Local News

Nursing home residents are getting the chance to see their loved ones in-person for the first time in months.
The state is easing visitor restrictions. Two visitors will be allowed at a time, and they must undergo temperature checks, wear face masks and stay six-feet away from patients.
In order for the nursing home to allow visitors it must not have had any new coronavirus cases among staff or residents for 28 days.
It is estimated however only 24 percent of nursing homes will qualify to welcome visitors today.
Nursing homes were closed off to visitors back in March to slow the spread of coronavirus.

It’s been a long time coming but the Ellicott Trail will open today.
A ceremonial ribbon cutting will be held this afternoon signaling the opening of the 4 and half mile trail from Seven Springs Road to Route 33 Pearl Street Road.
The trail was more than three years in the making.
It is only to be used by pedestrians and bicyclists.

No fall sports at GCC.
The decision affects men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, swimming and diving, as well as women’s volleyball.
GCC says the sports will be rescheduled from Fall 2020 to Spring 2021.

One name from the Bad Boys repoirt this morning: 42 year old Jeffrey Haibach of Pike Road in Batavia. He’s been charged with trespassing. Deputies say Jeffrey entered a neighbor’s home, without permission, and stayed there until his neighbors came home.
Haibach has a court appearance ticket.

There is a food distribution today at Northgate Free Methodist Church on Bank Street Road.
The distribution begins at 9 this morning.
Be sure to have your truck cleaned out so that it can hold 3 to 4 boxes of food.
Stay in your car as volunteers will load the food for you.
If you are picking up food for someone else, be sure to have ID showing the separate address.

The polls have been closed for weeks, and it looks like there might soon be a winner in the 27th Congressional District race. The latest absentee ballot results show Republican State Senator Chris Jacobs with a five-point lead over Democrat Nate McMurray. Jacobs declared victory on primary night, but McMurray has refused to concede until all the votes are counted. Whoever comes out on top will finish the term of ex-Republican Congressman Chris Collins.

City Council is poised to deny a request by a popular downtown restaurant to pop up a tent for outdoor dining.
Vic Marchese is the owner of Main Street Pizza. He says the lack of outdoor seating is hurting his business…

Marchese was applying for temporary permission to set up tables in a tent in parking spaces adjacent to his building.
The city hall balked at the idea. They cited too few parking spaces already and traffic congestion.
Councilman Ron Viele supported Marchese

Later, during the council’s business meeting, it approved a plan to allow Eli Fish to set up 12 outdoor tables in the city owned Jackson Square.

The council later approved a deer management plan for the city.
The plan allows archery hunters to take up to 65 deer during the designated hunting season. There are lots of conditions for the hunt.
The City of Batavia has dealt with an over-population deer for years.

Fire in Pavilion sends a young boy to the hospital with smoke inhalation.
Fire started in the living room of a home along Ellicott Street Road just south of Telephone Road yesterday afternoon.
County Fire coordinator Tim Yeager was there…

PHOTO: Genesee County Fire Coordinator Timothy Yeager

The boy, said to be 10 or 11 years old, is OK.
Two pets – a dog and cat perished in the fire – but another dog was rescued..
Officials believe the fire started in a faulty window air conditioner.

It was some kind of chase.
A State Trooper in took off in pursuit of a car emblazoned with the word “security” along its side.
The chase started on Park Road last night as the security car exited the Red Roof Inn, with no lights, It ended with the suspect car getting stuck trying to drive onto the Thruway behind the Hershey’s building. There were three people in the car which was later determined to have been stolen from Rochester. Troopers at the scene declined further details.

Travelers who arrive in New York from states with a high number of coronavirus cases will need to fill out some paperwork, or face a penalty. Officials say anyone who lands at an airport in New York State has to reveal their travel plans, and if they refuse, they could be fined two-thousand dollars. The state health department says the requirement is needed after thousands of travelers declined to fill out the forms voluntarily.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Governor Cuomo announced during his press briefing today that schools in regions that are in phase 4 may reopen in the fall if the region they are in have less than 5% infection rate on average for 14 days.  Schools themselves must follow health department guidelines.  The health department’s guidelines include masks and PPE whenever students or staff cannot maintain social distancing.  It also includes guidelines on cleaning, screening, tracing, transportation and food service.  Schools will have to close if infection rates climb above 9% over a 7 day average.  Final plans must be submitted to the state health department by July 31^st and final decisions will be made the week of August 1st-7th.

Genesee Community College has announced that it’s fall sports will be cancelled due to the coronavirus.  Men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, swimming and diving, and women’s volleyball will all be affected by this decision.  Most of region 3 colleges are doing the same thing.  Assistant Vice President of student engagement and inclusion Kristen Schuth says that this is the best path for GCC to ensure the safety and well being of student athletes coaches and training staff and that she looks forward to the day when it is safe for the fields and floors of GCC to hold competitions again.

Gas prices continue to be down in western NY but are rising slowly across the us.  The national average for regular unleaded is $2.20 which is 2 cents higher than a week ago.  Last year it was $2.79.  The Western NY average is $2.21 cents, down 2 cents from last week.  Last year the average across NY was $2.89.

Batavia police this morning announce a string of recent arrests.
29 year old Jennifer Hogan of Buell Street behind bars on a robbery charge from last year.
Jennifer and her boyfriend were stopped in Livingston County last week and are facing drug charges .During the course of that investigation police discovered the outstanding robbery warrant against Jennifer.
She’s now in the custody of the Genesee County Jail.

Latayfa Franklin of Buffalo has been arrested for endangering the welfare of an incompetent person. Batavia Police say Latayfa allegedly blocked the nose and mouth of a person on Bank Street.
Latayfa’s been released under supervision.

A Liberty Street woman arrested for harassment following a neighborhood fracas.
BPD says 31 year old Rae Cook hauled off and slugged a neighbor.
Rae was given a court appearance ticket.

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo is mourning the loss of its former leader. Retired Bishop Edward Kmiec passed away over the weekend at the age of 84 following an illness. Kmiec was the 13th bishop of Buffalo from 2004 until he retired in 2012.

A plan intended to harvest up to 60 deer per year with bow hunting is expected to be presented to Batavia City Council tonight.
It’s an effort to control the deer population in the city.
Hunters would need a license and hunt only during specified times in specified areas.
The plan was drafted in consultation with the state department of environmental conservation.
The meeting will be held at 7 tonight in the city council board room at city hall. Face masks and social distancing required.

State education officials will be meeting today to discuss guidelines that’ll be in place should kids return to class in September. School districts have been working on their own plans but are also waiting for regulations to officially be announced. Governor Cuomo said last week a decision on whether students are back in class will be made in early August. They were sent home back in March to try and slow the spread of COVID-19.

Genesee Orleans county health departments announced Friday that there are 2 new cases of COVID 19 in Genesee county and 1 in Orleans.  3 people have recovered in Genesee county and 3 people are on travel quarantine in Orleans.  There are a total of 5 active cases in Genesee county and 2 in Orleans county.

On Friday Governor Cuomo announced that beaches across NY State may reopen their concessions starting Sunday July 12^th.   The concessions must adhere to the same restrictions as restaurants including mask wearing and social distancing

Nursing homes are now allowed to have visitors according to Dr Howard Zucker state department health commissioner.  Nursing homes that have not had a case of COVID 19 for 28 days may allow up to 10 percent of residents to have up to 2 visitors per day.  Masks and screenings will be required as residents at nursing homes and in long term care are the most vulnerable to Coronavirus.

The unofficial counts are in, at least in Genesee county.  In the 61^st state senate democratic primary Kim Smith came out on top with 1083 votes and in the 27^th congressional seat special election republican Chris Jacobs lead with over 6000 votes to Democrat Nate Mcmurray’s near 3800.  Tallys are not done in other counties and we can expect final results sometime Monday.

The survey being conducted in Batavia over school reopening so far shows that 2 thirds of residents want kids back in school with a regular schedule and social distancing and masks when possible.  “Most of our parents want in-person classrooms and so do we,” said Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr.  The only area that parents weren’t mostly in favor of was busing, with 66 percent of respondents saying they would drive their own children and only 28 percent saying they were comfortable with busing even with sanitizing.  The survey concludes on Monday.

A Zebu, type of animal that attacked caretaker. Courtesy: thecalifornian.com

An employee of the Hidden Valley Animal Adventure park in Wyoming County is recovering today from injuries she suffered from an animal attack.
The incident happened around Noon yesterday at the park in Varysburg.
The employee, believed to be in her 30’s and identified only as a caretaker of the animals, was injured by a Zebu, a kind of humpback cattle.
The caretaker was flown to hospital by Mercy Flight with injuries to her head and ribs. The injuries are believed not  to be life threatening.
The animal had recently given birth.

The park released a statement reminding visitors not to attempt to feed or touch any newborn animals.
Four years ago, park owner Hans Boxler was trampled to death by an antelope that has escaped from its pen.

As the heat wave continues to grip Western New York the county’s health department is asking all of us to save water.
Even though the Heat Advisory expires tonight excessive heat and humidity is expected for another three days.
The health department has outlined a number of ways you can save water:
Avoid filling swimming pools, watering lawns and washing cars.
Use your dishwasher and washing machines only for full loads.
Check faucets for leaks and take shorter showers.
If voluntary measures are unsuccessful, mandatory conservation may be enforced.

Absentee ballot counting continues in the 27th Congressional District race this week, and the race is getting tighter.
Democrat Nate McMurray is now just nine points behind Republican State Senator Chris Jacobs. Jacobs had been ahead by 31 points on primary day.
While he still needs a large number of absentee ballots to go his way, McMurray refuses to concede.
The winner of this election will finish the unexpired term of former Congressman Chris Collins.

A traffic stop in Livingston County leads to felony charges for a Batavia couple.
David Vega and Jennifer Hogan are facing charges after allegedly giving phony names to police.
Vega was also charged with driving under the influence of drugs and driving with a license that had been suspended 31 times.
Hogan had an outstanding warrant in Batavia for Robbery.
Both were released under the new bail reform measures.

One new case of COVID-19 reported in Genesee County in the past 24 hours.
A person in their 50’s from Darien has tested positive.
No one in the county is hospitalized due to coronavirus.

After being shut down for months to prevent the spread of coronavirus, malls across Upstate New York will finally have shoppers inside them today.
Malls will need to make sure people stay six feet apart, establish designated delivery areas and have special air filters installed.
The number of employees and shoppers is also being capped at no more than half of a mall’s maximum capacity.

According to the local weather forecast, Genesee County is expected to endure at least three more days of excessive heat and humidity. It is expected that very high levels of water consumption will continue throughout this period.

To avoid an emergency situation, all residents served by the GCPWS water system are asked to do their part to conserve water. Guidelines to save water include:

1. Avoid filling swimming pools.
2. Avoid watering lawns and washing cars.
3. Use your automatic dishwasher only for full loads.
4. Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads.
5. If you wash your dishes by hand, do not leave the water running for rinsing.
6. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator to keep it cool instead of running the water.
7. Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, seven days a week and often can be repaired with an inexpensive washer.
8. Check your toilets for leaks. To test for leaks, add a small amount of food coloring to the toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately.
9. Take shorter showers. Long showers can waste five to 10 gallons every extra minute.
10. Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors. Area hardware or plumbing supply stores stock inexpensive water-saving showerheads or restrictors that are easy to install.

    We need your help. If voluntary conservation measures are unsuccessful, mandatory water conservation may be enforced. Questions may be directed to the Genesee County Department of Health.

11. The Genesee County Department of Health can be reached at (585) 344-2580, ext. 5555 or:  Health.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us

The Genesee County Job Development Bureau is having the summer youth employment program this summer and they need 45 young people between the ages of 14 and 20.  Most of the jobs will be outdoor work to help with social distancing and hygiene requirements.  Interviews will be July 13-17th For more information contact the Genesee county career center.

An alternative court for minor offenders in either school or by law enforcement is available.  Set up as a court of their peers, youth court has judges from 8^th to 11^th grade.  Youth Court members learn about the judicial process and law enforcement, group decision making; develop their public speaking skills; participate in a great leadership opportunity; and learn and participate in all roles of the courtroom: judge, prosecution, defense, and bailiff.  The application deadline to be a member of the Youth court is July 31^st.

The Genesee Orleans county health departments announced yesterday that there are 2 new cases of Covid 19 in Genesee county and none in Orleans county.  1 person has recovered in Genesee county.  The health department are now including people who are on quarantine from traveling.  6 people in Genesee county are on travel quarantine and 9 people in Orleans county are on travel quarantine.  There are 5 active cases in Genesee county and 1 in Orleans.

Although Albany has not announced when Amusement parks can open, a group is trying to revive a dead one in Western New York state.  Empire Adventures is attempting to raise money through a go fund me and loans with banks and investors to restart the 59 year old amusement park on Grand Island.  Although it wont be ready for this season, they hope to celebrate Fantasy islands 60^th anniversary in 2021 with a functioning and fun park.

For the first time in months, shoppers in Western New York will be heading back to the malls tomorrow.
Governor Cuomo has given shopping centers outside of New York City the green light to reopen.
However, the malls must have the proper air filters installed to lower the risk of coronavirus infection. Malls are also being required to constantly check those filters to make sure they’re working correctly.
There’s still no word yet on when gyms, fitness centers or amusement parks can reopen.

Western New York could tie a record today for the longest string of 90-degree days.
A heat advisory remains in effect for Genesee County and today could be the hottest so far.
Tropical humidity will make the near record high temperatures feel like triple digit heat.
Ozone and other pollution levels will be high.

Governor Cuomo says students, teachers and parents won’t have to wait too much longer to find out if schools will reopen this fall. The governor said yesterday a final decision will be made in early August, a few weeks ahead of the traditional start of the school year in September.

From the bad boys report this morning:
31 year old Colby Ellis of Albion is behind bars this morning.
Ellis arrested by Genesee County Deputies on charges of burglary and petty larceny.
He is accused of violating a stay away order of protection in Alexander.

Two new positive cases of COVID-19 in Genesee County over the past 24 hours.
The positive individuals reside in Batavia and Darien. One of the positive individuals is in their 40’s and one is in their 60’s.
No Genesee County resident is hospitalized with coronavirus.

The stars of NASCAR will not be making their usual visit to New York State’s Finger Lakes region this summer.
NASCAR officials say the upcoming Cup Series race, scheduled for August 16th, will now be moved to the road course at Daytona International Speedway.
The decision to take The Glen off the schedule for the first time in decades is due to quarantine requirements for out-of-state visitors.
Since NASCAR teams are based out of North Carolina, they’d be required to isolate for two weeks after arriving.

Governor Cuomo announced today that malls will be allowed to reopen on Friday July 10^th in regions that are already in phase 4 of the NYS reopening plan provided they have MERV 11 or higher rated air filters in place.  Merv 9-12 are the most commonly used and recommended household filters.  Merv 11 may filter out the.125 micron virus particles but experts warn that a good filtration system won’t help people who are close together or not wearing masks and may not slow the spread at all given how open and high ceilinged malls are to begin with as the virus likely won’t even make it into the system.

Governor Cuomo announced today a deadline for schools to have a reopening plan in place.  The governor said that an announcement about schools will come on July 13^th and that schools will have until July 31^st to submit a plan to the State.  The final decision will be made sometime between August 1 and 7.

Western NY has a problem with feeding its children.  The organization Feeding America estimates that before the pandemic and associated shutdowns nearly 55 thousand children in Western NY were food insecure, meaning that they didn’t know where the next meal would be coming from and the amount of food the children were getting wasn’t enough for them to be active, alert and growing.  During the pandemic that number has grown to nearly 80 thousand.  Food banks and giveaways, mostly at churches, help the situation and help families during these uncertain times.  Feeding America urges people in Western NY to donate to places that are doing these giveaways and support your neighbors.

https://www.feedingamerica.org/

Florida has renewed it’s state of emergency over the rise of covid cases and also renewed the quarantine order for travelers coming from NY, New Jersey and Connecticut to the sunshine state.  Florida has set up checkpoints on major thoroughfares into the state from the tri-state area and will place travelers from the 3 states into a 14 day quarantine.

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia says he’s signed on to a Republican plan to re-open schools this fall.
Hawley says the GOP plan will explores potential solutions for each level of education and social interactions.
The Cuomo administration has yet to release guidelines for re-opening schools this fall but has directed individual school districts to draft their own contingency plans.

The latest COVID-19 report: No new positive cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours in either Genesee or Orleans Counties.
The health department says no one is hospitalized with COVID-19 illness in Genesee County and only four people are in Mandatory isolation.

Governor Cuomo is asking travelers from three more states to quarantine for two weeks after arriving in New York.
With the number of coronavirus cases growing in Kansas, Oklahoma and Delaware, travelers from there are being asked to isolate themselves.
There are now 19 states covered by the Governor’s quarantine order.
The state Health Department is asking travelers to voluntarily fill out forms revealing details about their trips…but few have.

Day two of the Western New York Heat Advisory. Heat index values will reach into the mid-90’s today…near 100 tomorrow and Friday.
Drink plenty of fluids, try to stay out of the sun. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.

The Town of Batavia will be experiencing low-water pressure in the western and northwestern parts of town.
Due to high water demands, the County is obtaining water from alternate connections. This lowers water pressure.
The town says will continue until further notice.

State Police have announced the results of their recent holiday weekend crackdown on illegal fireworks.
Troopers targeted people who were bringing the contraband into New York from Pennsylvania.
Troopers confiscated $27,000 worth of illegal fireworks.

Genesee Orleans COVID 19 Report Since Thursday:

Orleans county had 0 cases of covid 19

Genesee county had 3 new cases

3 people in Genesee county have recovered and none are hospitalized

Orleans county still has 7 people hospitalized

There are 5 total active cases of covid 19 in Genesee county and 2 in Orleans

Governor Cuomo announced today that 3 more states are on the quarantine list. Visitors to the empire state coming from Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma will now be subject to a 14 day quarantine. These join 16 other states for a total of 19 states that New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have deemed to be having too many coronavirus cases. According to the Governor’s Office, the quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.

42 year old Jeremy Fairbanks and 35 year old Leah Kelly both of Batavia are each charged with 306 counts of criminal contempt in the second degree after being arrested over a complaint of violation of a court order. Fairbanks was arrested on the 2nd and Kelly was arrested on July 5th.

New York State’s Health Commissioner deflecting blame away from his boss for contributing to the high number of coronavirus deaths in New York State nursing homes.
Dr. Howard Zucker says Governor Cuomo’s executive order requiring nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients was not a significant factor in the deaths. Rather, Zucker says, it was nursing home staff and visitors that caused the increase.
In Orleans County alone, 53 residents of two nursing homes – one in Albion and one in Medina – died from COVID-19 related illness.

Governor Cuomo says while the state’s COVID-19 numbers continue in a positive direction, he’s continuing to raise the alarm about case totals in other states. He called it “frightening” that other regions are reporting increased numbers, saying an outbreak anywhere means a potential outbreak everywhere.
That said, in New York indicators are positive, including the lowest number of new hospitalizations since March 18th.
Cuomo maintains that recent cases in New York have been tracked back to people traveling from out of state.

Genesee Community College has announced plans to bring students back to campus in a limited capacity.
GCC has outlined a series of COVID-19 safety measures for in-person classes.
All classrooms and labs have been measured to determine maximum capacity, all College Village residence bedrooms will be converted to singles and dining services will be limited to single-serve or take out items.
There are a number of other measures, all are available on our website.

A Heat Advisory officially takes effect today for Genesee County and all of Western New York.
Expect heat Index values in the mid 90’s for today and tomorrow and near 100 Thursday and Friday.

For the first time in over 70 years, thousands of people will not be heading to Syracuse for the New York State Fair. Governor Cuomo announced yesterday the popular event has been canceled as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

NEWS Release: GCC

BATAVIA  GCC unveiled a series of plans for the Fall 2020 semester to bring students back to campus in a limited capacity, while operating numerous courses through remote delivery. The Fall 2020 plans include a blend of learning modalities featuring a robust number of online, hybrid and HyFlex classes, and all in-person instruction will follow the College’s COVID-19 safety measures such as:

• All classrooms and labs have been assessed to determine the maximum capacity while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
• Maximizing GCC’s hybrid and HyFlex learning environments that strategically combine in-person and online instruction.
• Labs requiring face-to-face, hands-on learning will be separated in multiple sections as needed to reduce classroom density.
• All College Village residence bedrooms will be converted to singles with one student per private room.
• The services that students rely on, such as the Library and Tutoring and Testing Centers as well as campus study spaces will be available for use following social distancing rules.
• Dining services will open but will focus on single-serve items and take-out items.
• While some programs and activities will look different in the Fall semester, GCC is committed to providing a vibrant student engagement experience for all students.

“We will remain vigilant throughout the duration of this pandemic, continuously monitoring health conditions and working to mitigate the spread of the virus,” James M. Sunser, Ed.D., president of GCC said. “The hard work and cooperation of everyone today helps ensure we remain healthy and safe tomorrow and can have a successful academic year.”

College officials are currently gearing up to welcome back staff and faculty on a reduced capacity as well, beginning Monday, July 6, 2020.

“The past four months have been an extraordinarily challenging time. There are so many moving parts in a college campus that I must commend our campus community who have teamed up to maintain as many critical services as possible, allowing us to be prepared for this fall,” Dr. Sunser said. “This included modifying workflows, teaching and working remotely, learning and introducing new technologies, and sometimes discovering new efficiencies or new opportunities, such as our Virtual Commencement Ceremony. It is no accident that GCC continues to have no documented positive cases of COVID-19, a true testament to our collective commitment to strategically tackle this crisis.”

Employees received a five-page “Welcome Back” guideline outlining all the new facets of working on campus that includes social distancing, mask wearing and multiple steps to reduce the density of the campus population. The most salient features of the Re-opening Plan include but are not limited to:

• Only employees with a valid ID are allowed on campus at this time.
• All persons will be given a brief verbal screening about their physical health and an infrared, touch-free temperature reading by a member of the College’s Health or Campus Safety Office, who will have the authority to deny access to anyone deemed at risk for the COVID-19 virus.
• Many departments are staggering summer staffing to reduce GCC population density.
• Maintain a six-foot distance from other people at all times, avoid physical contact such as handshakes, and wear a face mask in all shared spaces.
• Most meetings will continue to be held remotely and many areas of the College will remain closed this summer, such as dining services, as they are prepared for fall configuration.
• GCC’s Buildings and Grounds Department will be cleaning and disinfecting common areas and frequently touched surfaces throughout each day, and each department and individual will be asked to clean and disinfect individual workstations and equipment using College provided supplies.

GCC posts the latest updates and information on the College’s COVID19 webpage that is available from the College’s homepage on its main website, www.genesee.edu.

The National Weather Service has posted a heat advisory for tomorrow through the end of the week for all of Western New York including Genesee County.
Heat index values in the mid-90’s are expected tomorrow and Wednesday, then near 100 Thursday and Friday.
The highest heat index values will be inland from the Lake Ontario shore.
The Weather Service says hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. Warm overnight low temperatures will make it difficult to cool buildings without air conditioning.

Rochester police are asking for help in finding out who damaged the Frederick Douglass statue in Maplewood Rose Garden. The statue was found removed from its base yesterday and discovered about 50 feet away from the pedestal. It’s now being sent for repairs.
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York.

New York State is continuing to make progress in the ongoing battle against coronavirus.
Governor Cuomo says fewer than one-percent of State residents who were tested Saturday received a positive result.
However, eight more people did die due to the illness, pushing the statewide total closer to 25-thousand.

Western New York drivers are continuing to find consistent prices at the gas pump.
According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas is $2.20. That’s down a penny from last week.
Gas Buddy-dot-com shows the average price of a gallon of regular in Batavia at $2.25.

News Release From Rochester Regional Health:

We have heard of confusion based on the announcement from Governor Andrew Cuomo this week concerning statewide COVID-19 testing being free and open to all patients. We want to clarify to the public what this means.

As per the statement on the ny.govwebsite, if you go to a New York State testing site, it is free and anyone can get tested. If you go to any other site that is not state-run, you must follow the requirements of the specific organization, hospital, company, etc. set forth as far as testing.

At Rochester Regional testing sites we are still not testing everyone. There are certain criteria.

Right now, the closest state-run (free) testing site in the area is Monroe Community College. If any individual wants to get tested, they can do so at this site for free. This is the site (locally) Governor Cuomo was referring to when he said anyone can get tested for free.

This is a fluid situation and testing requirements may change. We will update the public as needed.

Here’s a link to test sites: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you

Please call the testing site or your health care provider before you go for testing.

If you go to a test site run by New York State, there is never any charge for your test.

If you go to a test site operated by local governments, private companies including pharmacies and medical practices or not-for-profit organizations, you are advised to check with the testing site and your insurer in advance of being tested to confirm you will not be responsible for any fees associated with your test.

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING

A new president has been named for the Board of Education in Batavia.
She is Alice Ann Benedict, a former board president.
She replaces 30 year Board veteran Patrick Burke who has announced plans to retire from the board at the end of the year.
Benedict had served as a board member from 1995 to 2006.
She was re-appointed to the Board in May to fill a vacancy and then was elected to a full three year term last month.

Genesee County Sheriff’s arrested 22 year old Elis Salkic of Adele Drive in Greece following a traffic stop on Tuesday evening. Deputies stopped the vehicle on Richmond ave in the city after it ran a stop sign. Salkic was charged with AUO 3rd, Unlawful possession of Marijuana, operating a vehicle while using an electronic device and failure to stop at a stop sign. Salkic was found to be driving on a suspended license and given appearance tickets for 8/18 at BCC

• Genesee County received 1 new positive case of COVID-19 for a total of 225 positive cases
o The positive individual resides in Oakfield.
o The positive individual is in their 20’s.
o The positive individual was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
o Currently no individuals are hospitalized and no individuals have been released from mandatory quarantine.
• Orleans County received 1 new positive case of COVID-19 today for a total of 267 positive cases
o The positive individual resides in Clarendon.
o The positive individual is in their 50’s.
o The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
o No individuals have been released from mandatory quarantine.
o 7 of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.

Genesee county sheriff’s continue to respond to multiple calls over the last week to people that have been swimming illegally at various locations. One of the most popular spots had visitors last night
Nine people reportedly climbed the rocks and jumped into the falls below Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant at 1227 Gilmore Road in Corfu. Genesee County Sheriff’s deputies are responded issuing warnings and trespass violations.

As we approach the July 4^th Independence Day Holiday, Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano of the City of Batavia Fire Department would like to remind the residents of the City of what sparkling devices are allowed by law. “We want to ensure that our residents enjoy the holiday in a safe and responsible manner” said Napolitano.

According to the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services “Sparking Devices” are considered, “ground based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke.”

Napolitano also stated, “These sparkling devices can only be bought and sold from June 1st to July 5th and from December 26th to January 1^st in any given year.” Furthermore, the law states that “Sales of sparkling devices by certified temporary stands or tents can only occur from June 20^th to July 5^th and December 26^th to January 1^st in any given year.”

According to Napolitano, allowable sparkling devices under the law are sparkling fountains, sparklers on wooden sticks (not metal sticks), smoking devices, snakes confetti-filled party poppers and paper-wrapped snappers. Non-allowable and illegal devices include firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles and any other aerial devices.

As a result of COVID-19 cancelling many public fireworks displays, Chief Napolitano recommends the following alternatives to celebrate the 4^th of July Holiday without fireworks. Furthermore, these alternatives are pet and children friendly.

• Use glow sticks, they glow in the dark and are a safe alternative to a sparkler.
• Use noise makers. They can be found at a local party supply store.
• Red, white and blue silly string.
• Outdoor movie night. Set up a television or screen and projector.
• Make patriotic crafts with the family.

Lastly, Napolitano states,” It is important to take the necessary fire safety precautionary steps when using these devices. Last year there were a report 18,500 fireworks related injuries in the United States each year.”

If any resident has questions regarding what is allowable or would like information regarding safety precautions, they can call the City of Batavia Fire Headquarters at 585-345-6375.

For the second day in a row there have been no new COVID-19 cases in in Genesee County.
As of late yesterday, no individuals are hospitalized with coronavirus in the county.
While the number of new cases of coronavirus are steadily dropping statewide, the state is urging all New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19. Previously, screening was limited to nursing home staff, essential employees and people who were exposed to the virus, but now everyone is eligible to get tested. The nearest Batavia testing site is United Memorial Medical Center.

Genesee County’s Economic Development agency is expected to take final action today on a 1.4-million dollar project that will transform the YWCA building on North Street.
The project calls for expanding the Three Little Birds pediatric medical practice inside the YW.
The YW will remain in the building as a tenant. The medical practice is seeking various tax incentives.
The YWCA was forced to sell their building to help get out from under a financial crisis that that threatened the agency’s existence two years ago.

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of LeRoy Police Department will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.
The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on July 3rd and will end on July 6th. The Fourth of July extended weekend is historically a deadly period for impaired driving.

If you are planning some yard work this weekend note that Batavia’s Yard Waste Station on Law Street will be closed. The facility will shut down tomorrow and Saturday and will not re-open with regular hours until Monday.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors will consider final approvals for a $1.4 million mixed-use proposal by Fraser-Branche Property, LLC at the agency’s July 2, 2020 board meeting.

Fraser-Branche Property, LLC is proposing to remodel the majority of the 13,000 square-foot YWCA facility in the city of Batavia to enable the expansion of the Three Little Birds Pediatrics medical practice. The remainder of the facility will support the YWCA and other existing tenants.

A public hearing on the proposed incentives was held November 20, 2019.

Fraser-Branche Property, LLC’s proposed investment contributes to Genesee County’s growth strategy in the city of Batavia through the Batavia Pathway to Prosperity (BP2).

Launched by Genesee County, the City of Batavia, the Batavia City School District and the GCEDC, the BP2 program provides support to future brownfield redevelopment projects through the benefits generated by projects in the city of Batavia.

Because of the COVID19 pandemic the meeting will be conducted via conference and on-line at www.gcedc.com.

Joshua Blessed

58 year old Joshua Blessed of Virginia may have had bigger and more sinister plans on his mind when he plowed his tractor trailer along a multi-county police pursuit.
That chase began on May 27th in LeRoy and ended in a hail of gunfire in Geneseo, and ended with police eventually shooting Blessed to death in the cab of his truck.
As part of the investigation, police searched Blessed’s home in Virginia where they found 14 improvised explosive devices or IED’s, two AK-47’s, thousands of rounds of ammunition and over $100,000 in cash.

Livingston County Sheriff Tom Dougherty says with that arsenal, he had bigger plans but it all started with a scheduled delivery in Batavia…

In all police said Blessed fired at least 24 rounds at them from a 9mm Glock striking several police vehicles and ramming others with his truck.
Law enforcement fired over 120 rounds to stop him.

A new poll shows New Yorkers are in support of recent policing reforms passed by the state Legislature.
Eighty percent of people surveyed by Siena College said they agreed with the new laws which include a ban on the use of chokeholds and making the disciplinary records of officer’s public.
Seventy percent of New York State residents also said they have a favorable view of their local police department.

There will be no minor league baseball played this year. The word is now official.
No Buffalo Bisons, Rochester Red Wings and no Batavia Muckdogs baseball.
While baseball will be back in Buffalo and Rochester, not so for Batavia. The NYP League which owned the Muckdogs has all but disbanded.

The last 24 hours has been good on the coronavirus front locally.
There were no new positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Genesee or Orleans counties.

A food distribution is planned for today.
City Church is holding the distribution at its St. Anthony’s site on Sumner Street from am 9 until 11am this morning and again on Wednesday, July 8 at the same time.

A traffic stop along Cedar Street in Batavia leads to a string of drug charges. The Genesee County Local Drug Task Force arrested two men yesterday afternoon.
They were identified as 34 year old Jerwan McFarely of Lehigh Avenue and 41 year old Mathew Olcott of Clinton Street.
Police say McFarely was in possession of suspected crack cocaine and pot, while Olcott was found to have suspected crack and drug paraphernalia. Both a facing violations and misdemeanor charges.

Another COVID-19 death reported at the Orchard Rehab and Nursing Center in Medina… 23 people have lost their lives to the virus there.
The death toll for all of Orleans County since the pandemic began is 53.
Genesee County’s death toll is five.
Three new positive cases of the virus were reported yesterday in Genesee County, two from Batavia and one from LeRoy.

Air travelers could soon have an important form to fill out once they arrive in New York State.
Health officials say information on those documents would help with the enforcement of a new quarantine policy. Last week, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced new guidelines for people arriving from areas with a high number of coronavirus cases.
Those individuals are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Just how the rules will be enforced still isn’t clear.

It looks like malls across the state are going to be shut down for at least a little while longer.
Governor Cuomo says indoor shopping centers won’t be allowed to reopen until air filters are installed that remove coronavirus particulates. Many mall operators say that’s not necessary since both their heating and cooling systems are already safe.

The Fourth of July is coming up this weekend, and State Police have announced a plan to crack down on fireworks.
Troopers say they’ll be focused on keeping illegal fireworks out of New York that are brought in from states like Pennsylvania.
Police say they have received numerous complaints from residents in many Upstate communities about fireworks being set off in their neighborhoods at all hours of the night

The Holland Land Office Museum is now open at its normal business hours. The museum will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.

The museum will be reopening with some noticeable changes. First, the museum is implementing its Safety Plan, which requires all visitors to the museum to wear masks and admission will be limited to 10 at a time. Also, visitors are asked to refrain from touching any of the artifacts and cases, and to follow our “one way” floor plan.

Visitors are also asked to maintain the 6 foot social distancing protocol and to use the hand sanitizer and washing stations around the museum. Secondly, the museum is reopening under a new admission policy.

Visitors to the museum will now have to pay an admission fee. The ranges include: Free for Museum Members, $1 for Children, $3 for Students/Veterans/Seniors, $5 for Adults, and $10 for a Family of four. The HLOM is instituting a strict cleaning procedure to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors, but wishes everyone to come by and visit us and see all our treasures of the history of Genesee County. Thank you to all who have supported us in the past, through this difficult time, and continue to into the future.

If you have any questions please contact the museum by phone at 585-343-4727 or email at hollandlandoffice@gmail.com. Information can also be found on our website.

There’s yet another sign the worst of the coronavirus crisis could be coming to an end in New York.
The state has announced the lowest single-day death toll from the disease since March. Five Empire State residents lost their lives on Saturday while less than one-percent of the people screened statewide for the illness that day tested positive.
The state is continuing to warn New Yorkers to remain vigilant and protect themselves to keep the virus from spreading again.

The guy was just trying to take his seat at the Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant. Problem was, the seat wasn’t his. Deputies arrested 41 year old Donald Walls of Rochester on charges of Trespassing and Petit larceny. A deputy on patrol watched Walls taking patio furniture from the restaurant early yesterday morning.
He was slapped with court appearance tickets.

A North Spruce Street man collared by BPD who had to take him down after a foot chase.
28 year old Darius Jones was arrested after he fled a domestic incident.
Police say once in custody they found Jones in possession of crack cocaine, fentanyl strips and packaging material. He’s in county jail this morning without bail.

Western New York drivers are still finding pretty steady prices at the gas pump.
According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular is $2.20. That’s up just a penny from last week.
In Batavia, gas buddy-dot-com says the average is 4-cents higher at $2.24.

The City Church is holding a drive-thru food distribution event at its St. Anthony’s site.
The distribution will be held at 9 to 11am on the next two Wednesday’s July 1st and July 8.
Everyone is welcome! St. Anthony’s is located on Liberty St. in the City of Batavia.

Today Batavia and Genesee County enter Phase 4 of New York’s economic reopening.
It means that the number of people allowed at social gatherings will double from 25 to 50. Churches can welcome more worshipers
Professional sports can take place without fans, and low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment activities will also be allowed.
Movie theaters, gyms and malls are going to remain closed until further notice.

New COVID-19 cases still under control in Genesee County. Only two new cases reported yesterday, one from Batavia one from LeRoy.

Restaurants that have been allowed to serve alcohol to go, will be able to continue serving up the adult beverages for off-site enjoyment.
The state says the take-out alcohol has helped bars and restaurants during the pandemic.
The order allowing booze to go was set to expire tomorrow, the governor is expected to extend the order.

For the first time in more than 20 years the Batavia Police Department has a K-9 officer.
He is K-9 Hank, from Holland.
He’s part Belgium Malinois, part Shepard.
City Council President Gene Jankowski, once a K-9 handler himself when he was on the police department, says Hank is a welcome addition:

PHOTO: K-9 Hank and his handler, Officer Stephen Quider

Hank’s new handler is Officer Stephen Quider.  Hank and Officer Quider will be together 24-7.
Hank cost close to $11,000, paid for with drug forfeiture funds.

Election officials say it’ll likely be weeks before Western New York voters know who won Tuesday’s primaries.
That’s because there were a large number of absentee ballots requested for the 27th Congressional District special election and other races.
Since it’s a federal election, ballot counting will start first in the 27th District contest involving Republican State Senator Chris Jacobs and Democrat Nate McMurray.
Jacobs has already declared victory but McMurray is refusing to concede until every vote is counted.

Empire State drivers are now able to get their hands on a brand new license plate for their vehicles.
The blue and white “Excelsior” plate features images of iconic New York landmarks including Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty.
They’re currently available at DMV offices in 22 counties and at some auto dealerships.
The “Excelsior” plates will be issued with new vehicle registrations but anyone who wants to replace their old plates with the new design will have to pay $25.

The Finger Lakes region has been given approval to enter the final phase of the state’s reopening process on Friday.
Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties are part of the Finger lakes Region.
Once Phase Four begins, the number of people allowed at social gatherings will double from 25 to 50, and religious gatherings will be allowed at up to 33-percent of an indoor site’s capacity.
Professional sports can take place without fans, and low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment activities will also be allowed.
However, movie theaters, gyms and malls are going to remain closed until further notice. Governor Cuomo says the state is still looking into how to keep people safe when visiting those locations.

Local health department numbers are still encouraging. There was one new case of coronavirus reported yesterday in Genesee County – an individual in their 20’s from Elba. There was also one new COVID-19 case in Orleans County.

An Oakfield couple busted by Monroe County deputies for allegedly boosting property out of cars.
31 year old Samantha Wroblewski and 28 year old Judd Farewell (fair-well) are facing a variety of charges including possession of stolen property.
Monroe County Sheriff’s say the duo admitted to breaking into cars on several occasions in Henrietta. Lawmen recovered a number of stolen credit cards.

The numbers are far from official in the 27th Congressional District Special Election and Democrat Nate McMurray says he will not concede defeat.
Republican Chris Jacobs says the math is all on his side and has declared victory in the race to fill the seat until the end of the year.
The McMurray camp says there are more than 65-thosuand absentee ballots yet to be counted but Jacobs’ people claim that his 31-thosuand vote lead is insurmountable.

The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are taking a big step to protect their residents from the coronavirus.
A travel advisory is now in place meaning anyone who arrives in those states from an area with a high number of COVID-19 cases such as Arizona, Florida or Texas must quarantine for 14-days.
Enforcement of the advisory will vary by state, but anyone caught breaking the rules in New York could be forced to quarantine or a face a fine.

The polls have been closed for hours, now Western New York voters are waiting to see who came out on top in yesterday’s primaries.
In the 27th Congressional District, Republican State Senator Chris Jacobs is declaring victory over Democrat Nate McMurray. This is the battle to see who completes the term of ex-Republican Congressman Chris Collins.

PHOTO: Chris Jacobs

However, McMurray says he’s not conceding and will wait until every vote is counted. Jacobs also says he won the Republican primary for that seat and the latest numbers show him with a big lead over Darien Justice Beth Parlato and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw.

Due to the large number of absentee ballots requested, it could take a while before winners in every race are declared. That’s because election officials won’t start tallying those votes until next week.

No surprise here, Joe Biden won the New York Democratic Presidential primary.
He defeated Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Biden already had enough delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination and, Sanders had already bowed out of the race.

Genesee County’s unemployment rate improves dramatically, but it is still in double-digits.
The May jobless rate was 10.1 percent – down from a staggering 14 percent in April.
But, one year ago in May, the unemployment rate in then county was 3.4 percent.

Batavia City Schools will begin it’s popular Grab and Go meals program this Monday.
The program provides two days of breakfasts and two days of lunches on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The distribution is between 9 and 11 in the morning at Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate schools.
There is no cost and no enrollment is necessary.

Rochester Regional Health Visitor Policy

• Patients may designate two visitors throughout their stay;
  • Only ONE visitor is allowed at a time for no longer than four hours daily.
• Visiting hours for all RRH hospitals are 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. daily.
• *No visitors will be permitted for:
  • ED patients
  • COVID-19 positive patients
  • Suspected COVID-19 positive patients
  • Cancer infusion centers
  • Inpatient behavioral health
• *The exception to the above list of prohibited visitors include:
  • Pediatric patients may have one designated guardian on-site at a time.
  • End-of-life patients may have one on-site visitor at a time.
  • Obstetrical patients may have one on-site visitor at a time.
  • Patients with intellectual, developmental, or other cognitive disabilities.
  • There are no restrictions on the hours of visitation for this list of visitors.
• Visitors must be older than 18 years of age.
• Visitors must be screened upon entering the facility; they will be denied entry if they report significant COVID-19 exposure or symptoms during the prior 14 days or have a temperature over 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Visitors will be registered in an electronic system within the EMR (Care Connect) upon entry for each visit. The registration log will include the name and contact information of the visitor, the date(s) of their visits, and the name of the patient(s) visited.
• Patients undergoing same-day procedures may be accompanied to the facility by a companion, but may not stay during the procedure.
  • A companion may drop them off and pick them up outside the facility.
  • They may not be with the patient inside the facility.
• Visitors may not be present during procedures and in the recovery room except for pediatrics, childbirth, and patients with an intellectual, developmental, or other cognitive disability.
• Visitors will be instructed to remain in the patient’s room throughout the visit except when directed by hospital staff to leave during aerosol-generating procedures or other procedures during which visitors are usually asked to leave.
• Within areas of our facilities that do not allow us to accommodate social distancing, we reserve the right to refuse visitors for their safety and the safety of our patients and staff.
• Visitors must be wearing their mask or cloth face-covering upon arrival to the facility. If the visitor does not arrive with a mask or cloth face-covering, the hospital will provide the visitor with a mask. The visitor will be instructed to keep their mask or cloth face-covering on at all times.
• Visitors will be instructed to comply with strict hand hygiene and personal protective equipment practices.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Visitors will be provided written information regarding the potential risks and benefits of visiting a patient within the hospital as well the expectations regarding their visitation which includes: the hours of visitation, remaining in the patient room during the entire visit unless otherwise instructed, wearing their mask or cloth face-covering during their entire visit and instructions regarding meticulous hand hygiene. Visitors who fail to comply with the outlined expectations will be asked to leave the facility.

Genesee County voters get to cast ballots today in two different elections.
One is a special election to fill the vacant congressional seat once occupied by Chris Collins. State Senator Chris Jacobs and Democrat Nate McMurray are competing for that post. The winner will serve until the end of the year.
Also today, there is a republican primary to select the party’s candidate for the November election in the 27 district.
The candidate include Jacobs, Darien Attorney Beth Parlato and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw. The winner will square off against McMurray for a full two year term.
Voting takes place today until 9 tonight.

Batavia City Council has no plan – yet – to replace former City Manager Martin Moore.
Moore left city hall last Friday in a mutual agreement with council.
Council president Gene Jankowski says one option to replace Moore is to exercise the guarantee that came along with Moore when he was selected two years ago.
That guarantee was from Novak Consulting the Ohio firm that was paid $26,000 by Batavia to find a city manager.
Novak offered another free search if the person they recommended didn’t last a full two years. Moore’s tenure was just under that.

Four new positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Genesee County over the past 24 hours.
There has also been one death reported at the Orchard Rehab and Nursing Center in Medina.
That brings the death toll in Orleans County to 50 since the pandemic began.
All but one of those deaths occurred at the Orchard Nursing Home in Medina or the Villages of Orleans in Albion.
There have been a total of five deaths in Genesee County…none of them in a nursing home.

Visitors to New York from out-of-state may soon have to quarantine when they get here.
Governor Cuomo says he’s considering a mandatory isolation period for people from states with high numbers of coronavirus cases such as Florida and Texas.
Cuomo says he’s concerned that if infected individuals arrive, it could cause another spike in COVID-19 cases in New York.

From the police blotter:

38 year old Ray Tucker of Williams Street in Batavia: Arrested for allegedly displaying a dagger while in the midst of a fracas with his neighbor…

63 year old James Karas of Ross Street charged with Harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. Batavia Police say Karas subjected two young girls to unwanted physical contact in Austin Park

Coronavirus robbed this year’s senior class of most of those memories that signal their final year of high school….the prom, the class trips, just saying good-bye.
But the administration and faculty of Oakfield Alabama High School would not let the virus take away graduation.

Superintendent John Fiscus:

The outdoor graduation on Saturday drew graduates and their families in cars that filled the school parking lot. Horns replaced applause…and a parade of cars brought graduates to the stage to receive their diplomas.
The ceremony was capped with fireworks and a parade through their home towns.
WBTA was proud to have been selected to broadcast the ceremony into the cars and home of the graduates and their families.

Security footage

A one-thousand dollar reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of a man who burglarized Dave’s Ice Cream.
It happened just before 11 Saturday night.
Police say a man dressed in black pants, a black coat and wearing a black mask broke into store just before 11 Saturday night.
He tried but failed to open the cash register but would have been disappointed anyway – there was no cash anywhere in the store.
Owner Debra Webster was alerted to the break-in by her security system and called police. But by the time they could respond, the intruder had

New Yorkers will finally head to the polls tomorrow for primary day, and one big race is happening in Western New York. It’s the battle for the 27th Congressional District where the winner will fill the seat left open by former Republican Congressman Chris Collins. Republican State Senator Chris Jacobs is going up against Democrat Nate McMurray to see who finishes the final few months of Collins’ term. Jacobs is also involved in a GOP primary against Beth Parlato and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw to see who will carry the party banner into the general election for the post in November.

He might not be holding daily briefings anymore, but Governor Cuomo is still keeping New Yorkers updated on the coronavirus. The governor says 15 people who had the disease passed away Saturday, the lowest number of deaths since March. And less than one percent of people screened for coronavirus Saturday tested positive. The governor said both of those numbers prove New York is on the right path to defeating the virus.

Batavia City Manager Dr. Martin Moore is leaving the city.
His departure was characterized as a “mutual agreement” between the city and Dr. Moore.

In a three sentence statement issued late this afternoon the city announced:

“The City of Batavia and City Manager, Martin D. Moore Phd,, have mutually agreed that he will be leaving on June 20, 2020 to pursue other opportunities.
The City would like to thank Marty for his service to the community since October 2018 and wish him the very best in future endeavors.
In accordance with the City’s Charter, the Assistant City Manager Rachael Tabelski will assume the role on the departure of the Manager.”

Dr. Moore was named City Manager on October 15th of 2018.
He came to Batavia following what was then termed, “a nationwide search.”
Moore was city manager of Eunice, New Mexico.
One reason he was attracted to Batavia was that his wife had family in Western New York.

Moore’s resignation was not unexpected.

It was well known at Batavia City Hall that there was tension between Moore and City Council President Gene Jankowski.
The latest dust-up was reportedly over a barbecue for social justice in Williams Park, plans that never materialized and led to the Demonstration for social justice held earlier this month along Main St.

WBTA has learned that an informal vote concerning Moore’s future was taken during an Executive Session of city council
The vote to severe the city’s ties with Moore was not unanimous.
Moore’s last Day is tomorrow.

Batavia Police are using the suspected incident as a lesson to parents and their kids when it comes to people they don’t know.
On Wednesday night, at Dewitt Park, a young person, described only as a juvenile, accepted a ride home from a man later identified as James McNally.
Along the way, the juvenile said McNally tried to grope him. The child faked being sick, got out of the car and sought help from neighbors.
When police arrived they arrested McNally on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and forcible touching – both misdemeanors.
McNally was later released under supervision of Genesee Justice and an order of protection was issued.

Police say there is a new set of child abduction prevention ideas replacing the familiar “stranger danger.” We have them listed within the Batavia Police News Release HERE

Bars and restaurants caught breaking rules to hold down the number of coronavirus cases can now face serious consequences.
Governor Cuomo has signed an executive order allowing the State Liquor Authority to immediately suspend the liquor licenses of businesses who are not enforcing social distancing and other health protocols.
A second executive order also means bar owners are responsible for making sure people in outdoor areas follow the same guidelines.
Several businesses have had their licenses suspended. None of them in Genesee County.

Governor Cuomo is considering putting a quarantine order in place for people who visit New York from Florida.
You may remember Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered New York visitors to self-quarantine back in March. Cuomo says the spread of COVID-19 has decreased dramatically in New York and he doesn’t want people from other states to cause a spike in cases.

The health department reports no new cases of coronavirus in either Genesee or Orleans counties in the past 24 hours. Since the start of the pandemic, Genesee County has had a total of 205 positive cases and five deaths.

Western New York music lovers are going to have to wait a bit longer to see the Piano Man in person. That’s because Billy Joel has pushed back his August 15th concert at New Era Field in Orchard Park to August 14th, of next year.
The decision was made due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Tickets for this year’s show will be honored on the rescheduled date. Ticketmaster will also be offering refunds.

News Release

On Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at or about 6:10PM, Batavia Police Officers responded to the area of Clinton St. for a juvenile that had flagged down a neighbor, requesting help. Patrols arrived on scene and located two local residents sitting with a juvenile and McNally standing near them.

Patrols separated McNally from the juvenile and residents. The residents indicated that the juvenile told them, that he needed help getting away from McNally. Patrols interviewed the juvenile briefly and concluded that the juvenile had accepted a ride from McNally from DeWitt Park, with the intentions of McNally driving the juvenile to his residence. While transporting the juvenile, McNally allegedly attempted to grope the juvenile. The juvenile feigned a sickness so McNally would pull off to the side of the road. The juvenile then exited the vehicle and ascertained help at the nearest residence.

Upon discovering the alleged incident, Batavia Police Officers promptly took McNally into custody and transported him away from the juvenile. McNally was arrested for Endangering the welfare of a child (A Misdemeanor) and Forcible Touching (A Misdemeanor) and was arraigned via skype in Batavia City Court by Judge Rogers. McNally was released under the supervision of Genesee Justice, and an order of protection was issued. McNally is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court at a later time.

The Batavia Police Department would like to take a quick moment to update the community and parents on new abduction prevention ideas. Instead of “Stranger Danger” try using the following language when talking to your child about abduction prevention:

• Don’t say: Never talk to strangers.
• Say: You should not approach just anyone. If you need help, look for a uniformed police officer, a store clerk with a name-tag, or a parent with children.
• Don’t say: Stay away from people you don’t know.
• Say: It’s important for you to get my permission before going anywhere with anyone.
• Don’t say: You can tell someone is bad just by looking at them.
• Say: Pay attention to what people do. Tell me right away if anyone asks you to keep a secret, makes you feel uncomfortable, or tries to get you to go with them.

The Batavia Police Department can be reached at 585-345-6350, the confidential tip line at 585-345-6370 or online HERE

New Cases – As of 2:00 p.m.

June 18, 2020

Genesee County received 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 206 positive cases

• • •  0 of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  •  0 of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 today for a total of 259 positive cases
  • 3 of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • 12 of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility.  We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.

Attica Central School District – 2020 Election Results

Budget: Yes: 1,063 No: 785

Prop 2 Bus purchase: Yes: 1,089 No: 758

Prop 3 Capital Reservce Fund: Yes: 997 No: 853

Three Board of Education Members
Three Year terms :

Brian Fugle 1, 251 votes Re-elected
Pamela Rudolph 1,179 Votes Elected
Michael James 919 votes, Elected

The man who attacked and threatened to kill the Wyoming County sheriff in 2018 has pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Lynn Michael Hall of Castile faces a sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison, in addition to 2 1/2 to 5 years of post-release supervision.

Back in December 2018, Wyoming County Sheriff Greg Rudolph was driving to work when he says a vehicle driven by Hall started tailgating him and flashing its lights. When the sheriff pulled over, he said the vehicle blocked him in.

Hall got out of the vehicle and got into an altercation with the sheriff where he tried to take the sheriff’s gun, ended up on top of the sheriff and threatened to kill him while holding a knife.

Off-duty State Police troopers and nearby Good Samaritans intervened and helped take Hall into custody.

The Town of Stafford will no longer allow residents to drop off yard waste, such as tree branches, brush, and grass clippings, at the town dump.

Highway Superintendent Steven Boldt said that with the loss of sales tax revenue, the town is looking at a very tight budget so the change will reduce costs and workload.

Bolt says residents should create their own compost pile, and that the town will revisit the issue when financial times become better for the town.

After being in the national spotlight for months, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is going to be taking a step back. He says the final day of his daily coronavirus briefings will take place tomorrow. They began back in March when the first cases of COVID-19 were discovered in New York. But now that the spread of the virus is slowing, the governor believes it’s time to start focusing on other things. Briefings will still be held as needed.

Yesterday, Cuomo signed an executive order declaring Juneteenth will be a holiday for all state employees. The holiday takes place every June 19 and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The governor says he’ll work to make Juneteenth an official state holiday in 2021.

The Holland Land Office Museum will be changing its admission policy for visitors in the coming weeks. The museum’s board and executive director say the new admission policy is necessary to continue serving visitors. Members will still get in for free, children’s admission will be $1, students, veterans, and seniors will be $3, adult admission will be $5, and admission for a family of two adults and two children will be $10.

While summer vacation is underway for a lot of kids in New York, there’s no word yet if they’ll be returning to school this fall. Officials say whether that happens will depend on if there’s a spike in coronavirus cases. Students were pulled from their classrooms back in March to try to limit the spread of the disease. Summer school sessions will be taking place remotely.

Some hospitals in the Buffalo area are making changes to visitation policies after Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that visitations were allowed. Both Erie County Medical Center and Catholic Health have announced revised visitation policies. ECMC is planning to resume visits Friday with several guidelines in place including a minimum age requirement, visitor screening and a requirement visitors wear masks. Catholic Health will start welcoming visitors back on Saturday with many of the same regulations in effect.

Rochester Regional Health and Strong Memorial Hospital say they’re working on a policy, so until then, visitor restrictions remain in place.

For proponents of funding public education it was a good day at the polls.
Although voting took place last week results were not tabulated until late last night.
Budgets were approved by substantial margins in all eight public school districts in Genesee County.
Batavia City Schools saw its 51.4-million dollar budget approved by nearly a 2 to 1 margin.
The playground and restroom project at Jackson school was also approved.
All three incumbents were returned to the board of education.
LeRoy approved its budget by a margin almost 3 to 1.

New York State has the lowest coronavirus infection rate in the nation.
Governor says since things are continuing to improve, people are going to be able to visit their loved ones in hospitals so long as they follow the proper health protocols.
Visits to nursing homes, however, remain on hold.

The most current stats from Genesee County: four new positive cases of COVID-19 reported.
One case each in the City of Batavia and the towns of Alabama, Alexander and Elba.
One person is under 20, two are in their 20s and one in their 30s.

Shopping Malls across New York State are still waiting to find out when they’ll be allowed to welcome shoppers again.
Health officials say their biggest concern isn’t whether the malls can create safe plans to reopen, instead they’re worried people won’t follow the rules.
In the Batavia City Centre Mall, one big concern is keeping people dry.

The Buffalo Sabres have made a big shake-up to the team’s front office by firing Jason Botterill from the general manager position.
Botterill was let go yesterday after three seasons and has been replaced by Kevyn Adams.
He’s the third GM for the franchise since owner Terry Pegula bought the team back in 2011.
The Sabres are currently in the midst of a nine season playoff drought, the longest in the NHL.
The general manager and head coach of the Rochester Americans have also been relieved of their duties.

Alexander Central School

Prop 1 Budget: Yes: 611 No: 306
Yes 611
No 306

Board of Education (one seat for five year term:
Christopher Mullen 511 *
Diane Steel 350
Write-in Candidate 10

Batavia City School District

I. Budget – $51,470,726 (increase of $952,153 or 1.89% Budget increase; (0.038%) Tax Levy decrease)

Yes – 1489
No – 862

II. $619,151 Capital Project at Jackson Playground and Restroom renovation funded by Capital Reserve:

Yes – 1277
No – 1079

III. Board of Education positions (3):
Two terms are from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023 and one term is from June 16, 2020 to June 30, 2021

Alice Ann Benedict – 1828
Barbara Bowman – 1779
Tanni Bromley – 1623
Write In: John Reigle – 489 out of 544 total write in candidates

IV. Library Trustee positions:
Two terms are from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2025

Kristie Evans – 2096
Write In: Leslie Moma – 45 (out of 234 total write in candidates)

Byron Bergen Central School

Proposition 1: 2020-2021 Budget – passed 751 (Yes) to 396 (No)

Proposition 2: Bus Purchase – passed 758 (Yes) to 397 (No)

School Board Election Results:
(2 seats open – both 3 year terms)
Tammy Menzie – 793
Amy Phillips – 737
Lynn Smith – 553

Elba Central School

Prop 1: Budget: Yes: 303 No: 103

Prop 2: Establish Capital Reserve fund: Yes: 310 No: 97

Prop 3: School bus purchases: Yes: 311 No: 95

One Board Member elected for five (5) year terms commencing on July 1, 2020 and expiring on June 30, 2025:
Michael Riner – 377 Votes .

LeRoy Central School

Prop 1 Budget Yes: 999 No: 286

Board of Education

Two three year terms

* Richard Lawren 1,041
* Jacalyn Whitting 988

(Write-In) Alicia Reschke 119

Woodward Memorial Library Trustee – One member Michael Iten 1,176

Oakfield-Alabama Central School

Proposition #1 – Budget  Yes:  706   No: 276

Proposition #2 – Capital Improvements Project, 2020
Yes – 567
No – 393

Proposition #3 – Buses
Yes – 663
No – 295

Board Members (Top Three)

Jackie Yunker Davis – 654
Pete Zeliff – 601
Daniel N. Groth – 599

Pavilion Central School

Budget: Yes: 417 No: 106

Prop 1 Yes: 464 No: 62

Board of Education
Callin Ayers Tillotson 468 Five Year Term
Margaret Gaston 479 Five Year term

Budget Required 60% for approval: No

Pembroke Central Schools

Proposition #1 – Budget
Yes — 417   No — 106

School Board (Two spots – incumbents running)
Margaret “Peg” Gaston — Elected to a five-year term
Callin Ayers-Tillotson — Elected to a five-year term

Board seat modification (Change length of term from three to five years)
Passed

By tonight we should know the status of school district budget votes across Genesee County.
Budget in all eight county school districts were put before voters last Tuesday by absentee ballots. Those ballots need to be received by today’s mail.
In Batavia: a $52.4-million budget was voted on. The budget would carry no tax increase. Three seats on the board of education will be decided – all are incumbents.

The Genesee County Local Drug Task Force slaps metal bracelets on a Maple Street woman for drug possession.
31 year old Amanda Webb is facing two misdemeanor charges accusing her of having a quantity of amphetamine, dextro-amphetamine and Lorazepam.
Amanda was given a court appearance ticket.

Three more police accountability measures recently, passed by the Legislature, have been signed into law.
One makes it mandatory for police officers to file a report every time they fire their weapon.
A second bill called the Police Transparency and Statistics Act will require courts to gather and publish racial and demographic information about low-level crimes and post it online.
The third measure requires police officers to provide medical and mental health care to anyone in custody.

If you live on East Avenue in the city, this one’s for you.
The City of Batavia Water Department has postponed repairs to a water main on East Ave until Wednesday.
The work was to have been done yesterday.
Expect the water on East Ave. between Holmes and Eugene Street will be turned off at 8am tomorrow morning.
There is no estimate on how long repairs will take.

In Bethany a chicken coop catches fire.
It happened just before six last night on Transit Road.
A half dozen fire departments responded. No one was hurt.
Neighbors did report a foul odor in the area.

Motorist in the City of Batavia are advised that New York State Department of Transportation will be
re-applying centerline and edge striping on NY Rt.5, NY Rt. 33, NY Rt. 63 and NY Rt. 98 in the City of
Batavia. This will be evening work when traffic volumes are reduced.
If you have questions, contact the Bureau of Maintenance at 585-345-6400 opt. 1.

Governor Cuomo is threatening to pull the liquor licenses of bars and restaurants who don’t follow social distancing guidelines.
Over the weekend several videos went viral showing large crowds inside of businesses with only some people wearing masks or facial coverings.
The governor says if people living in certain regions don’t follow the rules, reopening efforts in those areas could be rolled back.
He’s now calling on officials in those areas to enforce the health guidelines that are in place.

A well-known Batavia business woman has passed away.
Rose Caccamise, the owner of Roxy’s Music Store on West Main Street died on June 5th, but there was no formal announcement of her passing.
Rose operated the business her parents started in the mid 1930’s.
Rose Caccamise was 80.

After being sidelined due to concerns over coronavirus, kids across New York State are going to be able to take part in some sports again.
Starting July 6th, young athletes living in regions that are in Phase Three of the state’s reopening plan will be allowed to play six sports including baseball, softball and field hockey.
Two spectators per child will be allowed to watch the games.
Genesee County just entered Phase 3 on Friday.

The Monday morning gasoline report: According to Triple A, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas in Western New York is now $2.19
That’s a penny less than what drivers were paying at this point last week and is also slightly down from a month ago.
The average price of a gallon of regular in Batavia is $2.24.

NOTE: The Genesee Orleans County Health Department has reformatted its Daily Update

New Cases
As of 2:00 p.m, June 12, 2020

Genesee County received 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 201 positive cases
1 of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
0 of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.

Orleans County received 1 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 247 positive cases
The positive individual resides in Carlton.
The individual is in their 60’s.
The new positive case was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
2 of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
14 of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or

a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.
We are very saddened to report the loss of another county resident to COVID-19. This person was a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center. Our deepest condolences to this individual’s family and friends during this very sad time.

One of the estimated 400 people who participated in last Sunday’s rally for social justice in Batavia has COVID-19.
This individual, said to be from Genesee County, did display coronavirus symptoms but did not know at the time they were positive for COVID-19.
They did wear a mask during the three hours they participated.
The health department describes the exposure risk as low.
The department encourages anyone who was at the rally to monitor for symptoms until June 21st – which is 14 days after last Sunday’s march.

The daily update for coronavirus shows that over the past 24 hours there were no new COVID-19 cases in either Genesee or Orleans Counties.

It’s a big day across the Finger Lakes as the region is approved to start Phase Three of the state’s four-step reopening process.
That means restaurants can offer limited indoor dining, however tables must be six feet apart and employees will have to wear masks at all times. Nail salons, spas, tattoo parlors and other personal care businesses can also start welcoming customers back today.

Coronavirus cases in several states have been increasing lately, and Governor Cuomo says that’s cause for concern. The governor says the recent spike shows the virus hasn’t gone away, even as states move forward with their reopening plans. He says while the number of new cases have declined in New York, people to still need to protect themselves and others.

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office is out with a reminder that it is against the law to ride on roads and an old railroad right of way.
Deputies say they have received numerous complaints regarding unlawful operation of ATVs and dirt bikes.
These vehicles must be registered with the DMV and insured, unless operated on your property.

The Genesee County Health Department received notification that a Genesee County resident who attended the “March for Justice” event on Sunday, June 7th in Batavia has tested positive for COVID-19. The individual did not know they were positive prior to attending the event but exhibited symptoms associated to COVID-19 at the event. The individual reported to have been wearing a mask the entire time they were at the event from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Currently three close contacts have been placed under mandatory quarantine in Genesee County and two additional close contacts reside outside of the county.

“Although the warmer weather is here, COVID-19 is still very much in our communities” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “We must continue to take actions to decrease the spread of the virus by wearing masks, practicing social distancing, washing hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water, and avoiding large crowds such as social events and parties.”

Paul Pettit

Pettit also mentioned that an increase in cases may slow down the reopening of businesses in our region. “Our region must maintain a set of metrics in order to continue the phased reopening in our region. If we see a spike in cases or hospitalizations, the reopening process will either be delayed or stopped depending on the metrics.” Click here to view the NYS COVID-19 Regional Metrics Dashboard

.
Although the exposure risk is low, anyone who attended the “March for Justice” is encouraged to monitor their symptoms for 14 days from the event until June 21st. If symptoms develop, contact your primary care provider or click here to find a testing site near you. Governor Cuomo is also urging all people who attended a protest or rally to get a COVID-19 test (please click the link above to find a testing site near you). Symptoms of COVID-19 may include: a fever of 100.4 or greater, fatigue, loss of taste and and/or smell, headache, cough or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Luis Ramos-Mercado

Witnesses said it was a frightening scene last weekend on Ellicott Avenue when an apparent domestic incident spilled out onto the street with a child in the middle.
Batavia Police have just announced the arrest of 35 year old Luis Ramos-Mercado. He’s been charged with assault, criminal obstruction of breathing and endangering the welfare of a child. He’s now in county jail.
Police say the incident happened late last Saturday night. Mercado and his girlfriend were in the midst of a fracas with a small child caught between the combatants. A neighbor stepped in to shield the child.
Ramos-Mercado has a long, local rap sheet including charges of attempted burglary and weapons possession dating back to January. He was released on supervision from that incident.

The man accused of stabbing a woman inside Walmart in Geneseo has pleaded not guilty.
Police say 24-year-old Gregory Cunningham attacked his victim Tuesday in the dairy section of the store. She suffered multiple stab wounds
Family members say the woman was released from the hospital yesterday.
Police do not have a motive. They do not believe Cunningham and his victim knew each other.
Cunningham was jailed in lieu of 50-thousand dollar bail
He’s been ordered to undergo a mental health exam.

State legislators have approved another two pieces of a law enforcement reform package. One bill creates an Office of Special Investigation which will look into cases where someone died either in police custody or at the hands of an officer.
The other creates an office of law enforcement misconduct which will be responsible for making recommendations on the policies of local police departments.
Both bills now head to the governor who is expected to sign them.

The latest COVID-19 update: two new positive cases of the virus reported in Genesee County, both residents of Batavia, and two new cases in Orleans County.
Of the current cases in Genesee County, none of the individuals are hospitalized.

Drivers are going to want to keep an extra eye on their vehicle’s speedometer over the next few days. That’s because State Police will ticketing speeding and aggressive drivers during “Speed Week.” Troopers are also going to make sure people aren’t traveling too fast through highway construction zones.

From Genesee County Board of Elections
Contacts – Richard Siebert and Lorie Longhany

Early voting for the NY-27 Special Election, the Presidential Primary Election and State Primary Elections begins this Saturday, June 13^th and continues for 9 days. The Early Voting location is at County Building 2, 3837 West Main St. Rd. Batavia NY 14020. The schedule for Early Voting is as follows;

June 13^th 12:00pm – 5:00pm
June 14^th 12:00pm – 5:00pm
June 15^th   9:00am – 5:00pm
June 16^th 12:00pm – 8:00pm
June 17^th 12:00pm – 8:00pm
June 18^th   9:00am – 5:00pm
June 19^th   9:00am – 5:00pm
June 20^th 12:00pm – 5:00pm
June 21^st 12:00pm – 5:00 pm

Requests for absentee ballots for the NY-27 Special Election, Presidential Primary and State Primary ballots must be postmarked by June 16^th. You can also request in-person at the Board of Elections no later than June 23rd. Other options to apply; email – election@co.genesee.ny.us, phone (585) 815-7804 or fax – (585) 344-8562.

The last day to register in-person to vote in the NY-27 Special Election ONLY is June 13^th at County Building 2, 3837 West Main St. Rd., Batavia, NY 14020 from 11:00am until 5:00pm. Voters can register for the Special Election up until June 12^th at the Board of Elections office at County Building 1, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020.

Three more residents of an Orleans County nursing home have died from coronavirus. The latest deaths all occurred at the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina.
Since the pandemic began 47 people have died from COVID-19 related illness in Orleans County. All but one of those deaths occurred in either the Orchard Nursing Home in Medina or the Villages of Orleans in Albion.
By comparison, five deaths have occurred in Genesee County, none of them in nursing homes.

Fire has destroyed a barn along West Bergen Road near Dublin Road.
Flames were spotted late last night but had a good start before volunteers were summoned. There were no injuries, the barn declared a total loss.

A stabbing at the Walmart in Geneseo.
A 34 year old woman was stabbed multiple times in the upper part of her body in an apparently unprovoked attack.
It happened yesterday afternoon. The woman is listed in stable condition.
Police found her suspected attacker inside the store.
24 year old Gregory Cunningham was taken into custody without incident and charged with first degree assault.

Governor Cuomo is calling on President Trump to apologize to a 75-year-old Buffalo protester who was seriously injured after being pushed by police during a recent protest.
Cuomo blasted Trump after the president tweeted the protester, Martin Gugino, may have been a member of Antifa, an extreme left-wing group.
Cuomo says protests over the death of George Floyd shouldn’t be dismissed as an issue of the moment, but a problem that’s been brewing for decades, if not centuries.

27th Congressional District candidate Nate McMurray has filed a lawsuit against the Erie County Board of Elections. The Democrat claims commissioners haven’t done their part to tell voters about the hours and locations of polling places ahead of a special election June 23rd. Early voting in the contest is scheduled to begin Saturday. He’s looking to fill the seat left open by former Republican Congressman Chris Collins who resigned after pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges.

New York State has issued the rules and guidelines for businesses involved in Phase Three of the state’s four-step reopening process. Those businesses include tattoo, piercing and massage parlors, nail and beauty salons and restaurants among others. Each business will need to have proper safety precautions in place to protect customers and employees. Most of those guidelines center on occupancy limits and the need for people to wear facial coverings or masks.

COVID-19 has claimed four lives in Orleans County over the past 24 hours.
All four deaths have occurred in nursing homes.
Two died at the Village of Orleans in Albion and two passed at the Orchard rehab and nursing center in Medina.
In terms of new positive cases: there was one in Batavia, an individual in their 30’s and one new positive case in Orleans County, a person in their 50’s from Ridgeway.

It is school district Election Day today – but only by absentee ballot. Budgets, propositions and school board candidates will be voted on today.
All ballots must be mailed by 5pm today, or hand delivered by 5pm today to your school district office. The governor has extended until June 16th the time for mail in ballots to arrive. Batavia is voting on a 51.4-million dollar budget that will have no increase in property taxes. There are three candidates on the ballot for three board seats

The Batavia City Clerk’s office is open by appointment only.
The office will operate on Mondays and Thursdays. You need to call the clerk’s office to make an appointment.
If you need to pay a bill you can continue to use the mail, personal banking or the drop box located outside of city hall.

It looks like the Finger Lakes region is still on track to enter Phase Three of the state’s four-step reopening process.
The Finger Lakes region includes Genesee County.
Officials say so long as there’s not a spike in the number of infections or deaths due to coronavirus, the next phase should begin Friday. That means indoor seating would be allowed at restaurants and bars and personal care businesses could start offering more services.

State lawmakers will be getting back to work today passing a package of law enforcement reform bills. The Legislature yesterday approved a measure that would ban the use of choke holds by police.
Other items on their agenda include a repeal of a portion of the state Civil Rights Law called “50-a” which prevents the public from having access to the disciplinary records of officers.
Also, any police killings of unarmed people would be reviewed by the state Attorney General’s office instead of a local district attorney.

It was promised to be a peaceful protest for social justice and it was.
A demonstration yesterday in downtown Batavia drew an estimated 400 people – black and white – they carried signs, chanted and made impromptu but impassioned speeches.

One, was Victor Thomas of Batavia

PHOTO Courtesy: The Batavian

There was a large, but not a threatening police presence. Most officers stayed back maintain a perimeter that wasn’t needed. Other officers waded into the crowd and at times engaged with the protestors.
Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch and Sheriff William Sheron stood with demonstrators.
Lawmen from throughout the region – including a mounted patrol from Livingston County – were part of the police presence.

An 11 year old child was airlifted to the hospital after tumbling down a 40-foot waterfall in in Attica
The incident happened just before 12:30 in the afternoon off of Vernal Road.
The child was rescued by a State Police helicopter and then airlifted to Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo by Mercy Flight.
The child’s injuries are unknown.

The number of new COVID-19 infections continues to trend downward.
Over the weekend two new cases were reported in Genesee County, with one new cases in Orleans County

If you’ve been wanting to plan a camping trip, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will allow you to do just that today. Reservations are being accepted online for visits that can begin June 22nd

State lawmakers will meet this week to talk-over a package of law enforcement reform bills.
Some of the proposed measures include a ban on the use of tear gas and putting an end to racial profiling by police officers.
Another piece of legislation is expected to focus on repealing a provision in the state Civil Rights Law. It’s known as “50-a” and has been used by police departments to keep the public from having access to the disciplinary records of officers.

Say good-bye to J C Penney in the City Centre Mall.
The Batavia location is reported to be among 856 stores the iconic retailer will close as part of its bankruptcy.
The Batavia location was the original anchor store in what was then known as the Genesee Country Mall.
With the exception of a handful of small retailers and professional offices the mall has become a ghost town with a perpetually leaking roof.

A number of local restaurants are ready to serve customers on premise.
The state is now allowing restaurant to open outdoor dining – with restrictions. Customers must wear masks until seated, wait staff also has to be masked.
So far, O’Lacy’s Irish Pub is opening at Noon today, Batavia’s Originally Pizzeria is opening their patio and the new Roman’s Restaurant downtown is also opening their outdoor space.

Latest COVID-19 report from the health department:
Genesee County reports one new positive case of the virus,
Orleans County had no new cases.
There has been another death at the Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion.

Batavia is cautiously awaiting a peacefully rally for social justice expected this Sunday.
The rally is to begin at 8 Sunday morning and be followed by a march through the community.
Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said he is ready to participate in the demonstration but he remains vigilant for outside agitators who could turn the rally violent.
The Batavia Post Office says they will close the lobby of its building at 5 Saturday night and it will remain closed until Monday morning.
The Post Office is located right next door to the police station.

Governor Cuomo is urging people who took part in recent protests against police misconduct to get screened for the coronavirus.
An estimated 30-thousand New Yorkers have been involved in demonstrations this week, leading to concerns there could be a spike in cases over the next few days.

Chad Klotzbach

A Basom businessman has been selected to fill a vacant seat on the Genesee County Legislature. He is Chad Klotzbach.
He has been tapped to fill the District One seat held by John Hilchey who resigned The district includes the Towns of Oakfield and Alabama.
Klotzbach is expected to take his post on June 10th. His term will run until the end of the year.

State Police are investigating a crash on the Thruway in Genesee County involving three tractor trailers. It happened just after 5:30 yesterday afternoon in the town of Stafford.
One driver was seriously injured and taken to Strong hospital by Mercy Flight.
The impact created a fuel spill that took a couple hours to clean-up.

The coronavirus death toll in Orleans County goes up by two. Two more residents of the Orchard nursing home in Medina have passed away from COVID-19 related illness. A total of 40 people have died in Orleans County since the pandemic began.
Genesee County, with half again the population, has had five deaths.

For the first time in months, cash toll collections have resumed on the New York State Thruway.
Drivers without an E-Z Pass will once again need to get a ticket when they enter the Thruway then pay a toll collector when they exit.
Anyone with an E-Z Pass will continue to have cashless transactions.
The return of toll booth workers will only be for a few more months since the state will be switching to fully cashless tolling by the end of the year.

Starting today, restaurants Genesee County can once again offer outdoor dining.
Restaurants will have to follow several safety protocols including keeping tables six feet apart, staff must wear masks and customers also have to wear masks until they’re seated.

What is being called a peaceful rally is planned for this Sunday morning at Batavia City Hall.
The ad-hoc rally will begin at 8am with a march through the community slated for 11am.
The effort started out as a gathering in Williams Park on Saturday but plans were shelved when organizers could not get required city approval in time to use the park.
City Manager Dr. Martin Moore recognized the rally on Sunday, but cautions there is always a chance for outside agitators to turn the rally sideways.

A resident of Genesee County, hospitalized with COVID-19, has died. The individual only identified as over 65 years of age.
This is the fifth Genesee County resident to die from coronavirus since the pandemic began.
The death toll is far greater in Orleans County where another person has died at the Village of Orleans nursing home in Albion.
The Orleans County death toll is 38.

Felony DWI charges have been filed against a Byron woman.
27 year old Taylor Laird was stopped late last week on Pearl Street in the city. She was charged with drunk driving, driving without a license and because there was a child in the car the DWI charge became a felony.

New York State says summer day camps will be allowed to open by the end of the month.
There is no word yet if sleep over camps will also be allowed to re-open.
This announcement comes within hours of the Arc of Genesee Orleans announcing that its popular Camp Rainbow in Ridgeway will not operate this summer.
Camp Rainbow serves children with and without disabilities from Genesee and Orleans counties.

President Trump is again showing his support for state Senator Chris Jacobs in his bid to represent the 27th Congressional District. Trump endorsed his fellow Republican on Twitter yesterday, saying he was strong on the border, military and the second amendment.
Jacobs is a candidate for the seat that has been vacant since former Republican Congressman Chris Collins stepped down after pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges.
Voters in the 27th District – which includes Genesee County – go to the polls June 23rd.

The Buffalo Bills will be preparing for the upcoming season a bit closer to home than usual. The NFL has ordered teams to hold training camps at their home facilities. That means the Bills will stay in Orchard Park and won’t be going to Saint John Fisher College in suburban Rochester, where camp has been held for years.