have suffered financial hardship due to COVID-19. Administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program will provide assistance with up to 12 months of past-due rent, 3 months of prospective rental assistance and 12 months of utility arrears payments to eligible New Yorkers. The program is expected to serve between up to 200,000 households.

The Old Hippies have announced 4 free concerts for the summer.  They are calling it the Home to Home concert Series: for the Common Good.  The Band plays Americana Roots Music and the concerts will be on July 3^rd in Jackson Square, August 8^th in Jackson Square, August 22^nd at Elba Town Park, and September 12^th back in Jackson Square.  For updates and info check out their website at oldhippiesmusic.com.

The problems with bail reform continue as Judge Charles Zambito is frustrated over his inability to keep a violent offender in jail.  19 year old Devon Wright has been charged with sexual misconduct with a person under 15 years old, stealing from a minor under 17, burglary, assault, running down a person with a car and then fleeing the police on foot, criminal mischief, violating an order of protection and failure to appear for a court date, among others.  He was previously held on bail but was released anyway.  Judge Zambito remarked his frustration that the bail reform make it so judges cannot use a person’s threat to the community as a reason to hold them.  Currently Zambito has ordered a mental health evaluation and ordered that Wight can’t leave his home after 9pm or before 6am and police are allowed to search his home at will.

The Batavia City Council is leaning toward the “let’s try it and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll end it” approach to an offer by Casella Waste Systems of New York to empty the trash receptacles at city parks and downtown at no charge. The company previously had reached out to City Manager Rachael Tabelski with the proposal that allows Casella crews to service the parks on a daily basis and downtown on a weekly basis in return for letting the company paint the receptacles (dark blue) and place a sign on them, stating “Serviced by Casella Waste.” At Monday night’s Conference Meeting at City Hall, the board agreed to move a resolution to enter into a contract with Casella to its June 14 Business Meeting for a formal vote.  After a brief discussion on the matter, the consensus was to take the business up on its offer and if things don’t proceed as expected, it would use a clause in the pact to terminate it.

In a joint statement released from New York State and the Department of Health, guidance has been revised for child care programs saying young children no longer have to wear masks. This comes after hundreds of parents were set to sue the state over the revised rule. The statement reads that while masks for children ages 2-5 are encouraged, it is not required.

Authorities report the arrest of 18-year-old Ermonie R. Schichler of State Street in Batavia. She was charged with disseminating indecent material to a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor. It is alleged that she sent sexually explicit photos to a minor over a period of time. She was arraigned via Skype in Batavia City Court, then released on her own recognizance.

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.04, down one cent from last Monday. One year ago, the price was $1.96. The New York State average is $3.07 – up one cent from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.18. Batavia prices have ticked up 3 cents.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has directed flags on State government buildings to be flown at half-staff and state landmarks to be lit red, white and blue on Sunday, May 30 to honor the essential workers who lost their lives due to COVID-19. Flags will remain at half-staff until noon and landmarks will remain lit on Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day in honor of the service members who lost their lives fighting to defend our country.

Voters now say Governor Andrew Cuomo should not resign by a 49-41% margin, compared to a 51-37% majority who said he should not resign last month…that’s according to a just released Siena poll. Cuomo’s favorability rating has also ticked up slightly.

The Genesee County STOP-DWI coordinator has announced that police agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of Le Roy Police Department, will participate in special efforts to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving. The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign will start on Friday and will end on Tuesday, June 1st. Memorial Day is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year and marks the unofficial start of summer.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he projects all students across the state will be back in the classroom for in-person learning this fall. The governor said New York will be setting a statewide policy for all schools in the future.

Gas prices in Buffalo have reached the 3 dollar mark for a gallon of regular.  Experts expect that the price will continue to rise through the memorial day weekend.  The average price of gas in New York is now 3.07 and the national average is 3.04.  The average in Batavia is 2.99  New data from the Energy Information Administration shows demand is up while supply is down ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, in which more than 37 million Americans are expected to travel more than 50 miles by road or by air.

The Jays at Sahlens Field are planning on increasing the size of their vaccinated seating section before their first home game on June 15^th.  They are moving up from 35 percent to 45 percent making 66 percent of all seating fall into the fully vaccinated category.  Tickets for the seats will go on sale Thursday at 10am.  According to the Blue Jays, based on the latest CDC and NYS guidance fans will no longer be required to wear face coverings while in the outdoor seating bowl.

Darien Lake amusement park is back open again but one beloved ride will not be returning.  The Giant Wheel has ended its 38 year run at the park.  Originally the 165 foot tall Ferris wheel was at the 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee and was the tallest in the world when it was first built.  Also not opening this season and reportedly being dismantled is the Grizzly Run raft ride.

The Free Concert series at Jackson Square artists have been announced.  The concerts go from June 25^th through August 27^th.  The artists who will be performing are: Penny Whiskey, Old Hippies, Home to Home Concert Series, Skycats, The Don Newcomb Band, Ghost Riders, Tommy Geraci’s Rio Bravo, SDP Jazz Trio, Bluesway Band, Mitty and the Followers and Red Creek.  For the complete Schedule check out our news partner the Batavian.

Genesee County is participating in the stop DWI program from Friday to Tuesday.  This campaign will mean more police in high traffic areas and an increase in pulling people over if they are suspected of drinking and driving.  Memorial day weekend is a time when more people get behind the wheel after drinking and targeted enforcement has lowered drunk driving deaths by as much as 25 percent.

It’s rare when a state audit doesn’t dig up any dirt…but that was case in a recent review of the Genesee County 2021 budget. According to a report summary, Genesee County officials adequately assessed the impact of the pandemic on financial operations while developing estimates for significant revenues and expenditures in the 2021 adopted budget. There was one key recommendation – the report suggested in consideration of the continually new and evolving impacts caused by the pandemic, County officials should carefully monitor their budgeted to actual revenues and expenditures and make amendments to the budget as needed throughout the year.

Three Buffalo residents are facing felony counts stemming from an alleged crime in the Town of Batavia. Charged with criminal possession of stolen property valued above $1,000 – 26-year-old Shelby McElwain, 47-year-old Steven Cameron and 50-year-old Gary Cameron. Shelby was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Court appearances are pending.

An Albion man faces felony counts. During a traffic stop, state troopers arrested 27-year-old Randall Vanhouten. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and having a blood alcohol content at or above.08%. They are each felony crimes because he has previous alcohol-related convictions within the past ten years. A court appearance is pending.

After missing the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions, Darien Lake Theme Park, has reopened for the year. Currently, the park can operate at 33-percent capacity but expects to be open at 100-percent capacity in about a month. COVID-19 protocols include a touchless temperature check as patrons enter the park and social distancing. People who are full vaccinated do not need to wear masks. The mask protocol will operate on the honor system. Patrons will not be required to show proof of vaccination. All of the rides and attractions are open.

Batavia police say they arrested Justin Thagard, charging him with felony first-degree criminal contempt. According to police, he allegedly violated an order of protection. He was initially jailed in lieu of cash bail.

City police arrested 30-year-old Robert Wood. He was charged with felony first-degree criminal contempt. Police said he allegedly had contact with a woman who has an active stay away order of protection. Wood was initially arraigned and jailed without bail.

64 percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 55 percent have completed the vaccine series. More than 822,000 doses have been administered statewide over the past seven days.

Community Action of Genesee and Orleans counties has decided to downsize the Community Action Transportation System or CATS for short because too few people are using it.  Community Action Executive Director Renee Hungerford says that “Fuel and bus maintenance is costly, while ridership is low due to COVID and new conveniences such as remote work, grocery delivery, and telehealth,” and that the system was often making transports of just 1 or 2 people.  The CATS program has been providing for residents, bus transportation service for established routes and for “on-demand” rides year-round, five days per week.  Destinations included community health centers, doctor and hospital visits, treatment centers, clinics, dialysis, and retail store shopping.

The Muckdogs released their schedule Thursday with the first home game being June 4^th.  They also released which promotions they will be doing throughout the season.  The Muckdogs are bringing back many of the old ways including: Meet the Team; Postgame Fireworks; Free Posters; Thirsty Thursdays; Sahlen’s Dollar Dog Nights; Free T-shirt Night; O’Lacy’s Irish Night; 716 Night; Free Face Masks; and more.  For a full schedule and list of promotions go to canusamuckdogs.com.

North Bergen Rd between Merrill Rd and Bird Rd has been reopened.  The next road closure will start Monday and be between Townline Road and Galloway Road on Macomber rd.  It will be closed for about 2 weeks.

COVID Update:  Since Tuesday there are 22 new cases in Genesee county and 25 people have recovered.  In Orleans county there are 13 new cases and 17 people have recovered.  There are 50 active cases in Genesee county and 44 in Orleans.  Genesee county has 22 thousand five hundred people fully vaccinated and Orleans county has just over 13 and a half thousand people vaccinated.  New York is in 10^th place nationally with 43.8 percent of residents fully vaccinated.  Maine is in first place with over 50 percent and Mississippi is in last place with just over a quarter of it’s population fully vaccinated.

The Genesee Orleans county Health department will have pop up clinics for everyone 12 and up from Tuesday through Thursday this week.  Walk ins are welcome.  The locations are Tuesday: Ridgeway Fire Hall in Medina from 10am to noon, Wednesday, the GCC Athletic Arena from 1:30 to 3pm.  Thursday Holley American Legion from 11AM to 12:30, And Thursday the Kendall Fire Department 2 through 3:30pm.

The DEC has issued an air quality warning for Western New York again today till 11pm.  The pollutant of concern is Ozone.  Officials warn that ozone in the air can create health problems for people with breathing difficulties especially children.  They advise that those who may be more susceptible not do strenuous activity outdoors.  Ozone at ground level can form when there is summer heat combined with a specific pressure system which traps car exhaust and other pollutants at a level that it effects people on the ground.  Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor.

The Empire Hemp Company at 204 Main Street has had its grand opening.  The CBD shop owned by Chris VanDusen and Sally Wolanske have actually been open for about a month but yesterday was the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Empire Hemp’s retail store is new. A processing and manufacturing facility has been operating for several months.  During the ceremony, VanDusen talked about the company’s best sellers.  The company extracts the CBD oil from hemp and processes various products in concentrations of THC –  the active ingredient in marijuana – that are within legal limits.

The incredibly popular week long Christian music festival Kingdom Bound held annually at Darien Lake Amusement Park has announced that it will not be running this year.  The Kingdom Bound organization sent out a press release that said that because of New York State’s COVID guidelines and “despite exhausting all possible options and pursuing all possible solutions, Kingdom Bound has been postponed and has been rescheduled for July 24-27, 2022 at Six Flags Darien Lake.”  For those who already bought tickets or other packages to the 2021 festival their tickets will be automatically rolled over to 2022 and they will be sent a gift card for 15 dollars towards next years Kingdom Bound.

Did you get a ticket to see the Blue Jays at Sahlens field?  If you didn’t grab a ticket for the first 8 games it’s too late now.  The tickets went on sale yesterday and they are already sold out for all games available.  Tickets for the next 10 games will be available June 8^th.  The Blue Jays say that capacity may increase so keep checking for more tickets to become purchasable.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the closure of the U.S.-Canada border to non-essential travel has been extended through June 21. It was set to expire today.

You might notice that Main Street in Batavia looks a little different today.  The Batavia Downtown Business Improvement District has put 111 new banners up on light poles down the street.  The department of Public Works and Hodgins Printing worked with the BDBID for the collaborative effort.  The new banners feature a picture of downtown Batavia.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

New information has been revealed involving the sexual harassment allegations made against Governor Cuomo.
According to The Washington Post his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, was involved in giving advice about how the governor should respond to the claims.
In a statement, CNN said it was inappropriate for Cuomo to take part in those talks and that he won’t be involved in them going forward.
Governor Cuomo has denied sexually harassing anyone and says he has no plans to step down.

Everyone who missed out on winning the big Mega Millions jackpot earlier this week will get another chance to strike it rich tonight.
The jackpot has grown to 515-million-dollars which is one of the top 10 totals in the game’s history. No one has won Mega Millions since February 16th when a New York couple took home a huge prize. Tickets cost $2 and the live drawing starts at 11 pm at www.megamillions.com.

The Empire Hemp Company has officially opened it’s doors at 204 Main Street
Owners Chris VanDusen and Sally Wolanske have actually been opened for about a money but yesterday was the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Empire Hemp’s retail store is new. A processing and manufacturing facility has been operating for several months.
The company extracts the CBD oil from hemp and processes various products in concentrations of THC – at the active ingredient in marijuana – that are within legal limits.

New York State is putting up quite a large amount of money to urge people to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19. As part of the “Vax and Scratch” program, a lot of folks who receive vaccine next week will get a free lottery scratch-off ticket that could be worth up to five-million dollars. The promotion runs this coming Monday through next Friday at some of the state’s mass vaccination sites. So far, over 18-million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the Empire State.
The nearest state operated mass vaccination site

$250 million is available to transform and modernize airports in Upstate New York and foster regional economic development. The Genesee County Airport is among the 24 airports eligible for the funding. Funding applications are due by September 15^th.

The NY Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee joined with law enforcement Thursday to announce the kickoff of the annual “Buckle Up New York, Click it or Ticket” campaign. This education and enforcement mobilization runs from May 24 to June 6 to promote seat belt use as the spring travel season ramps up. New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will also use marked and unmarked vehicles, checkpoints, and roving details to ticket unbelted drivers during the campaign.

Thursday morning at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a new incentive to get more people protected against COVID-19. It’s called “Vax & Scratch.” Next week, Monday through Friday, people have the opportunity to go get vaccinated and take home a free lottery ticket. This is happening at 10 mass vaccination sites across the state. The top prize is $5 million, while lower prizes go down to $20. According to Gov. Cuomo, the chances of winning something are 1 in 9. New York’s latest statewide COVID-19 positivity rate is 0.85 percent.

New York’s statewide COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped to 0.85 percent, the lowest since September 11.

While the Kiwanis Club of Batavia announced several award winners for its annual Law Day event in advance, there was one person kept in the dark about all of the planned awards. District Attorney Lawrence Friedman. He is finishing out his final term as district attorney, ending a 24-year run as the county’s longest-serving DA, and to recognize him for his service to the community, the Kiwanis Club presented him with a Special Service Award.

The Canadian government says its border with the US will remain closed until June21st…and that has annoyed Congressman Chris Jacobs. He issued a statement saying “This indefinite closure is unacceptable. To continue to do this for over a year without a plan for heartbroken families and anxious homeowners represents a failure of leadership.”

New York State Police Troop A held their annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service Thursday at the WNY headquarters in Batavia. This was Troop’s first service since 2019 after last year’s service was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The service honors troopers who have died in the line of duty.

Timothy Granison, the husband of Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, was arraigned this morning on criminal charges resulting from the search of the home he shares with the mayor.
That same investigation, a drug-related probe by the New York State Police, also led to the arrest Wednesday of a second man.
The 42 year old Granison pleaded not guilty to three felonies — two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count of criminal possession of a firearm.
Court records show Granison is accused of possessing 31 grams of cocaine and an unregistered gun.
He was released on his own recognizance this morning.
This is not Granison’s first brush with the law. He was convicted for his role in a 1997 armed robbery and sentenced to five years’ probation.

The City of Batavia is out with a chart on how to contact City Hall.
It lists the services provided along with the department phone numbers and email address to get the information you want.
The list is published on our website

Construction of a renovated Jackson Square is expected to begin in the next few months.
The preliminary design has been completed. Some changes were made as a result of two public meetings. The budget for the project is $750,000.
The space will feature decorative pavement upgrades, a professional multi-purpose stage and seating, lighting, and decorative signage.
We have pictures of the new design on our website.

Kids who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 won’t need to wear masks while attending day camps or overnight camps this summer. New guidance released by the state also says they won’t have to maintain proper social distancing. Unvaccinated children and staff will still need to have a facial covering on.

News Release

A transformative project in the center of Downtown Batavia will advance towards construction in the next few months.  The Jackson Square revitalization project has completed preliminary design after numerous public engagement and stakeholder meetings.

On October 6, 2018, Governor Cuomo announced eight transformational projects for Downtown Batavia as part of $10 Million Downton Revitalization Initiative (DRI).  Enhancing Jackson Square was one of the eight projects chosen to receive a strategic investment grant of $750,000 to transform public space in a public plaza.

“The upgraded public plaza will become a lively hub and common space for community interaction, and provide connections to multiple businesses through its unique configuration.  As we continue to recover from the pandemic, I am happy to see the City complete this project and be able to offer citizens and visitors a unique experience in downtown Batavia,” said Eugene Jankowski Jr., City of Batavia Council President and DRI Co-Chair.

Jackson Square, a public gathering space bordered by historic buildings in the heart of downtown will be transformed with decorative pavement upgrades, a professional multi-purpose stage, seating, lighting, and decorative signage.

“Jackson Square is a hidden gem in the City of Batavia, currently hosting lively concerts and urban events.  After the project is complete the Square will bring in more opportunities for the community to gather creating a downtown neighborhood,” said Steve Hyde, CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center and Co-Chair of the Batavia DRI.

Architectural Resources, the architectural firm selected to design the project, will advance the project into final design, engineering and permitting.  The project is on schedule to go out to bid this winter 2021 and construction finishing in the spring of 2022.

“We received feedback from the residents, the Batavia Business Improvement District (BID), Batavia Development Corporation (BDC), adjoining building owners, and users of the square.  The pavement and lighting elements will give a square a historical feel in a unique urban setting,” said Rachael Tabelski, City of Batavia City Manager.

The concept integrates many historical layers of Batavia including the Great Bend- changing the trajectory of the Tonawanda Creek, the Ancient Seneca Footpaths, and the history of “old” downtown Batavia

“The BID was engaged throughout the entire process including selecting the design firm, reviewing and refining the project.  The adjacent building owners were consulted, as well as the multiple users of the square to advance the project.  Jackson Square will continue to drive community events and business to downtown Batavia,” said Beth Kemp, Executive Director of the BID.

Input received at each of the two public meeting informed the design of Jackson Square.  The design of the stage and canopy was revised based on suggestions that were made during the second public meeting.

The City of Batavia wants to remind residents how to access the various City departments for service requests or questions.  Below is a listing of Departments and what different services they perform throughout the City.

“The City of Batavia employs 150 professionals, working different shifts and schedules, on behalf of the residents of the City to maintain public safety, provide fire protection, maintain streets, water, sewer, enforce local codes/ordinances, issue building permits, marriage certificates, hunting and fishing licenses, as well as many other services.  Access to these services are important and the guide below is a quick index of the main services each department performs, and how to contact the department,” said Rachael Tabelski, City Manager.

If you are experiencing an emergency, always call 911.

New York voters approved 99.2% of school district budgets on Tuesday, May 18, according to preliminary results compiled by the New York State School Boards Association. Executive Director Robert Schneider says “The high passage rate for proposed budgets is a welcome endorsement of spending plans that will strengthen educational programs and restore some of the academic and student support services that were curtailed by the pandemic.” A decade after the state’s property tax cap went into effect, 654 districts proposed budgets with tax levies that were within their caps and required only a simple majority to pass. Of those districts, 99.7% saw their budgets pass.

An arrest has been made almost two years after a vehicle was reported stolen in the Town of Batavia. State Troopers say they arrested 57-year-old Edward Ruckdeschel of Batavia. He was charged this week with felony third-degree grand larceny. But it didn’t end there…Troopers leveled additional counts of grand larceny for vehicle thefts in Bethany in January 2020 and Le Roy in February 2020. He was initially detained.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is joining his colleagues in the Assembly Minority calling for the passage of a bill that would prohibit statewide elected officials from profiting on published works while serving in their position. This legislative push follows news that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be earning more than $5 million on a book deal for a memoir he wrote during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when over 15,000 seniors passed away in nursing homes under his administration’s watch.

The Batavia Fire Investigation Team continues to examine the cause of a house and garage fire from Tuesday night. A garage at 202 Liberty Street was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived at 8:15 p.m. Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano said responding crews made an aggressive exterior attack on the garage and a concurrent interior attack containing and extinguishing the fire to a single room on the second floor of the home. The situation was call under control in under 30 minutes. The home was occupied with three residents and one pet that were able to safely escape prior to the fire department’s arrival. Due to the intensity of the fire, the home received significant smoke, heat and water damage. City Fire was assisted at the scene by the City of Batavia Police Department, Bureau of Inspection along with Elba and Alexander Fire Departments. Additional assistance was provided by the Town of Batavia Fire Department, Mercy EMS and Genesee County Emergency Dispatch.

A transformative project in the center of Downtown Batavia will advance towards construction in the next few months. The Jackson Square revitalization project has completed preliminary design after numerous public meetings. In 2018, Governor Cuomo announced eight transformational projects for Downtown Batavia as part of $10 Million Downton Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Enhancing Jackson Square was one of the eight projects chosen to receive a strategic investment grant of $750,000 to transform public space in a public plaza. Eugene Jankowski Jr., City of Batavia Council President and DRI Co-Chair says “the upgraded public plaza will become a lively hub and common space for community interaction, and provide connections to multiple businesses through its unique configuration.”.

Gov. Cuomo announced updated guidance for health and safety measures at child care, day camp, and overnight camp programs, effective right now. The measures include protocols for COVID testing, physical distancing, and sanitation, among other requirements to help prevent COVID-19 cases. The Department of Health will continue to monitor and evaluate health metrics for child care facilities and camp programs and, if necessary, will issue further guidance.

Today is the day the mandate for New Yorkers to wear masks in all businesses has been lifted for those who are vaccinated and many businesses are changing their policies.  Tops Home Depot and Walmart now allow those who are vaccinated to choose whether to wear masks or not.  Malls in Rochester and Buffalo are letting vaccinated individuals go without masks but warn that some stores may still require masks.  Be sure to check if with each store you are patronizing as to how their policies have changed.  Also, children 2-11 are still required by state mandate to wear masks.

There is an air quality alert in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties until 11pm tonight.  An air quality warning means that ozone levels in the outdoor air are predicted to be higher than 100 in the air quality index.  People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young and those with pre existing respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease.  Those who may be more susceptible should not do strenuous activity outside.

The 15 year old girl, Anyia Doward, who went missing yesterday has been found.  The Batavia Police Department thanks the public for their help.  No further information ahs been released.

A fire broke out last night at the corner of Liberty and Cherry street in a residence garage.  Fire fighters were on the scene at 8:15 and the blaze which started in the garage and spread to the second floor of the residence at 202 Liberty was defeated by 8:39.  The 3 residents and one pet were able to escape.  The home received significant smoke, heat and water damage.  The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The Genesee Riverwatch organization is looking for nominations for their environmental leadership awards.  Awards are given in honor or Elizabeth Thorndike, longtime supporter of Genesee RiverWatch and one of the founders of its predecessor organization, the Center for Environmental Information.  The awards are given to those who champion the Riverwatch mission of promoting solutions that improve the water quality of the Genesee river and initiatives that connect people to the River.  Nomination forms are available on the Genesee RiverWatch website at www.GeneseeRiverWatch.org and must be returned by June 30.

There is something furry in Bergen and it wants to help you relax.  Alpaca Yoga at the Northwoods Alpaca farm is having a 45 minute class in the pasture every Saturday starting on May 22^nd.  Each class ends with a 15 minute meet and greet with the alpacas.  Classes are 20 dollars a person.  In order to preregister go to visitgeneseeny.com and click on yoga with alpacas.

School budget votes were approved in all public school districts in Genesee County – and approved by wide margins.
For the most part budgets held the line or slightly reduced the tax levy.
Batavia City Schools OK’d the budget by a 4 to one spread.
John Reigle, (Ree-gul) Brenda Good and Jennifer Lendvay were elected to the city board of education.
Incumbent Shawna Murphy was defeated.
Only one close school board election…that was in Oakfield-Alabama where Jeff Hyde defeated Lorna Klotzback by just six votes.
And Pembroke, no one filed nominating petitions in time.
Daniel Langwith garnered 25 write in votes. School officials say they must contact Langwith to confirm he even wants the seat.

See a list of all school election results

Today, New York State will begin its largest reopening since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most capacity restrictions will be lifted at locations like retail businesses, gyms, food services, hair salons and offices. Outdoor dining curfews were already removed a couple of days ago while indoor dining curfews will come to an end May 31st. The process of having the state completely up and running again is expected to take a few more weeks.

The New York statewide 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 1.07 percent, the lowest since September 27. The 7-day average positivity rate has declined for 43 straight days. Governor Cuomo says today marks a major reopening of New York State, a milestone reached thanks to the strength and grit of New Yorkers.
COVID numbers continue to improve across the region. Health Commissioner Paul Pettit issued an update

On Tuesday, 36 new positive cases were reported in Genesee County.

It looks like Americans will have to wait another month before they can cross the land border between the United States and Canada.
According to CTV News, both U.S. and Canadian officials are planning to extend the closure until June 21st.
The border has been shut to all non-essential travel since March 2020 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
It’s believed any agreement to fully reopen the border could require travelers to prove they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Batavia school district voters overwhelmingly approved the districts proposed budget. 490 people said yes, while just 104 people voted against the plan. Other propositions were also approved. In the school board race, John Reigle, Brenda Good and Jennifer Lendvay were all elected. The Le Roy school budget was also approved by a vote of 396-124. Elected to the Board of Education – Christine Dowell, William Mackenzie and Lucas Weaver. In other results, voters across the region widely supported school budgets.

The Batavia Town Planning Board approved a site plan for Dickinson’s Auto to construct a truck storage building on West Main St. Rd. The owner, Bob Dickinson had requested an area variance since the new building would be located 10 feet from the lot line instead of the required 30 feet in the Commercial District. Town planners were scheduled to reconsider a special use permit request by Batavia Solar for a ground-mounted solar system for the Genesee Gateway Local Development Corp. on R. Stephen Hawley Drive but…that discussion was paused again.

The New York statewide 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 1.07 percent, the lowest since September 27. The 7-day average positivity rate has declined for 43 straight days. Governor Cuomo says today marks a major reopening of New York State, a milestone reached thanks to the strength and grit of New Yorkers who banded together, stayed tough and fought as one to defeat this COVID beast.

COVID numbers continue to improve across the region. Health Commissioner Paul Pettit (Ped-it) has an update (GC). On Tuesday, 36 new positive cases were reported.

New York Farm Bureau highlighted several key pieces of legislation during a virtual press conference that are important to our members with four weeks to go until the end of the New York State legislative session. The bills include the Extended Producer Responsibility Act which aims to overhaul the state’s recycling system. The Act is a proposal that would create an entirely new statewide recycling program and shift the program responsibility from private recycling waste management companies and municipalities to “producers” including farms and agribusinesses that package their products in containers like milk cartons, wine bottles and maple jugs, along with the forest product industry. The concern is this will greatly impact food access and prices during a time that farms are trying to encourage food production and on-farm processing of food products, especially coming off a pandemic.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced more than 10 million New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 118,879 doses have been administered across the state’s vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and 806,782 doses have been administered statewide over the past seven days.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday night that her office’s investigation into the Trump Organization is now a criminal one. James is seeking information in a probe of whether the Trump Organization lied about the worth of its assets to secure loans or tax benefits.

GENESEE COUNTY

Batavia City School District

Budget approved: 490 – 104

BOE – Three elected*

John Reigle 471*

Brenda Good 448*

Jennifer Lendvay 461*

Shawna Murphy 284

 

Alexander Central

Budget approved: 248 – 161

BOE- One 5-year term*

Josselyn Borowiec 91

Lindsay Bessey 305*

 

Byron-Bergen

Budget approved: 242 – 69

BOE

William Forsyth 291

Debra List 267

 

Elba Central

Budget approved: 282 – 58

BOE

Michael Hare elected to 5 year term

 

LeRoy Central

Budget passed – 394 – 122

BOE

All three elected

Christine Dowell

William MacKenzie

Lucas Weaver

 

Oakfield-Alabama

Budget passed: 282 – 58

BOE – Elected*

Maria Thompson*

Jeff Hyde*

 

Pembroke Central

Budget approved: 236 – 78

BOE:

No nominating petitions were returned in time. Daniel Langwith received the most write in votes (25). School officials said Tuesday night they would reach out to Langwith to confirm whether or not he will accept the position.

 

WYOMING COUNTY

Attica Central

Budget passed 308 – 203

BOE

Lyman Rudgers and Chris Day both elected to 3 year terms

 

Wyoming Central

Budget approved: 72 – 30

BOE

Nicole White  96*

According to the new guidelines for businesses in New York state starting tomorrow whether patrons mask or not mask will be up to the businesses themselves.  The guidelines say that businesses are authorized to require that vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals continue to wear masks but are not required to.  Many businesses are going to go on the honor system where those who are vaccinated do not have to show a card or Excelsior Pass to be able to take off the mask.  Restaurants are further given guidance to establish vaccinated sections.  University at Buffalo Professor of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Dr Nancy Nielsen says as long as you aren’t immunocompromised, “if you’re fully vaccinated even if a non-vaccinated person comes in without a mask, they’re the ones at risk, not you.  Anybody who’s not vaccinated, if you want to be safe, go get the vaccine, the quicker the better.”

Son of Former NYC Mayor and Trump Lawyer Rudy Giuliani, 35 year old Andrew Giuliani announced that he is running for Governor as a republican in 2022.  Giuliani served as a White House aide under former President Donald Trump and has more recently been a commentator for the conservative network Newsmax.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia is giving out their Criminal Justice Award on Wednesday.  This award goes to members of law enforcement whose exceptional career achievements and conscientiousness to citizenship have demonstrated a spirit of selfless public service or demonstrated an act of exceptional valor or heroism.  The awards recipients are: Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Andrew Hale; Deputies David Moore, Kyle Krzemien, Howard Wilson, Andrew  Mullen, Joshua Brabon; Brock Cummins; Investigator Christopher Parker; LeRoy Police Department Sergeant Gregory Kellogg and Officers Jordan Wolcott and Austin Steinbrenner.-

Single game tickets are now available for all 29 Muckdogs home games for the 2021 season.  Their full schedule is available on pgcbl.com and on the Batavia Muckdogs Baseball Facebook page.  To buy tickets call 585 524 2260, season tickets can still be bought up until June 4^th.

A press release from the Highway department: Meadville Road between Lewiston Road and Owen Road in the Town of Alabama will be closed beginning Monday, May 24th through approximately Aug. 30th, for a bridge replacement project.  The road will not be passable to regular traffic or emergency vehicles.  The public will be notified when it reopens.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia Criminal Justice Award is presented to a member or members of the community, law enforcement, or a criminal justice agency serving the citizens of Genesee County whose exceptional career achievements and conscientiousness to citizenship have demonstrated a spirit of selfless public service or demonstrated an act of exceptional valor or heroism.

The 2021 Award Recipients are:
Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Andrew B. Hale; Deputies David D. Moore, Kyle D. Krzemien, Howard O. Wilson, V., Andrew Z. Mullen, Joshua A. Brabon; Brock D. Cummins; and Investigator Christopher A. Parker.
LeRoy Police Department Sergeant Gregory Kellogg and Officers Jordan Wolcott and Austin Steinbrenner.

On May 27, 2020, at about 2037 hours, what began as a typical traffic stop in LeRoy, turned into a multi-agency pursuit of a tractor trailer through multiple counties at speeds up to 70+ MPH. The tractor trailer recklessly swerved into oncoming traffic, putting innocent drivers at risk; made multiple U-turns; attempted to strike patrol vehicles, and shot at officers several times. Four different patrol vehicles were struck by bullets, one vehicle with at least eight rounds. One of the bullets went through the windshield and struck the rear partition over a Deputy’s head rest. Fortunately, the Deputy had been leaning to his right at the time. The pursuit came to an end when the tractor trailer, heading towards the Village of Geneseo, was fired upon by officers and it exited the roadway. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene and the reign of terror ended.

The ensuing investigation revealed that the driver was on the FBI watch list. Searches at his residence and rental property revealed bomb-making instructions, improvised explosive devices, multiple weapons and large amounts of ammunition. These findings, along with his social media posts, revealed that he was an anti-police extremist and was planning violence on a larger scale.

The pursuit that night lasted approximately an hour and fifteen minutes. The amount of lives that were endangered is countless. Patrols from multiple jurisdictions placed themselves in danger to protect the public for the entire duration of the incident. They cleared roadways and intersections while their patrol cars were in danger of being rammed by the tractor trailer and in the line of fire while the driver was shooting at them. They coordinated over jurisdictional lines to remove a threat to the public, not only for that night, but certainly for a future time.

These officers were nominated for this award by Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. and LeRoy Police Chief Gregory Kellogg.

City of Batavia Retired Police Officer Jason Davis
Police Officer Jason Davis has served many roles within the department during his nearly 22 years of service to the community. He has served as an Officer-in-Charge, Instructor, Field Training Officer and Emergency Response Team member, to name a few. Officer Davis served as the department’s de-escalation instructor and, most recently, he was assigned as the School Resource Officer to the Batavia City School District where he immediately made an impact in the lives of students and staff in the District. He was able to successfully de-escalate incidents with students, act as a role model and mentor to many, and served as an invaluable resource to the staff. Throughout his career, Officer Davis handled all of his duties with professionalism and pride for the uniform he wears and the department he represents. Officer Davis was nominated for this award by City of Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch.

Village of LeRoy Retired Chief of Police Christopher Hayward
Retired Chief of Police Christopher Hayward has served the Village of LeRoy since his teenage years. He began his career as an Officer and rose to the position of Chief of Police through years of dedication, commitment, and compassion to all of the members of the community. Chris was instrumental in the consolidation of the local village and town courts, seeking to provide an efficient and effective court operation. He is a man of high integrity and fostered many relationships with community members of all ages. He supported and worked hard to partner in the County’s shared E-911 Emergency Services Dispatch Center. Chief Hayward was nominated for this award by Genesee County Legislator (District #5, LeRoy) Rochelle Stein.

Charles L. Mancuso Mock Trial Award
The “Charles L. Mancuso Award” was presented to the members of the Alexander High School Mock Trial Team as winners of the 2021 GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties) District Competition in the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Tournament. The award reads “Dedicated to the Memory of an Outstanding Attorney-Citizen”, Mr. Mancuso, a Batavia lawyer, served as coordinator of the local competition until his untimely death 14 years ago.

The Alexander High School team members honored include: Erin Hess, Annie Slenker, Shawn Calmes, Katarina Luker, Imogene Plitt, Dana Morelli, Olivia Burkhardt, Holly Bykowski, Maia Saile, and teacher coach Johnny Lucas. Coordinator of the local Mock Trial Program, Kristie DeFreze, presented the award.

Genesee County Bar Association Special Honors

The Genesee County Bar Association is honoring the lives of two longstanding attorneys who passed away in 2020.

Theron “Ted” Howard passed away on June 11, 2020, after practicing law in Genesee County since 1978. Ted spent most of his legal career in his own private practice but fulfilled several public roles as well. Ted worked as an Assistant District Attorney, served the Town of Pavilion as Town Justice and Town Supervisor, and prosecuted traffic matters in the Towns of Pavilion and Batavia. Ted also volunteered generously in the community – on the Pavilion School Board, the LeRoy Historical Society Board, and the GCC Foundation Board.

David Saleh passed away on October 29, 2020. Dave spent many years in private practice before becoming in-house counsel at Enlighten. Dave is a past president of the Genesee County Bar Association and acted as a delegate to the State Judicial Nominating Committee for over 35 years. During the year leading up to his death, Dave served as a part-time City Court Judge in Batavia. Beyond his professional endeavors, Dave donated his time and energy to his community – at his church, as a volunteer firefighter, as a member of the Lions Club, and as a board member of the Corfu Free Library and St. Jerome Hospital Foundation.

New Yorkers who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will only need to have a mask on at most places for one more day.
As of tomorrow, the state will be following federal Centers for Disease Control guidance involving facial coverings.
That means fully vaccinated people will no longer be required to wear masks inside or outside and those folks also don’t have to follow social distancing protocols.
However, businesses still have the authority to make their own rules. Masks will still be mandatory in places like schools and hospitals to prevent the spread of germs.

Genesee County drivers are still handing over more of their hard-earned cash at the gas pump. According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular in Batavia is now $2.97. That’s up just over a penny from last week, and up 76-cents from a year ago. The New York State average is $3.06 gallon.

Since February 16th, no one has won the Mega Millions jackpot but there’s a chance that could change tonight.
There will be 468 million dollars up for grabs for this evening’s drawing, the second time in two years the prize has reached this level.
Only two Mega Millions jackpots have been won since the beginning of 2021.
Tickets cost two bucks and the live drawing starts at 11 p-m at megamillions.com.

City of Batavia School District residents are voting on a school budget today. There is no increase in the tax levy but most assessments have gone up over the past year.
The tax rate itself is decreasing less than one-cent thousand.
Three board of education seats will be decided.
Voting continues until 9 tonight.
School budget balloting is taking place in all school districts today.

New York will change its masking mandates this week. Governor Andrew Cuomo making the announcement, and says tomorrow, vaccinated people won’t need to wear a mask in most settings, as per the new CDC masking guidance. Cuomo also said there will be vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of upcoming basketball playoff games. It will be up to individual venues on how they will enforce it, and says people could be asked to present CDC vaccination cards, or New York’s vaccine passport app.

Voters across New York State head to the polls today to give a thumbs up or down to local school budgets. Residents will also decide the fate of new bus purchases and other propositions as well as selecting school board members.

The president of the Genesee County Agricultural Society said she is cautiously optimistic following an announcement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that county fairs across New York State will be able to take place under six-foot social distancing guidelines. The Fair is scheduled for July 24-31 at the county fairgrounds on East Main Street Road. It was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Batavia Police Department is investigating multiple incidents of vandalism in which various City parks were defaced with graffiti. City Parks crews cleaned up the parks prior to the weekend, but they were again discovered to be vandalized by City crews on Monday with new graffiti. Anyone with information about these incidents are asked to contact the City Police Department

Meadville Road between Lewiston Road and Owen Road in the Town of Alabama will be closed beginning Monday through approximately Aug. 30th, for a bridge replacement project. The road will not be passable to regular traffic or emergency vehicles.

Senator Ed Rath is calling on the Department of Budget to release critical funding grants for emergency services. Senator Rath was joined by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Genesee County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein and others. Rath said the delay in the release of this funding is extremely damaging. He added…for the State to be delaying the release of this funding, with no end in sight, is completely unacceptable.

Starting Monday, there is no longer a state-mandated midnight curfew for outdoor dining restaurants. Curfews were set by New York State to limit the spread of COVID-19. The curfew for indoor dining lifts May 31.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that capacities at offices, gyms, and casinos and gaming facilities are increasing on Saturday.  The capacity at offices is increasing Saturday from 50 percent to 75 percent.  The capacity at gyms outside of New York City are increasing from 33 percent to 50 percent.  Casinos and gaming facilities are increasing from 25 percent capacity to 50 percent capacity.  On Wednesday, May 19, spectator capacity for outdoor events will increase from 20 percent to 33 percent.

In an announcement from New York City today, Cuomo announced all county fairs can reopen this summer with some restrictions.  Fairs can reopen at full capacity if they have a permit from their local health department and can ensure six feet of social distancing will be possible for attendees.  Fairs and festivals should encourage at least one attendee from each party to sign in during ticketing, or before or immediately upon entering the event space, providing their name, address and phone number for use in potential contact tracing efforts.  Fairs and festivals must implement health screening for all individuals including questions on any COVID-19 symptoms, close contacts, recent positive COVID-19 test result, and compliance with State’s travel advisory. Fairs and Festivals May Require Masks for All Attendees

A report from Bloomberg News says that the Canadian government is holding internal discussions about plans to reopen the United States-Canada border to non-essential travel.  The border has been closed since March of 2020.  Congressman Chris Jacobs said “We are two countries but really one region, we are a regional economic block that has been suffering, in terms of tourism and families.” Hopes are that the border will be reopened soon.  The order to keep the border closed expires May 21^st.

Gas prices went up slightly this week but haven’t topped 3 dollars yet in western NY.  In Batavia the price of a gallon of unleaded went up 2 pennies to 2.96.  the New York state Average is 3.06 and the national average is 3.05.  The Colonial Pipeline shutdown and the better weather and Memorial Day just around the corner will continue to cause prices to rise.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state will no longer require vaccinated people to wear face masks beginning this Wednesday.

The move follows last week’s changes to CDC guidelines, meaning masks are only required for vaccinated people when in mass transit, nursing homes, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, schools, and health care facilities.

The state is still requiring masks for indoor spaces if people aren’t vaccinated, while individual businesses and venues can have mask rules if they so choose. Cuomo says Wednesday is a natural time to enact new mask rules. That’s when the Tri-state region will also eliminate percentage-based capacity limits.

Reports of graffiti in city parks now has the attention of City Council
In recent weeks malicious graffiti has turned up at Lambert Park and most recently at Farrall Park on Otis Street and three different churches.
This morning, we caught up with Council President Gene Jankowski

Jankowski said it will take information from the public in order to track down the vandals.

A registered sex offender from Le Roy is in trouble with the law. Sheriff’s deputies say they arrested 30-year-old Kyle Samuel Barnhart of North Road. He was charged with failing to register internet accounts. He was issued an appearance ticket for Le Roy court returnable June 15th.

Batavia Police arrest 34-year-old Jonathan Golden for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Golden is alleged to have taken a vehicle while employed at a local at a local car dealership, and kept the vehicle for an extended period of time without the owner’s knowledge or consent.

50 percent of all New Yorkers have completed the COVID-19 vaccine series. All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first come first serve basis. The walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only with second doses to be scheduled automatically after administration of the initial shot.

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a free drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinic this Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds on E. Main St., Batavia.
Health department officials encourage all Genesee County residents to take advantage of this opportunity to make sure that their animals are immunized against rabies and that the vaccinations are kept up to date.

State Police continue to investigate after several people were injured following a crash on the New York State Thruway. The car vs. motorcycle crash happened just before 1 p.m. Sunday in the westbound lanes, east of Exit 48 in Batavia. State Police say at least three people were hurt, one seriously. They say one person airlifted to a hospital. The crash remains under investigation.

A man surrendered to Batavia police after learning he was wanted. Police arrested 34-year-old Jonathan Golden for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Golden is alleged to have taken a vehicle while employed at a local car dealership, and kept the vehicle for an extended period of time without the vehicle owner’s knowledge or consent. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released on his own recognizance.

50 percent of all New Yorkers have completed the COVID-19 vaccine series. All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first come first serve basis. The walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only with second doses to be scheduled automatically after administration of the initial shot.

A registered sex offender from Le Roy is in trouble with the law. Sheriff’s deputies say they arrested 30-year-old Kyle Samuel Barnhart of North Road. He was charged with failing to register internet accounts. He was issued an appearance ticket for Le Roy court returnable June 15^th.

Two people from Erie County are facing multiple felony counts for alleged crimes in the Town of Pavilion. Genesee County deputies arrested 39-year-old Joseph Ayer of Buffalo and 32-year-old Maris Lenk of Cheektowaga. Each was changers with felony burglary and felony grand larceny. According to a press release, the pair allegedly forced their way into a home on River Road and made off with more than $1,000 in property. Both were arraigned virtually…Lenk was released on her own recognizance while Ayer was held without bail. Both will appear in court next month.

New York’s statewide ban on outdoor residential brush burning has now been lifted. In 2020, DEC Forest Rangers extinguished 192 wildfires that burned a total of more than 1,122 acres.

Local government sales tax collections in New York in April grew by 45.7 percent over the same month in 2020. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says collections totaled $1.5 billion, up $464 million from April of last year. Much of this spike in monthly statewide local sales taxes over last year reflects the extremely weak collections experienced by every region of the state in April 2020, when many businesses were closed.

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a free drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinic on Thursday, May 20th from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 E. Main St., Batavia). Health department officials encourage all Genesee County residents to take advantage of this opportunity to make sure that their animals are immunized against rabies and that the vaccinations are kept up to date. Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit four pets per car maximum. Face coverings are required and please follow all social distancing requirements. Registrations are requested.

What is the cost of pursuing impeachment against Governor Cuomo?  The investigation contract is for 250 thousand dollars of taxpayers money.  This comes as the documentation from Davis Polk and Wardwell, the law firm tapped to handle the attorney side of the investigation, was obtained by news agencies.  Republican lawmakers reiterated that this is why they had demanded Cuomo to resign instead of going through the lengthy and expensive process.  Democrat lawmakers also decried the cost and said that money could be going to schools or food to needy families.  Nearly a dozen women have accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct.  Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing but said that he may have been insensitive, too playful or too personal.  There is also an investigation into Cuomo’s handling of state resources for his own personal gain and an investigation into his covering up nursing home deaths and mishandling of the COVID pandemic in NY state.

Tuesday is the day for local school board elections and budget votes.  In Batavia the budget is set to go up to 52 Million dollars with no increase in taxes.  There are three board seats up for election and four candidates. They are: John Reigle, Brenda Good, Jennifer Lendvay, and Shawna Murphy.  For a full breakdown of each town’s budget and who is running for the school board visit our news partner the Batavian.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is calling on Governor Cuomo to end what he calls the “draconian” mask mandates in accordance with the new CDC guidelines.  Hawley says that “It’s been a long time coming, as the governor’s continued restrictions are seemingly less and less about science and safety and more about continued state control over every aspect of our lives. The people of New York are reliable, smart and trustworthy, and the governor must absolutely follow the example of the CDC.”

The new playground at Jackson School is officially open after a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday.  The new playground features musical play installations, a redone surface area, slides, swings a firehouse and handicapped accessible installations.

Arc of Genesee Orleans is partnering with MVP Health Care for a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on Wednesday May 19 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Arc Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia. Walk-ins welcome.  To reserve a spot, click on the link on the Arc of Genesee Orleans Facebook page.

The Genesee Orleans county health departments are hosting pop up covid vaccine clinics all week for residents 12 and up with the Pfizer vaccine and 18 and up with Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.  On Tuesday the clinic will be at Hoag Library in Albion, Wednesday at the Genesee county health department building on w main street in Batavia and at Ridgeway Fire Hall in Medina, Thursday at U of R  Primary Care in Le Roy, and Friday at Orleans county Fairgrounds.  Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are walk in, the Pfizer vaccine is appointment only.

Rochester Clinical Research is recruiting 100 local children to be used for a trial on the COVID vaccines for 6 month through 11 year olds.  The trial is set to start in 3 weeks with parents and children assenting to the trial.  The researchers hope to have the data in before the fall so they can get an emergency use authorization for the vaccine for kids going back to school.

Wegmans pharmacies are offering the COVID vaccine for kids 12-15.  As of Saturday, anyone age 12 and older can walk in and receive a COVID-19 vaccine at any Wegmans pharmacy in New York.  The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be administered to people ages 12 and older; those under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian present with them in order to obtain a vaccine dose. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available for people ages 18 and older.

The Aquarium at Niagara has welcomed a new 8 armed friend and needs the publics help.  The Pacific red Octopus is without a name and the aquarium has announced a naming contest through a google docs survey.  Members of the public can vote through May 31^st between the names, Bean, Octavia, and Squishy.  Follow the link at WBTAi.com to vote.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKd_ZjfhfuXlQIWYH4Fec_ncWPXALTqzizcA-dmJcb34CrZA/viewform

In a similar vein the Buffalo Zoo has 2 new African Lion Cubs who also need names.  The Zoo is using this as a fundraiser with people who pay 1 dollar being able to select between 3 boy names and 3 girl names.  5 of the names are Swahili and have specific meanings.  The 6^th name is Augustus for the Roman Emperor Tiberius Augustus.  Anyone can cast as many votes as they like, 1 vote for each dollar they donate.

A Porter Avenue woman is facing charges of grand larceny for allegedly collecting 78-hundred dollars in so-called SNAP benefits she was not entitled to.
42 year old Elizabeth Flowers Gates is also charges with multiple counts of forgery and offering a false instrument for filing.
The sheriff’s office and social services involved in the arrest.

Governor Cuomo says state health officials are reviewing new mask guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yesterday, the health agency announced people who are fully vaccinated no longer have to wear a mask outdoors or in most indoor settings. However, facial coverings are still required in hospitals or on buses and planes.

An Orleans County man killed when the tractor he was operating overturned and pinned him underneath.
72-year old George Manning was pronounced dead at his home on Ridge Road in Gaines. His son found him and with the help of neighbors removed the tractor and started CPR – but it was too late.

Congressman Chris Jacobs introduced the Help Wanted Act this week to help address the growing labor shortages in Western New York and around the nation.
It would require every state to reinstate the “work-search” requirement for unemployment benefits.
This requires unemployment recipients to show proof of a job search to receive benefits. During the pandemic, this condition was waived by many states.

Parents of children 12 to 15 years old, the one and done Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be available tomorrow from 9:15 in the morning until Noon at GCC.
You will need to make an appointment. Genesee call: (585) 815-7168.

Phase one of a two-part modernization project to expand United Memorial Medical Center’s Radiology department is underway. The nearly $8 million project will add 5,000 square feet to the department, nearly doubling its size, and feature new technology and equipment. The result will be enhanced imaging capabilities that improve the experience for patients, their families and staff. The first phase of the expansion is scheduled for competition halfway through 2022 and the entire project will be complete by 2024.

Congressman Chris Jacobs introduced the Help Wanted Act this week to help address the growing labor shortages reported in Western New York and around the nation. It would require every state to reinstate the “work-search” requirement for unemployment benefits. This requires unemployment recipients to show proof of a job search to receive benefits. During the pandemic, this condition was waived by many states. In addition, the legislation strikes a provision from the CARES Act allowing individuals to collect unemployment if they voluntarily left their job. Finally, the legislation would prohibit the use of generic concerns about COVID-19 as a reason for turning down offers of employment.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the statewide COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped to 1.08 percent, the lowest since October 10. He said hospitalizations were down and there were 30 fewer patients in intensive care. Twenty-two new deaths were reported. In the Southern Tier, 62 people were hospitalized with virus-related complications.

The Social Security Administration today announced the most popular baby names in New York for 2020.  Liam and Olivia topped the list.

An Orleans County man was killed when the tractor he was operating near his home on Ridge Road in Gaines overturned and pinned him underneath. 72-year-old George Manning suffered fatal injuries. The mans son found the victim pinned and unresponsive under the tractor. With the help of neighbors, they were able to lift the machine up and pull the victim out. CPR was unsuccessful. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by Orleans County Chief Coroner.

Genesee County deputies arrested 28-year-old Andre Roberts of Rochester. He was charged with bail jumping after he failed to appear in Corfu Village Court last December. Roberts will be arraigned today in court.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Kevin Bruen announced the arrests of former state police mechanics Jeffrey Rapasadi and David Relyea in the theft of nearly $30,000 in auto parts and supplies from the state. The thefts allegedly took place between April 2015 and October 2020. DiNapoli said “These men were entrusted to maintain and service essential New York State Police vehicles, but instead they allegedly used taxpayer money to fund their own their personal business and repairs.” The men were non-sworn civilian employees responsible for maintaining police vehicles.

New York State Public High school Athletic Association has announced new guidance on athletic events.  Outdoor athletic events will be allowed to host up to 500 spectators, an increase from the previous limit of 200. The cap for indoor events will increase from 100 to 250 spectators.  The state said that each school district is allowed to keep lower numbers if they feel a lower threshold should be in effect.

Fantasy Island north of Buffalo may be getting new life thanks to a company that has been reviving defunct amusement parks.  Chicago Investor Gene Staples is negotiating with Store Capital Real Estate Investment Trust Co. of Scottsdale, Arizona, for a long-term lease for the closed amusement park.  Staples bought and reopened Indiana Beach in Monticello Indiana last year.  Indiana Beach and Fantasy Island were both owned by Apex Parks Group.  Staples has posted help wanted ads on the global association for the attractions industry website, Iappa.org, for amusement park workers in Buffalo.

Effective immediately, New York State has authorized the use of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for residents between the ages of 12 and 15.
The announcement came last night after the vaccine was approved by the state’s Clinical Advisory Task Force.
Its use also has the support of the Food and Drug Administration and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The first local clinic for 12 to 15 year olds will be held at Genesee Community College this Saturday from 9:15 in the morning until Noon. You will need to make an appointment.
In Genesee call (585) 815-7168. In Orleans call (585) 589-3170. Website: https:bit.ly/GOHealthVaccination

A pay raise is in store for Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputies.
The legislature has approved pay raises of 2-percent for the years 2020 and 2021 and 2.25 percent for 2022 and 2.5 percent 2023.
45 deputies are members of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association.

The Genesee County Legislature has unanimously passed a local law authorizing 12- and 13-year-old licensed hunters to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow.
The measure calls for strict supervision.
A public hearing preceded last night’s official vote.

Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams is defending how the franchise handled the health of team captain Jack Eichel. Earlier this week, Eichel claimed the Sabres wouldn’t let him immediately get surgery after suffering a herniated disc in his neck. Now Adams ssays that was due to Eichel wanting to have a procedure that’s never been performed on an NHL player and the Sabres medical team made the final call.

United Memorial Medical Center has begun construction on an 8-million project to nearly double the size of the hospital’s radiology department.
The first phase of the expansion is scheduled for completion by the middle of next year. The entire project should be complete by 2024.

Artist’s renderings of UMMC Radiology expansion project

The Genesee County Health Department will be hosting a free drive-thru anti-rabies immunization clinic on Thursday, May 20th from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 E. Main St., Batavia). Health department officials encourage all Genesee County residents to take advantage of this opportunity to make sure that their animals are immunized against rabies and that the vaccinations are kept up to date. Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets, but voluntary donations are accepted. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit four pets per car maximum. Face coverings are required and please follow all social distancing requirements. Registrations are requested.

Empire Access has announced its participation in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. This temporary benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband internet service for eligible households during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The $3.2B Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband internet service for eligible households. Having a broadband connection is essential for households to gain access to jobs, healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance reminds taxpayers that the deadline to file personal income tax returns is Monday. Resources to help you file an accurate and on-time return are available anytime online at www.tax.ny.gov.

The Genesee County Legislature has signed off on a new four-year deal with the deputy Sheriffs’ Association. The pact, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020, gives the 45-member union pay raises of 2 percent for both 2020 and 2021, 2.25 percent for 2022 and 2.5 percent for 2023.

Court action is pending for a Batavia who now faces 14 felony counts. Sheriff’s deputies arrested 53-year-old Elizabeth Gates of Porter Avenue. She was charged with grand larceny, six counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and seven counts of forgery…they’re felony crimes. Gates allegedly received nearly $7,800 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to. She was arraigned and released and will return to Batavia Town Court at a later date.

The Genesee County Legislature has unanimously passed a local law authorizing 12- and 13-year-old licensed hunters to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow during hunting season under strict supervision. The resolution was introduced last month after state lawmakers approved the program in accordance with Environmental Conservation Law. A public hearing preceded Wednesday’s official vote.

North Bergen Road between Merrill Road and Bird Road will be closed effective immediately for approximately 2 weeks.  It will not be open to local traffic.

Another Republican is throwing his hat in the ring in the race for governor of New York. Rob Astorino is the candidate who served as the County Executive of Westchester County from 2010 to 2017. He also previously ran for governor in 2014, earning the nomination for the Republican ticket. He ultimately lost to Andrew Cuomo. Astorino says the state needs change.

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York publicly announced her bid for the third-ranking House GOP position on Wednesday, after House Republicans ousted Rep. Liz Cheney from the position. Stefanik has spent the past few weeks gathering support from GOP colleagues as other members of the party criticized Cheney, who has publicly and repeatedly denounced Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent. Cheney became Chair of the House Republican Conference in 2019.

Republican Rob Astorino of Westchester County announced that he is running for the governors seat against embattled Cuomo.  Astorino ran against in 2014 but lost and is running on a platform of bringing people back to the Empire State and fixing the schools and crime.

June 1^st is opening day for the Toronto Blue Jays at their home away from home Sahlens Field and there are new regulations on how the stadium will function.  There will be a vaccinated and unvaccinated seating section for fans.  Masks will be worn in both sections.  The vaccinated section will have regular seating while the unvaccinated section will be socially distanced.  The governor also announced starting June 1 you can receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a Blue Jays game at Sahlen Field. If you receive a vaccine at a Blue Jays game you will receive a free ticket to a Buffalo Bisons game next season as well as a chance to win Blue Jays prizes.

Batavia High School will be having their graduation at Van Detta Stadium this year in accordance with NY States COVID guidelines.  The graduation will be June 26^th and each graduate will be allowed to bring 4 guests.  Because of state guidelines for events attended by more than 200 people, attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.  There are plans for anyone who opts out of this graduation and its requirements will be given a micro graduation.

A Batavia Middle School Counselor, Nicole Mayers has been named NYS Counselor of the Year by the NYS School Counselor Association.  Mayers has been at Batavia Middle School for 8 years and a counselor for 16.  Currently, her focus is on school attendance, academic achievement, and providing social-emotional skills to students.

The Buffalo Bills have announced that they are scheduled to play against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving day.  The Bills will travel down to New Orleans for the holiday game.  The other 2 games played that day re going to be Cowboys vs. Raiders and Bears vs. Lions.  The Bills opening game of the fall season will be against the Steelers on the 12^th of September.

Isaiah Alexander

A domestic dispute turns violent in the Village of Albion.
It happened early this morning at Oak Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park.
Police say 62 year old Isaiah Alexander stabbed a 17 year old boy in the upper chest. The unidentified teenager was taken to Strong Hospital. A 20 year old woman suffered a severe laceration to her hand after stepping in the melee. She was taken to UMMC.
Alexander has been charged with one count of attempted murder and two counts of felony assault. He’s locked up in the Orleans County Jail.

Thieves are at it again in Batavia.
Police say they have seen an uptick in the number of thefts from parked cars, mainly during the overnight hours.
One preventable reason: these cars were unlocked.
Police say do not leave valuable items in a parked car…and by all means, lock it up.

North Bergen Road between Merrill Road and Bird Road will be closed effective immediately for approximately 2 weeks. It will not be open to local traffic.

New Yorkers between the ages of 12 and 15 might not have to wait much longer before they can get vaccinated against COVID-19.
State health officials say they could begin receiving shots as early as tomorrow if a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee decides today to recommend the use of Pfizer vaccine for that age group.
Currently, everyone 16 and older is eligible to be vaccinated.
The governor says it is unlikely COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for kids when they return to school this fall.

A total of 37 flowering potted plants will soon decorate Main Street in the Village of Oakfield.
The flowers will be paid for by residents and business owners to help bring a little color to the community.
The project was spearheaded by Village Clerk Kim Staniszewski and Judy Boyle.
Donors put up $25 for each potted plant and they get to place a message on it.

With National Prevention Week in full swing and drug overdose deaths in 2020 up 24% from the previous year, the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on the States with the Biggest Drug Problems. New York ranked 30^th. Pennsylvania…a little better, coming in at a rank of 24^th. The worst area…Washington, DC. The best – Hawaii.

Pick a reason…choose a source…but most warn gas price increases show no sign of slowing down. Across the region, prices are at or near $3 per gallon. The current pump prices are nearing levels not experienced in years.

A malfunctioning air conditioner triggered a two-alarm assignment that sent firefighters from Wyoming and Allegany Counties yesterday to Letchworth State Park at the popular and historic Glen Iris Inn. The business was quickly evacuated when the alarm sounded. The cause was traced to an air conditioner unit and damage was limited to a few thousand dollars. No injuries were reported.

The NYS Senate Republican Conference is calling for the enactment of a package of legislation aimed at deterring violence against law enforcement by strengthening penalties for existing crimes and establishing new crimes to deter attacks on police officers. The Senate GOP…advancing the proposals as part of their observance of this week’s National Police Week.  According to a recent “State of Safety in America” by Safewise, New York is the “most worried about safety” state in the nation, with 70 percent of New Yorkers reporting that they are “concerned daily” about their safety.  Additionally, only 40 percent of New Yorkers feel safe in their everyday lives, while 78 percent think crime is increasing.

A total of 37 pots filled with flowering plants will be placed along Main Street in the Village of Oakfield this spring and summer, paid for by residents and business owners to help bring a little color and vibrance to the community. Spearheaded by Village Clerk Kim Staniszewski and Judy Boyle, they asked people to donate $25 for each pot and then the donor will have a sign in the pot recognizing a local achievement (such as the fine seasons of the basketball teams), memorializing a loved one, or mentioning a business sponsor.

Genesee County is reporting 32 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday. Five of the current positive individuals are hospitalized. Orleans County is reporting 37 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday.

The City of Batavia Water Department has to do an emergency water shut-off today. The water will be shut off on Ellicott Street from Liberty to Swan, Hutchins from Ellicott to Sumner, Goade, and Hyde Park. The water will be off until 12 noon.

A proposition to transition Hollwedel Memorial Library to a Pavilion Central School District public library will be put to a vote May 18. The library is currently chartered to serve the Town of Pavilion. An online presentation by the Library Board of Trustees with details about the proposition has been available and can be viewed at www.HollwedelLibrary.org/vote. The slides used in this presentation can also be picked up at the library. An informational flier with details about the vote was mailed to Pavilion Central School District residents in early April. Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 18 at Pavilion High School.

Genesee County deputies arrested 25-year-old Aaron Hatt of Alexander. He allegedly entered a home of a person who had a stay away order against him and engaged in physical contact. He was charged with felony second-degree burglary and first-degree criminal contempt. He was arraigned and remanded to jail in lieu of bail.

The Batavia Police Department has recently been investigating numerous larcenies from vehicles in the city. These larcenies have been occurring mainly in the overnight hours, and from unlocked motor vehicles. Police say remove valuables from your vehicle and keep it locked.

Governor Cuomo announced today that he is starting a new push for kids 12-15 to get vaccinated.  Pfizer’s COVID Vaccine has been granted an expansion in use to include kids as young as 12.  Previously it was the only vaccine available for kids 16-18.  In a statement Gov. Cuomo said, “Dr. Howard Zucker will meet with our Clinical Advisory Task Force and make a final recommendation, which means we could have full authorization for vaccinations to begin for 12 to 15 year olds here in New York as early as Thursday”

The Buffalo Zoo is bringing back close encounters of the furry kind.  You can now pay an extra fee of 150 dollars on top of your zoo entry for a party of up to 6 people to go behind the scenes and visit with a Giraffe, Rhino or Sloth.  Encounters will last between 25 and 30 minutes and handwashing, mask wearing and social distancing will all apply.

Nathan Varland

It is an unlikely place for drug deals but an alert administrator at 400 Towers is responsible for stopping two deals as they happened. The story was revealed during last night’s City Council meeting.

Batavia Housing Authority Executive Director Nathan Varland spotted the suspected deals last month while out for a run. He called BPD…

The suspected dealers were taken into custody.

Get a shot and take a shot at a show. Batavia Downs announces today a new promotion to encourage people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. The Downs, in partnering with the health department, is hosting a vaccination clinic this Friday from 3 to 7.

Batavia Downs will give all persons who get vaccinated at the clinic $20 in Free Food and Drink…and get two entries into a drawing for front row tickets to all 12 Rockin’ the Downs concerts…worth more than $1,500.

The bridge carrying Route 19 over the Black Creek overflow in Bergen is closed for repairs. It will remain closed to traffic for about two days. A detour has been posted.

SUNY students are going to need more than their class schedules and textbooks before the start of the fall semester. Governor Cuomo says all SUNY campuses are requiring in-person learning students to have their COVID-19 vaccinations by the start of the next academic year.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel says his future with the team is uncertain following another very difficult season. Eichel spoke with reporters yesterday about a variety of issues including the neck injury that forced him out of action in March. Eichel said he’s been disappointed with how things have been handled since he got hurt and mentioned that his contract didn’t allow him to get immediate surgery to fix the problem.

Officials from Batavia Downs today announced they will be partnering with the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments to host a COVID-19 Vaccination clinic Friday, May 14th from 3-7pm onsite at the Park Place Events Center. The clinic will accept walk-ins and will be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which requires a single dose to be administered. The FREE vaccination clinic will be open to the public, and no appointment will be necessary.

As an incentive to help promote participation, Batavia Downs will give
all persons who get vaccinated at the clinic $20 in Free Food and Drink. Those who get vaccinated will receive a voucher that will be redeemable anytime at Player’s Club for one week.
Each person who receives a vaccine at the clinic will also receive 2 entries into a drawing for a pair of Front Row tickets to all 12 Rockin’ The Downs Summer Concerts in the Premium Section. The Season Pass worth of tickets are valued at over $1,500
.
“In order to put the threat of COVID-19 behind us, we need to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO of Batavia Downs. “For more than a year, we’ve tried to take a creative approach to dealing with COVID. Our Health and Safety Plan has been implemented since our reopening in September. We’ve employed innovative strategies to protect our employees and customers. We are proud to be taking the lead when it comes to the ‘new normal’ in our industry. We hope to see long lines on Friday and are excited to help get more shots in more arms. Getting vaccinated will help us & our region get back to normal, allow for local businesses to welcome back more customers and get our economy moving again.”

“We are grateful to Batavia Downs for not only providing a space for this vaccination clinic to take place, but also for helping incentivize those who are looking to get vaccinated,” said David E. Bell, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

State Senator Ed Rath commented, “I commend Batavia Downs and Western OTB for putting together this vaccine clinic for the public. Working to assure that our residents can easily access these crucial vaccines, right in their own backyard is critical. I appreciate the work they are doing to assure that everyone who wants a vaccine is able to receive one.”

An arrest has been made following a three-month investigation into the burglary of a garage on Transit Road in Stafford. Sheriff’s deputies took David J. Reschke into custody. He was charged with two counts of second-degree forgery and a single count of criminal possession of stolen property. It’s alleged that the stolen property was sold at a local business in Batavia by Reschke under a false name. Authorities say an additional sales transaction was made on a separate date at another Town of Batavia business. Reschke was arraigned and released pending further action by Town of Batavia court.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley will host a series of town hall meetings in Genesee County in the towns of Pavilion, Le Roy and Bergen on May 22. Residents are encouraged to attend to discuss local issues and share any questions or concerns they have with Hawley. Social distancing and other health and safety protocols will be followed during this event.

The curtain goes up on Broadway this September after a pandemic year without theater. Before the pandemic nearly 250-thousand people took in a Broadway show every week. When theaters reopen this September, they’ll be at 100-percent capacity. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it will be up to theaters to decide whether to require proof of vaccination. There were 31 productions on Broadway when theaters closed last March. It wasn’t immediately clear how many will return in September.

NY officials have announced that SUNY and CUNY boards will require vaccination for all in-person students combing back in the fall. The governor said “The key to supercharging the vaccination rate: Eliminating excuses, increase access, and communicate the facts.”

Just so ya know…your next campfire could come under review. With the start of the 2021 camping season underway, Department of Environmental Conservation officials and others encouraged campers to use local firewood and follow New York State firewood regulations to help prevent the spread of invasive species. Untreated firewood – firewood that has not met the state’s heat treatment standard – can contain invasive pests that kill trees. To protect New York’s forests, untreated firewood should not be moved more than 50 miles from its source of origin.

A small additional fee on City of Batavia residents’ quarterly water bill is all part of a “master plan.” The surcharge, which is based on water consumption, was the subject of a brief exchange at last night’s City Council meeting. City Manager Rachael Tabelski said the increase it is a water surcharge imposed by Genesee County that is in the second year of the two municipalities’ 40-year water supply agreement. Tabelski said the rate is based on the water master plan of Genesee County, which sells water to the city on a wholesale basis.

Starting this morning in Bergen, the bridge carrying Route 19 over the Black Creek overflow will be closed for repairs. It will remain closed to traffic for about two days. A detour will be posted.

On May 26, Rochester Regional Health’s food and nutrition service team will conduct on-site interviews for a wide range of food service positions at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia. Open positions include cooks, food service associates and team leaders and hospitality office associates. The organization is hiring individuals with full-time, part-time, and per diem availability. The recruiting event happens May 26^th from 1-3 p.m. in room A110 at the Medical Center. Walk-ins are welcome but candidates are encouraged to RSVP.

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct has determined that Donald F. Knab, Jr., a Justice of the Rush Town Court in Monroe County, should be censured for knowingly misspending grant funds to buy an audio-visual system for the town court, without authorization, and for falsely indicating in financial reports that he spent the money in accordance with the grant’s terms. Judge Knab agreed to the censure.

Governor Cuomo announced today that all SUNY and CUNY schools will require all students to be vaccinated for the fall semester.  Cuomo also encouraged all private colleges to do the same.  He said that the federal government needs to give full approval to the COVID vaccines before this mandate can go into effect.

There is a frost advisory in effect from midnight tonight through 8am Tuesday morning.  Temperatures are expected to drop to the low to mid 30s which could damage sensitive plants.

Congressman Chris Jacobs announced an FCC program to make internet cheaper and more accessible to Americans.  The Emergency Broadband Benefit will start up May 12^th.  Applicants can apply to get 50 dollars a month towards broadband service.  People on tribal land can apply to get up to 75 dollars a month.  You can also get up to 100 towards the purchase of a home pc or laptop.  Eligibility starts at 135 percent the federal poverty level or participants in SNAP or some other assistance programs.

The price of gas in Batavia and most of the eastern half of the US went up this week after a cyberattack reportedly stopped the use of the Colonial Pipeline which runs from Texas to New Jersey and supplies about half of all fuel to the Eastern US.  Gas in Batavia rose 5 cents to 2.94 a gallon.  The New York State average is 3 dollars.  Last year the price was 1.84.

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Genesee county.  Over the weekend ABATE held a ride for motorcycle safety awareness from Stan’s Harley through the county.  Assemblyman Steve Hawley also spoke briefly about the legislation in Albany that affects motorcycle safety and his support for motorcycle safety.

The Sabres saw off the last game of the season in the fashion they played the rest of the season, being shut out by the Pittsburg Penguins.  The Penguins beat the Sabres 1 to 0 on Saturday afternoon for Buffalo’s 34th loss this season.  There are hopes that interim head coach Don Granato will be made full head coach for next season.

Western New York drivers are definitely going to be paying more the next time they fill up.
According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in Batavia is now $2.94 – 5-cents a gallon more than last week and nearly 75-cents a gallon more than a year ago.
The statewide average is currently $3 a gallon.

A local level three sex offender is back behind bars.
60 year old Aaron Pawlikowski of Darien is charged now with failing to verify his address.
Pawlikowski has three previous felony convictions. He’s required to check-in with law enforcement every 90 days.

The Batavia City Council tonight will be asked to approve a contract with a Buffalo firm to finish the roof repairs over the City Centre Mall.
This phase 2 work is for $161,890.

There will be a public sound-off tonight on the City of Batavia School District budget.
Property owners can weigh in on the proposed budget.
The hearing has been scheduled for 6 to 8pm tonight at the district office in the high school.
The budget totals $51.4-million and carries a tax rate decrease of .04 percent.

A property dispute over an air conditioner resulted in a criminal charge for a Stafford man. The ordeal occurred on Drake Street in Oakfield. Deputies arrested 57-year-old Roger Kevin Brinkman was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon. According to a press release, during the altercation Brinkman allegedly displayed a knife and menaced others. He was directed to court June 7th.

Residents can weigh in tonight on the City of Batavia’s proposed school budget. A public hearing is set for tonight and the district has posted information on its website. Also tonight, there will be a hearing to discuss a request to authorize transferring up to $65,000 to the District’s General Fund to pay for the repair, reconstruction or replacement of the Batavia Middle School Elevator. The regular board meeting will be held via Google Meet and live-streamed directly after the Public and Budget Hearings.

New York’s statewide 7-day average COVID positivity rate has dropped to 1.45%. That’s the lowest since October 28^th and represents 34 straight days of decline. Hospitalizations have also dropped to just above, 2000 and that’s the lowest since November 15^th. In the Finger Lakes region, 215 people are in the hospital with virus-related issues.

A man will face a judge after he crashed his motorcycle, causing injuries, on North Lake Road/State Route 19 in Bergen. Deputies said that 54-year-old John Sackett of Hamlin was operating the bike northbound on 19, when he traveled off the road and struck a road sign. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Deputies charged him with DWI, refusal to take a breath test and moving from a lane unsafely. He’s due in Town of Bergen court June 2^nd.

A property dispute over an air conditioner resulted in a criminal charge for a Stafford man. The ordeal occurred on Drake Street in Oakfield. Deputies arrested 57-year-old Roger Kevin Brinkman…he was charged with second-degree menacing. According to a press release, during the altercation Brinkman allegedly displayed a knife and menaced others. He was directed to court June 7^th.

Several state lawmakers are urging the state Department of Health to align their COVID-19 guidance for group homes and day habilitation programs with that of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Currently, state policies are prohibitive enough that it limits the number of people who are able to be served by such programs.

A budget hearing will be held tomorrow evening on the LeRoy school District’s proposed spending plan. The hearing, in Memorial Auditorium, is set to begin at 6 p.m.

A high-level registered sex offender from Darien was remanded to jail for another alleged violation. 60-year-old Aaron Pawlikowski was charged with failure to verify his address. As a level three offender, he is required to stop by the sheriff’s office every 90 days. Deputies noted the man has three prior felony convictions. Pawlikowski was arraigned and remanded to county jail. He’ll return to court May 26^th.

A man wanted by City of Batavia police was taken into custody by Rochester police. 28-year-old Andre Roberts was arrested on three outstanding bench warrants as well as a separate arrest warrant. He was arraigned and jailed on $20,000 cash bail. A court appearance is set for May 20^th.

There is a frost advisory in effect for Sunday morning for the GLOW region.  Temperatures are expected to dip below 30 degrees and frost could form killing sensitive plants.  It is expected from midnight to 8am Sunday morning.

Pfizer is working to get approval for children 12-16 years of age to get the poke with their vaccine but many parents say they won’t make their kids get the shot.  The San Francisco based Kaiser Family Foundation released a study showing that only about 30 percent of parents nationally are ready to get their kids vaccinated right away if the vaccine is approved for kids and teens.  20 percent say they won’t get their kids vaccinated and another 30 percent say they will wait and see how it goes for the first batch.

There is a COVID Vaccination clinic every day this week in Genesee or Orleans county.  Monday there is one at the Ridgeway fire Hall in Medina, Tuesday at Darien Lake Amusement Park, Wednesday at GCC, Thursday at Ridgeway fire Hall again, Friday at Batavia Downs, and Saturday back at GCC.  All of the clinics have walk in appointments available or you can call 815-7168 for Genesee county residents to make an appointment or Orleans county residents can call 589-3170.  These numbers are just for making appointments.

COVID Update:  From Friday at 4pm Genesee county has 14 new cases and 10 people have recovered.  Orleans county has 8 new cases and 12 people have recovered.  There are 69 active cases in Genesee county and 82 in Orleans.  New York now has 37.5 percent of the population fully vaccinated.  The rate of people getting the vaccines has dropped significantly over the past few weeks.  In Genesee county nearly 20 thousand people have finished their vaccine series.  In Orleans county almost 12 thousand people are fully vaccinated.  New York is 9^th in the Country in percentage of residents vaccinated with Connecticut in first place with 42.7 percent.  The Genesee Orleans County Health departments will change to reporting the COVID numbers only on Tuesdays and Fridays starting this week.

Registration is open at Genesee Park and Forest for Environmental Science Camp for students in 7^th to 10^th grade. Camp goes for the week of July 12-16^th from 9 to 4.  Cost is 95 dollars a camper and kids get a t-shirt for attending.  There is transport provided from Batavia High school to the park and back every day.  The deadline to register is June 28^th.  You can download the registration form by following the link on wbtai.com and completing and mailing it to the Park Main office on Cedar Street.

http://cms.revize.com/revize/geneseecountynew/Environmental%20Science%20Camp%20Registration%20Form%202021.pdf

The New York Restaurant Association is weighing the idea of waiving the rule about 6 foot social distancing if a restaurant agrees to only serve vaccinated customers.  Governor Cuomo said that this is the plan for press being allowed to be at his briefings and at sports venues so why not restaurants?  Some restaurants have already said they would not do this, Don Swartz of Veneto Wood Fired Pizza and Pasta in Rochester said “I am not going to ask anybody. From my personal beliefs, that’s your personal business.”

The wbta/Batavia Downs Mom and Me contest has ended and a winner has been chosen.  Thank you to all who submitted photos.  The winner is Mom Tricia and Daughter Serenity!  The prize includes an “Overnight Stay and Play Package” for two persons from Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel including a $50 voucher for dinner at Fortunes Restaurant, double-room accommodations at the Hotel at Batavia Downs and two $50 free play vouchers.  Check out all the photos of moms and their daughters at wbtai.com.

Violence at the Flying J.  44 year old Jeremy Logan of Tonawanda was arrested for attacking 2 people in the flying J in Pembroke.  Police say he struck them in the face and in the head multiple times causing injuries.  The reason for the attack, the 2 people weren’t wearing masks inside the store.  Logan was arrested and charged with 2^nd and 3^rd degree assault and then released.

The new boatlaunch, dock and kayak shelter have been officially opened at Dewitt Park!  The ribbon cutting was this morning.   The City bought and made available 10 kayaks for use by residents.  Paul Osborne, County Parks Director describes the purchase.  The new dock is handicap accessible and made to make launching the new kayaks a safe experience.

Six Flags Darien Lake is partnering with Genesee County to have a COVID 19 Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson Vaccine clinic on Tuesday the 11^th.  The clinic will take place in the Six Flags Darien Lake Human Resources building on Tuesday, May 11  from 1 to 5 p.m.  Clinic participants will receive two complementary tickets to Six Flags Darien Lake in 2021.  To receive the Pfizer vaccine you have to register ahead of time but you can walk in to get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

The Sabres come to the last game in their season as the losingest team in the NHL, for the 4^th time in the last 8 seasons.  In their Thursday game the Sabres lost 8 to 4 to the Pittsburg Penguins.  In 55 games the Sabres have just 37 points.  They play the flightless birds again on Saturday at 3pm in Pittsburg.

Udderly Better Acres, a dairy farm on Vallance Road in Le Roy, has been selected by the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District as the 2021 Conservation Farm of the Year. Since 1959, the Conservation District has honored a farm that has displayed a long-term commitment to sustainable conservation. Udderly Better Acres has met and surpassed the criteria and continues to demonstrate outstanding stewardship of the land. Don Krenzer and his family operate the dairy farm on 1,200 acres in the Town of Le Roy within one-half mile from Oatka Creek

Genesee County is reporting 11 new positive cases of COVID-19. Five of the current positive individuals are hospitalized. Seven more cases have been confirmed in Orleans County and a dozen more in Wyoming County.

The Town of Batavia Clerk’s Office drive-up service window is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the Clerk’s Office inside the Town Hall will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on WEDNESDAYS ONLY OR by appointment Monday through Friday. The Town of Batavia Court facility has also resumed in-person court proceedings.

The New York State COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 1.27 percent, the lowest since October 22, 2020. The Southern Tier’s seven-day average is still below one percent, which is the lowest in the state. All NYS regions dropped below 3 percent for seven-day average —The first time since Nov. 5.

A Batavia man faces new charges in Monroe County. After a standoff in Hamlin, deputies arrested 33-year-old Kevin Waleski Jr. He was charged with felony criminal mischief and criminal possession of a weapon. He was sent to jail without bail. He has additional charges pending in Genesee County.

New York is having a somewhat successful recovery from new unemployment claims, with last week’s claims lower than at the start of 2020, according to WalletHub’s updated rankings for the States Whose Unemployment Claims Are Recovering the Quickest. Weekly unemployment claims in New York decreased by 35% compared to the start of 2020. This was the 4th biggest decrease in the U.S.

Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is being returned to federal prison after federal authorities denied him home confinement. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press. Silver was released Tuesday from a federal prison on furlough while he awaited potential placement to home confinement. The 77-year-old Silver had been in prison since August, where he was serving more than six-year sentence at a prison in Otisville.

New York State Police and other law enforcement agencies issued 444 tickets during last week’s Operation Hardhat, an initiative between law enforcement entities, the New York State Department of Transportation and the New York State Thruway Authority, to crack down on work zone violations and highlight the importance of safe driving when encountering construction, maintenance and emergency operations along state highways. Operation Hardhat details were held in almost every region of New York State in support of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which took place from April 26 to April 30. During Operation Hardhat, members of law enforcement patrol Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority work zones to enforce zone speed limits and ensure that motorists are obeying flagging personnel.

Erie County DA John Flynn says that the search for missing Buffalo State College student Saniyya Dennis has ended in tragedy as police now believe that she took her own life by jumping into the Niagara river and being carried over the falls.  The search for the missing student went national as it was believed she had been abducted and taken out of state.  Officials followed leads in several states until the records of her cell phone activity were able to be examined and it was found she went to Goat and Luna Islands in Niagara Falls park and made several calls and texts saying that she was in other places before her signal was lost.  Police dogs tracked her scent to Luna Island, over the barriers and into the water.  Reports are that she broke up with her boyfriend earlier in the night that she went missing and then threw away many of her personal possessions.

Do you know a nurse who deserves recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty?  Starting today and ending on the 12^th it is national Nurses Week and Senator Ed Rath is looking for nominees for recognition.  If you have someone you want to nominate visit Rath’s website and fill out the nomination form.

https://www.nysenate.gov/questionnaires/edward-rath-iii/nominate-nurse-your-life-senator-rath-honors-local-nurses

CVS locations across the country are now offering walk in COVID 19 appointments.  There are 517 locations in New York State.  CVS is offering vaccinations and tests.

The National Center for missing and Exploited Children says reports of online enticement where adults pretend to be children and try to get them to meet up in person for abduction or to commit a sexual assault has nearly doubled from 2019 to 2020.  Reports of online enticement rose 97.5 percent over the past year, 21.7 million reports.  The program director for the NCMEC, Kathy Gust says its because cell phones and tablets are being used far more by children especially with the lockdowns.  They warn that any device connected to the internet can be used to groom and abuse children.  Parents need to be intently monitoring their kids social media, cell phones, email and gaming.

COVID Update: Genesee county has 11 new cases and 9 people have recovered.  Orleans county has 12 new cases and 10 people have recovered.  There are 67 active cases in Genesee county and 87 in Orleans.

Jeff Nichols, host of the “History Comes Alive” podcast and member of Webster Bible Church, will speak for the Reformation Society of Western New York on May 13 at Bergen Evangelical Presbyterian Church at 38 S. Lake Ave. in Bergen.  The event, which begins at 10 a.m., is free and open to the public.  Nichols will present a paper entitled: “A Brief History of Some of the Popular Evangelical Presuppositions and Why They Matter.”

Governor Cuomo is pointing the finger at Western New York residents for the region having the highest COVID-19 positivity rate in New York State. The governor said yesterday that the actions of people in the area are keeping the number of cases high.
Right now, the positivity-rate in Western New York is three-point-one percent, which is more than double the statewide rate.
The Finger Lakes Region, which include Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties, has the second-highest positivity rate at two-point-eight-percent.

Kayaking anyone? Starting tomorrow the Dewitt Recreation Area along Cedar Street will home to 10 new Kayaks and a specially designed boat launch to make it easier and safer to get in and out of the vessels.
A ribbon cutting is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 11 at Dewitt Park.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling for a plan to be put in place that would let the border between the United States and Canada reopen. It’s been shut down for over a year in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Schumer says the closure is having a negative impact on New York’s economy and makes it nearly impossible for people in both countries to see their friends and family. Americans can travel to Canada by air but are asked to quarantine for two weeks after arriving.

Large outdoor stadiums and performing arts venues across New York will soon be allowed to have larger crowds. Starting May 19th, venues can separate vaccinated and un-vaccinated people with vaccinated sections allowed to be filled to 100-percent capacity. Un-vaccinated areas are limited to roughly 33-percent capacity with social distancing protocols still in place. Everyone will have to wear a mask regardless of what section they’re in.

Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee has voted to support a four-year contract with the Genesee County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. The deal is retroactive to January 1, 2020. Terms of the pact include salary increases of 2 percent for both 2020 and 2021, 2.25 percent for 2022 and 2.5 percent for 2023. Additionally, County Manager Matt Landers says deputies will pay slightly more toward the employee share of health insurance premiums but will receive slightly more for the uniform allowance. Landers said that it was his understanding that the contract passed overwhelmingly in a vote by the union membership, which consists of road patrol deputies, investigators and school resource officers.

Tops Friendly Market announced it has awarded $10,000 in Food and Fuel stimulus as part of its Tops Monopoly Rip it and Win It Game to MaryAnne D. of Batavia. MaryAnne was lucky winner number fifteen of a potential 50! Tops kicked off its 12th season of Monopoly® Rip It & Win It Game on March 7.

Seven dogs that once belonged to a dog breeder in Pembroke are in the process of being adopted into new homes but the resolution of the criminal case against Lori Ann Adolf won’t be settled until next month at the earliest. The 47-year-old is charged with 26 counts of torturing or injuring animals and failure to provide proper sustenance along with one count of endangering a child. There is a pending plea offer but her attorney said in Pembroke Town Court Wednesday he had not yet gone over it with his client yet. He asked for an adjournment and the Justice granted one until June 9.  Assistant District Attorney Kaitlynn Schmidt said didn’t oppose the adjournment but said if Adolf isn’t ready to accept the plea offer at the June 9 appearance the offer will be withdrawn. The terms of the offer were not discussed in open court.

The New York state Gaming Commission has made only limited progress fixing problems with its monitoring of casinos, especially with its failure to collect millions in oversight fees from casinos…that’s according to a follow-up report just released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The problems were first identified in an audit DiNapoli released in 2020 that found the commission had not collected $13 million owed by casinos. Commission officials are positioned at each of the state’s 19 casinos to oversee operations and ensure that gaming regulations are followed.

One of the changes Wegmans made early on in the pandemic was to close down their hot and cold food bars. This week a company spokesperson said that they have no plans to bring them back. This information comes amid state health guidance that does not allow self-serve buffets. Staffed buffets are permitted, since there is no customer contact with common objects.

Southern Tier New York State Senator George Borrello is strongly urging immediate action by New York State Department of Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, to release guidance that will allow county fairs to open for their 2021 season. In a letter to Commissioner Zucker, Senator Borrello questioned why guidance was issued for the New York State Fair, which will open this August, while local county fairs have been left to languish with uncertainty. Borrello calls the lack of action unconscionable and completely unfair.

One of the changes Wegmans made early on in the pandemic was to close down their hot and cold food bars. This week a company spokesperson said that they have no plans to bring them back. This information comes amid state health guidance that does not allow self-serve buffets. Staffed buffets are permitted, since there is no customer contact with common objects.

Tops Friendly Markets and the Taste of Buffalo announced that Jill Pettigrew has won the grand prize in the 2021 Taste of Buffalo Tops Poster Art Contest.  Pettigrew will receive 1000 dollars and have her artwork featured on the festival poster and event’s marketing materials.  The 38th annual Taste in 2021 will take place on July 10 and 11. The Taste is a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,000 volunteers helping to put on the annual event.

The Toronto Blue Jays will be migrating to Buffalo for a second season this year due to COVID.  Starting June 1^st the Blue Jays will be playing at Sahlens Field as the Bisons continue to play in Trenton New Jersey.

Want to attend a baseball Game in NY?  Cuomo has some rules for you to follow.  Starting on May 19^th the following rules will apply to attendees at Baseball games.  If you are vaccinated normal seating rules apply, normal capacity rules apply masks must still be worn and children under 16 can accompany adults.  If you are not vaccinated you must wear a mask at all times, 6 foot social distancing will apply and a 33 percent capacity will apply.  Officials say there will be specific sections for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, and there will be changes to testing requirements.

A proposal by a Long Island Republican Senator Alexis Weik would have prospective drivers learn how to act when pulled over by police.  Weik says that the drivers would learn about “where to park the car, what to do with the car, and for the driver to avoid sudden movements and keep their hands where the officer can see them.”  Critics of the bill including the NYCLU say that the responsibility for correct action should be completely on the police and that police need to be taught to respect citizens more and deal with the problem of pulling over black and brown drivers.

COVID Update: Genesee county has 16 new cases and 20 people have recovered.  Orleans county has 12 new cases and 8 people have recovered.  There are 66 active cases in Genesee county and 90 in Orleans.

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Islanders again Tuesday Night in a shootout.  Anders Bjork scored 2 goals and scored the shootout goal and Cody Eakin scored once. Buffalo closes out the season this weekend with two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and Saturday.

Patrick McGee

A new superintendent has been selected for the Byron-Bergen School District.
Patrick McGee, the current Junior-Senior High School principal at B&B, is expected to take over as superintendent on or before July 1.
McGee has spent his entire professional career at Byron-Bergen. He started as a teacher in the district 14 years ago.
During his tenure as high school principal, B&B has been selected by US News’ Best High Schools for the past three years.

The Alexander Town Board has planned a public hearing next week regarding a Local Law to establish Zoning Codes to regulate Large Scale Solar Systems.
The hearing will be held at the town Hall this Monday night at 7pm.
Written comments will be accepted prior to that date. A copy of the Local Law is on file at the Town Hall for review.

The city of Batavia and the public have been updated on the progress of Jackson Square improvements.
The city expected to have close to $900,000 dollars available to improve the summer concert venue.
Work includes new decorative pavement, a new class topped stage, lighting and seating.

(Photo Left) Rendering of Jackson Square with new pavements and stage

(Photo Below) Layout of the Jackson Square project

Genesee County reports 16 new positive cases of COVID-19. Five of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
Officials in Orleans County report a dozen more cases with two of the individuals hospitalized.

State lawmakers have passed bills that would establish safer staffing levels at both nursing homes and hospitals in New York. One measure calls for the state Health Commissioner to mandate the minimum number of people on duty at nursing homes and fine facilities who don’t meet that standard.