Morning News Brief
Written by Michael Baldwin on August 17, 2021
Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that all healthcare workers in New York State, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCF), including nursing homes, adult care, and other congregate care settings, will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, September 27. The State Department of Health will issue orders requiring all facilities to develop and implement a policy mandating employee vaccinations, with limited exceptions for those with religious or medical reasons. Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration was briefed prior to the announcement.
The New York state Assembly Judiciary Committee will release a final report on their impeachment investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, despite saying on Friday they were suspending the probe once the governor stepped down, according Speaker Carl Heastie and Chair Charles Lavine. Monday’s news followed outrage over the weekend in reaction to the committee’s announcement Friday. The committee heads did not give an indication of when the final report would be released.
An accident occurred in the last race at Batavia Downs on Sunday afternoon after pacer Red Roll (Kyle Cummings) went down and Sizzling Summer (Denny Bucceri) and Hardts Or Bettor (Justin Huckabone) ran over him as close quarters prevented them from making a diversionary move. All three drivers were thrown and two of the loose horses continued to run. After the race, those horses were caught and upon examination, Sizzling Summer suffered multiple lacerations and required stitches and Hardts Or Bettor appeared to be all right. Red Roll had to be euthanized. The drivers were examined on-site and suffered minor bruises and abrasions. None were transported to area hospitals.
The Genesee County Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee has acted on a suggestion by the Pembroke Town Board to increase the amount of sales tax earmarked for distribution to towns and villages by passing a resolution amending the county’s sales tax allocation agreement with the City of Batavia. The committee approved a restated contract with the city – which along with the county is one of the two taxing municipalities in Genesee County. The amended agreement ups the amount of sales tax revenue the county is willing to share with its towns and villages over the next 38 years from $7 million to $8.5 million. This latest legislation, which is subject to final approval by the full legislature at its Aug. 25 meeting, was triggered by the recent opting in of revised water supply agreements with the county by the Village of Corfu and the Town of Pembroke.
Both Genesee and Orleans Counties have increased to a substantial and high levels of community transmission, respectively, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker. Paul Pettit, Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said he was not surprised to see the increase. He also reported another COVID-related death involving a Genesee County resident who was under age 65. There are currently no masking mandates that have been issued by either county.
Out of an abundance of caution, Seneca Gaming Corporation announced that masks will be required for everyone attending upcoming indoor shows at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino and Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino. The requirement applies to all guests and staff inside the Center’s regardless of vaccination status. The resorts will host their first live entertainment performances in more than a year, when Ron White performs in the Seneca Niagara Events Center on August 21 and John Fogerty takes the stage inside the Seneca Allegany Events Center on August 28. The masking requirement will be in effect for the Events Centers only.