A caller to dispatch reports that a black and white pitbull mix tried to get into their vehicle when it stopped at a stop sign in Stafford. The dog was laying in a driveway in the area of Sweetland and Transit roads without shelter or food when the vehicle made the stop.

An officer is responding to check on the animal.

UPDATE 1:20 p.m.: An officer is out with the canine in the 6300 block of Sweetland Road.

UPDATE 1:26 p.m.: The animal control officer says the dog has shelter and a water dish. "Unable to make contact with anyone" at the residence. She's en route back to the shelter.

More than $11 million from the American Rescue Plan Act has Genesee County’s name on it, but it’s too early to speculate exactly how that money will be used, County Manager Matt Landers reported to legislators earlier this week.

Landers, in outlining the four areas on which the money can be spent, said he emphasized to county lawmakers that the current federal guidelines have been released on an interim basis and the final rule is not expected until mid-July.

“Between not having the final rule yet, plus the fact that the feds are doing this in a two-traunch allocation of the money, no official roadmap of how were going to spend the $11,125,969 has been drawn up,” Landers said.

“They’re doing this specifically because they don’t want you to spend all of the money now. They want you to evaluate how the pandemic is progressing and to be able to adjust later on with the funding they give you.”

Payments, in equal installments, to municipalities will be made sometime this year and again 12 months later.

According to a directive from the federal government, eligible uses are as follows:

• To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality.

Landers said his office is calculating what won’t be covered by the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act (of 2020) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with outstanding expenses to be covered with ARPA funds.

“We’re still investigating what we can and can't do here regarding tourism,” he said. “I am checking to see if this is the way we can assist the Chamber of Commerce for a rebranding effort, along with assistance to some of our local businesses most impacted by the pandemic and to assist our tourism sector.”

• To respond to workers performing essential work during COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers.

• For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency.

Landers reported that the county treasurer’s office has calculated the amount of lost revenue by Genesee County, using the prescribed three formulas.

“The most beneficial calculation of lost revenue is approximately $6 million,” he said. “There are strings attached to this money, but early thoughts on how to utilize this portion is on the construction of the Genesee County Jail.”

He also said he is talking to department heads about possible investments and for cybersecurity upgrades proposed by the Information Technology department.

• To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.                                                                                                    

Landers said it there could be around $5 million available for allocating to broadband and water infrastructure needs.

“Limitations on upload/download speed may impact the effectiveness of the broadband allocation,” he advised.

The county manager said he will be meeting with other county administrators on June 4 in Madison County and with New York State Association of County leaders “to put our heads together to see what works.”

“The interim final guidance provides us with a lot of information, but also a lot of questions,” he said. “It is too early to provide a complete list of recommendations, but it is safe to say we will be able to allocate all of the $11 million and will allocate it in the most impactful and transparent way.”

Updated: May 30, 12:30 p.m., with job creation details

------------

While acknowledging ongoing opposition and unsightly solar panels, Byron Town Supervisor Peter Yasses said the municipality has won the lottery as a result of its Host Community Benefit agreement with Excelsior Energy Center LLC – the company proposing to build a 280-megawatt solar system in the town under Article 10 of the New York State Public Service Law.

“You’ve won the lottery, but you’ve won the lottery for 20 years,” Yasses said on Friday in discussing the status of the project, which would turn 46 parcels of farmland covering about 1,600 acres into a sea of solar panels. “Every year this check comes – with a 2-percent increase. To me, that’s huge for the town.”

The check that Yasses is talking about is the $1,006,522 that Excelsior Energy would write to the town in year one of a 20-year HCB fee schedule that increases by 2 percent each year. Per the contract, the first annual check would arrive within 30 days after the start of construction.

All told, combining a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) with the Genesee County Economic Development Center, special district charges, agricultural exemption revenue and the negotiated host benefit fee, the Town of Byron – if the project receives final approval – would be on the receiving end of $24 million over the two decades.

Yasses said he and the town board took a stand to get what they felt was a fair price for the cost of losing the aesthetics of farmland and fields.

“We had to go into this with an open mind. At any means, it’s not going to be pretty for the town as far as having to look at the panels,” he said. “But it really has nothing to do with our town board. This is getting rammed down our throats by (Gov.) Andrew Cuomo through Article 10.”

The Article 10 provision (which is being replaced by Office of Renewable Energy Siting) authorizes the state’s Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment to oversee development of large solar facilities, bypassing much local control.

Siting Board Public Hearing is Tuesday

On Tuesday (June 1), the siting board will be conducting a public statement hearing -- a key step toward the end of the Article 10 process – via teleconference from New York City with Administrative Law Judge Gregg Sayre presiding.

Two sessions are scheduled – 1 and 6 p.m. – for community members to participate.

A determination on a permit to proceed with the project is expected by April. Developers are anticipating the solar system will be operational by the end of 2023.

Yasses said attorneys hired by the town during this process, which started more than two years ago, told board members their hands were tied.

“When a lawyer sits you down in executive session and says, ‘It’s coming whether you like it or not and there is nothing you can do about it,’ that paints a different picture in your mind,” he said. “Again, these aren’t going to be looking pretty in our town – we know that; the town board knows that. However, we had to do what is best for the people that have to look at these things.”

Yasses: We Changed Our Game Plan

Yasses said the board changed its approach from “defense to offense,” and through five months of negotiations forged a deal that it felt was justified.

“Paul (town attorney Paul Boylan) and I were charged with the negotiation and I, knowing what these things (panels) look like, did not want to sell out my town. At first they were talking nowhere near this kind of money and some of the propaganda they were dishing out – it was something like $400,000 to $500,000 a year. That’s peanuts,” he said.

“I said, ‘No way, I want a million (dollars). I won’t say who … but there were some big people in the county and town who said, ‘You’re dreaming.’ I said that’s my threshold. I want a million dollars a year for the Town of Byron. I have to live here, my people have to live here, my kids are going to live here and my grandkids are going to live here.”

Yasses said the HCB agreement was signed on April 28 at a board meeting via Zoom.

“The board was pleased,” he said, adding that he believes about a third of the annual payment can be used for property tax relief.

“Approximately a third of it will be injected into our budget,” he said. “I can’t say that the tax rate will go down but this is going to help not to raise taxes because Genesee County cut our sales tax distribution by more than that. We took some pretty drastic measures to keep ourselves in good shape, but I’m not sure the tax rate will go down.”

Residents Will Have a Voice

He said it will be up to town residents as far as how to spend the remainder of the windfall.

“Most likely, we will hire a financial advisor and we’ll probably select a committee through the citizens to help us come up with wants and needs,” he said. “It’s the community’s money and I want the community to have a say on how they spend their money.”

A closer look at the financials involved with the project reveal that the town, Genesee County and the Byron-Bergen Central School District will benefit from the PILOT negotiated between Excelsior Energy Center and the GCEDC.

Per the HCB fee schedule, the county would get $281,775 in year one and the school district would get $675,703 in year one. The town’s share would be $120,522 and, again, these payments come with a 2-percent annual escalator clause.

The GCEDC Board of Directors is expected to vote on tax incentives for Excelsior Energy Center at its meeting on June 3. Excelsior is seeking $21,498,313 in property tax abatements over the 20 years and $11,288,287 in sales tax abatements (for construction materials).

Jim Krencik, GCEDC director of marketing and communications, said Excelsior Energy would be investing $345.55 million – with $1.82 million in the first year alone to the three taxing jurisdictions based on $6,500 per megawatt.

$84.7 Million Into the Local Economy

“Excelsior’s investment over the 20-year project horizon is estimated to generate $117.5 million into the local economy when you consider the total PILOT payments, host community agreement, estimated fire district payments and related tax reductions, and construction purchases and payroll,” Krencik said.

The solar company said 290 full-time equivalent jobs will be created during the construction phase and 3.1 FTE during project operation and maintenance (solar technician, tech leader and high voltage technician).

Krencik pointed out that when subtracting the tax incentives from the direct economic impact figure, the direct benefit in excess of costs is $84.7 million over the 20 years.

And, of course, the farmers who have signed contracts with Excelsior Energy to lease their land will reap financial rewards.

Yasses said that he and others from the town will be on the siting board public hearing call on Tuesday and expects that those in opposition will be as well.

“We have heard those against it loud and clear. But, we had to do what we felt was right for the community,” he said. “This the best deal in New York State. We had some people scratching their heads wondering how we got it. It was through tough negotiations – that’s how we got it.”

Previously: GCEDC's public hearing on the Town of Byron solar project: An 'incentive' for parties to voice their opinions

A caller reports that a motorcyclist rear-ended her car on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 384 in the eastbound lane.

The rider is down in the roadway.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched. Mercy Flight is on in-air standby.

UPDATE 10:47 a.m.: One patient transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement in response to the President’s $6 trillion budget proposal. 

“This President has taken reckless spending to unimaginable heights. His spending binge has resulted in an abysmal jobs report, small businesses struggling to find employees, and Americans experiencing a decade-high increase in inflation this past month. All around the country, Americans are being effectively taxed into oblivion from the President’s reckless partisan spending – they are feeling it at the pump, in the grocery store, and with just about every purchase they make for their families. 

“Americans do not need the President to spend trillions of tax dollars to ‘reshape an economy’ that was hitting record highs before the pandemic. They also do not need him to raise taxes on small businesses and individuals by $3 trillion over the next decade to pay for his partisan wish list.

"Americans need the President to come back down to earth and propose fiscally responsible policies. I look forward to working with my Republican colleagues on the Budget Committee to develop a smart, responsible counterproposal.”

Today, the President unveiled his FY22 budget proposal priced at $6 trillion dollars. The budget projects $3 trillion in tax increases over the next decade, and projects a massive increase in the federal deficit. 

Jacobs joined the House Budget Committee during the 116th Congress and continues to serve on it in the 117th.

The city’s Memorial Day parade coordinator is promising a couple of surprises for Monday morning’s march from Eastown Plaza to Bank Street.

“We’ve been getting a lot of responses now, including a call from the Batavia Muckdogs, who said they will surprise us with something,” City Council member Robert Bialkowski said today.

When asked if some of the players will be participating, he said, “That would be nice, and it would be a first.”

Bialkowski also said that Dan Di Laura, owner of Dan’s Tire & Auto Service Center, agreed to park his new recovery truck at the corner of Main and Bank and fly a huge American flag from the vehicle’s 50-foot boom.

Additionally, 400 U.S. flags will be given to children along the route, he said.

“We welcome our veterans to join us,” he said. “Some will be riding and some will be walking, but all of them will be in front – right behind the color guard – where they belong.”

The parade is scheduled to start at 9:45 a.m. from the plaza.

Previously, Bialkowski said that the Batavia High School band will perform and he was hoping that other musical groups would as well. Marchers will include law enforcement and fire personnel.

To contact Bialkowski, call (585) 409-3624.

Press release:

GO Health Departments will be on the road with Pop-up Clinics. The Pfizer vaccine is approved to vaccinate anyone 12 years old and older against coronavirus. All clinics are now available for walk-in and registration.  

“The Pop-up Clinics are a great way for our residents to conveniently get vaccinated," said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for GO Health. "The clinics have been running very smoothly and residents seem happy that they don’t have to travel very far to get their vaccination.”

Pfizer, J & J and Moderna clinics offer walk-in opportunities; however, we encourage you to register via the links below and choose the vaccine that best works for you to guarantee your dose, better space your appointment time, and make your check-in process easier. 

For those who do not have internet they can call the GO Health Vaccine Registration Help Lines:  

• Genesee:  (585) 815-7168
• Orleans:  (585) 589-3170

These lines are ONLY to make vaccine appointments, are not able to answer COVID-related questions, and are not associated with either Health Department.  

“This is a great opportunity for more people to get vaccinated and will help us enjoy activities this summer with fewer restrictions,” Pettit said. “There continue to be plenty of options to get any of the three vaccines offered.”

If you are a business/church/organization that is interested in hosting a vaccination clinic at your location, please fill out the survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOHealthPopUpVaccineClinic. One of our staff members will be in contact with you.

For those who are seeking testing, both health departments provide limited free rapid testing for those without symptoms at the respective Health Departments.

For Genesee County, a free rapid test drive-through clinic is scheduled for Thursday, June 3rd from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. at County Building #2, 3837 W. Main St. Road, Batavia. To register for testing for the Genesee Test Clinic: http://bit.ly/GeneseeTests.

For Orleans County, a free rapid test clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2nd from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at the Orleans County Health Department at 14016 Route 31 West, Albion. To register for the Orleans Test Clinic: https://bit.ly/OCHDRapidTest.

Tuesday, June 1 

1-5 p.m.

Six Flags Darien Lake / Human Resources -- 1501 Sumner Road, Corfu

J&J: Walk-ins & Appointment

http://bit.ly/JanssenDarienLake

Wednesday, June 2

1-4:30 p.m.

Genesee County Health Department -- 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia

Moderna: Walk-ins & Appointment

http://bit.ly/Moderna1Genesee

J&J: Walk-ins & Appointment

http://bit.ly/JanssenGenesee

Thursday, June 3

4-6 p.m.

Orleans County YMCA -- 306 Pearl St., Medina

Pfizer: Walk-ins and Appointment

http://bit.ly/OrleansYMCAPfizer

J&J: Walk-ins 

Saturday, June 5 

12-1 p.m.

Genesee County Health Department, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia

Pfizer: Walk-ins and Appointment

http://bit.ly/Pfizer1Genesee

Press release:

Please be advised that both the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be closed on Monday, May 31st for Memorial Day. We remember and honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 

Data Update – Covering May 25 through May 28

Genesee County reporting 18 new positive cases of COVID-19.

• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
• Ten of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Twenty-eight of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.

 

Orleans County reporting nine new positive cases of COVID-19.

• Correction -- We have retracted one positive reported on May 27 who does not live in Orleans County.
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s and 60s.
• Two of the current positive individuals is hospitalized.
• Sixteen of the previous positive individuals have completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.

Press release:

Horses and carriages! After skipping 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Northampton Driving Society will hold its annual pleasure driving show on June 13 at Silver Shoe Farm, 3336 Pratt Road in Batavia.

Time is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The judge will be Jeff Morse, current chair of the American Driving Society’s pleasure driving committee and a longtime Morgan breeder and driving competitor. 

As always, there will be classes for both novice and experienced whips, and for equines from very small to horse. Marathon vehicles will be permitted as well as more traditional carriages.

Competitors are judged on “turn out” – the overall visually pleasing and appropriate combination of driver, horse, and vehicle – driving skill, and equine responsiveness. There will be cones classes in the afternoon which add the dimensions of patterns and speed.     

A food truck and vendors are planned to add an extra dimension to the showing and spectating experience.

There is no admission charge for spectators. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the day!

File photo by Howard Owens, taken in June 2015 at Silver Shoe Farm's annual pleasure driving show.

Press release:

The Friends of Richmond Memorial Library are pleased to announce the return of the book sale! The Friends will host a special sale on Saturday, June 19 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the library.

This is the first sale since the coronavirus pandemic began, so the Friends are relaunching in a big way with plenty of new items to choose from!

There will be spaces set up in the Gallery Room, the Wilber-Fox Memorial Room and the Reading Room to browse for books.

“It’s been more than a year and we’re very excited to safely resume our sales,” said Friends of the Library Board President Kathy Zipkin. “The Friends sale has become a staple in the community, and we’re grateful for everyone’s support and patience. We know many people have been holding onto their books to donate!”

With the return of the book sale, the Friends gratefully accept your donations of gently used or new books and DVDs, BluRay, and CDs in good condition.

Before bringing your books for donation, the library asks you to consider:

• Is there significant wear and tear, such as a broken binding, or loose, torn, or missing covers or pages?
• Is there mold or mildew? Books with mold or mildew often smell musty and are discolored or spotted.
• Is there water damage or staining?
• Do the books have a strong odor such as cigarette smoke?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, the library will not be able to make use of your donation.

Other types of materials that are not needed are textbooks and encyclopedias.

Donations are accepted anytime the library is open, Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. - 9 pm, and Friday and Saturday 9 am – 5 pm. For very large donations (more than four boxes at a time) the library asks you to call ahead to (585) 343-9550, ext. 3.

Please place all donations in the bin located in the lobby. The library requests that you do not place donations in the book drop or on the loading dock.

All proceeds from the Friends of the Library sales benefit the Friends, who use the funds for library advocacy and programming. Payments for sale items can be made by cash or check.

Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment. 

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St in the City of Batavia.

The Byron Town Board today unanimously approved an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Elba to provide water from the Elba Water District to 12 properties on the east side of Transit Road and another on Bank Street Road in the Town of Byron.

The meeting took place via Zoom videoconferencing and lasted about 25 minutes.

A bit of confusion arose midway through over the number of residents actually affected by the agreement, with Byron Town Supervisor Peter Yasses initially thinking there were only three at end of the road.

Apparently, according to Yasses, more homes were added after his previous discussion with Elba Town Supervisor Donna Hynes, and he was not informed of the additions.

Town Attorney Paul Boylan said several revisions to the contract have been made “and all of them were agreeable to all of the parties.”

“The agreement as we have it now is acceptable to me. I think it accomplishes everything we want to do for those people on Transit Road,” he said.

Responding to a question from Councilman Eric Zuber, Boylan said the unit charge to the residents covered under this new pact has to be the same as what is charged to others in the Elba Water District, adding that he didn’t think that has been determined yet.

Boylan said the Transit Road residents, along with the Byron and Elba supervisors, must sign the user agreement.

“It has to be both Elba and Byron that need to act on every one of the user agreements. That’s because Byron has to agree with Elba to levy the user fee on the property – not the water use but the debt service,” he said.

“Byron has to agree that in the event that the user does not pay, they (Town of Byron) will pay Elba and then put the money that the user would have had to pay on the user’s tax bill the following January.”

Submitted photo and press release:

CountryMax Stores, a Western New York family-owned business with 18 retail stores across the state, is partnering with Paul Guglielmo -- maker of Guglielmo’s Sauce, owner of Craft Cannery and host of a popular podcast -- to showcase its lineup of food items and home food-preparation products. 

“People are growing and preserving their own food at home again, which is so exciting," says Guglielmo. “As a dog owner, I’ve been a CountryMax customer for years. When I found all the ‘people food’ items at the center of store, I said ‘I need to be part of this.’ ”  

The homesteading trend, sometimes called "garden to table," is a space that CountryMax has long supported. Demand for quality seeds, gardening tools and canning products (including jars) has taken off in recent years. CountryMax Stores carry all the essentials, plus innovative new products to make harvesting and preserving fresh foods easy.

In addition, the retailer stocks many unique and/or hard-to-find prepared food products, including a huge selection of specialty soda flavors, Dutch Valley brand bulk treats and snacks, artisanal jerky brands, Jake & Amos jarred and pickled products and, of course, Guglielmo’s Sauce.

“In many ways, we’ve been preparing for the explosion in popularity that we see in backyard harvesting and the increased farm-to-table focus for our entire existence,” says Brad Payne, director of Sales.

“Longtime customers know us as the place to go every spring and summer when it’s time to plant their gardens, and we’re excited to continue to expand our offering in the most important part of that process -- the harvest.

"Paul’s reputation in Rochester as an authentic and well-respected voice who really resonates with people combined with his incredible knowledge in this area really is the perfect fit.”

Guglielmo, who was a Rochester radio personality before starting his sauce business, will be featured in radio and TV commercials, as well in publications, online videos and some live appearances. An experienced podcaster, Guglielmo plans to produce a limited-edition podcast series for the retailer.

“We’re even developing a live canning class,” he says. “I’ve taught (and taken) many cooking classes, but you don’t often get the opportunity to take a canning class. That will be different and cool!”

Watch for the CountryMax campaign featuring Paul Guglielmo to break in July and run through the fall harvest season.

Previously: Sauce boss Paul Guglielmo buys Bergen food manufacturing plant, hopes to double sales

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! You have the right to a safe workplace. Federal laws state that your employer must provide a work area with no known health or safety hazards. You also have the right to: 

A caller to dispatch reports that a dog who resides in the 7800 block of Lewiston Road in Batavia is "always outside" and the caller is concerned about whether the dog has any food or shelter.

"It's been an ongoing issue for over a year now," says the dispatcher.

Press release:

Genesee County leaders are urging the New York State Legislature to pass various legislative items as part of a statewide effort on behalf of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

“These are pretty straight forward and common-sense items that the state legislature should pass before it adjourns,” said Genesee County Chair Shelley Stein. “We urge our state legislative representatives Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Senator Ed Rath to encourage their colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass these measures.

"At the end of the day, these items would help local governments like Genesee County be even more efficient in the stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”

The items identified by NYSAC include:

• A bill that has passed the New York State Senate that would create a task force to study the aid and incentives for municipalities (AIM) formula;
• Legislation that would cap the rate of interest to be paid on judgments and accrued claims tied to the rate of interest to the maturity treasury yield as published by the federal reserve. Ultimately, this legislation helps counties pay lower/capped interest rates on judgements;
• New legislation that would provide all counties in New York State with the same flexibility regarding investment options that the five counties that comprise the New York City metropolitan region. For instance, counties would be authorized to invest in additional types of products, such as general obligation bonds and notes of any state other than New York;
• A long sought-after bill that would raise the age of juvenile delinquent offenses from age 7 to age 12; the bill would create “differential response programs” for children under the age of 12 whose behavior but for their age would bring them within the jurisdiction of the family court in an effort to prevent future interaction with the juvenile justice system; and,
• A repeal of a provision excluding kindergartens, prekindergartens, or nursery schools for children 3 years of age or older, or after-school programs for children operated by a public school district or by a private school or academy, which is providing elementary or secondary education or both from the definition of child day care.

“While these are all important items that we support passage of, the creation of a task force to redesign the aid and incentives for municipalities would be very helpful as the redirection of County sales tax proceeds to cover these payments to municipalities has negatively impacted the County Budget,” said Genesee County Manager Matt Landers. 

In addition to the legislative items identified by NYSAC, Genesee County is urging State lawmakers to pass a critical piece of home rule legislation that allows for the proper accounting of voluntary revenue distribution payments to Genesee County towns with villages located in their boundary.

“This necessary legislation will ensure taxpayers in our Towns aren’t negatively impacted from what amounts to an accounting treatment that needs to be updated,” Landers continued.

“Local leaders have been working closely with Senator Ed Rath and Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, who have been 100-percent supportive of the legislation, but are still waiting to see if Albany will allow Genesee County to manage its own resources as we deem necessary.”

Press release:

Tops Friendly Markets is proud to offer the community an [PA1] at-home COVID-19 testing kit manufactured by industry leader Quidel and distributed by McKesson. The kit costs $24.95.

QuickVue® At-Home OTC COVID-19 Tests* by Quidel provides you with rapid results in the privacy of your own home. This fast, easy, over the counter COVID-19 test is ready when you are. Everything you need is included in the package and using the test is simple.

The test is authorized under an FDA EUA* for home use with a gentle self-collected anterior nasal swab sample for those ages 2 years and older to determine a positive or negative COVID-19 result. (Adults must perform the test for those 2 to 14 years of age.) The kit includes two tests, which should be used over two to three days with at least 24 hours and no more than 36 hours between tests. 

How it works: The swab containing the nasal sample is swirled in a tube of reagent solution, then removed, before a test strip is inserted. After just 10 minutes, you can remove the test strip out from the tube and see your results. Wait at least 24 hours, but no more than 36 hours, to use the second test. Positive results may require further follow up with your physician.

In a clinical study, the QuickVue At- Home OTC COVID-19 Test identified positive cases 83.5 percent of the time, and identified negative cases 99.2 percent of the time when compared to molecular PCR results, the standard lab test that on average takes four to five days before receiving results [KL2]

Still looking to receive a COVID-19 Vaccine? Vaccine appointments are available at Tops Pharmacies for those 12 years of age and older (where available) who elect to be vaccinated. For more information or to schedule a visit www.Topsmarkets.com/COVID19

*The QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test is intended for the qualitative detection of the nucleocapsid protein antigen from SARS-CoV-2 from individuals with or without symptoms or other epidemiological reasons to suspect COVID-19 when tested twice over two or three days with at least 24 hours and no more than 36 hours between tests. This home test is authorized for nonprescription home use with self-collected (unobserved) direct anterior nasal (NS) swab specimens from individuals aged 14 years and older or with adult-collected anterior NS samples from individuals ages 2 or older.

This home test has not been FDA cleared or approved but has been authorized by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens. This home test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C.§360bbb-3(b)(1), unless authorization is terminated or revoked sooner.

[PA1] Note – Added required EUA disclaimer language below. It is not approved. 

[KL2] Somewhat misleading as the molecular PCR test does take more lab time, but getting results back are a matter of logistics.

Press release:

Officials from Genesee County, the City and Town of Batavia, Village of Oakfield, Village of Elba, and the Genesee County Department of Health are requesting residents connected to the Public Water Supply System to conserve water.  

Genesee County has undertaken several Water Supply Improvement Projects to increase water supply throughout the County, but due to rapid increases in residential district growth and increased agribusiness and industrial use, demands for water are outpacing supply improvements during the summer months.  

To avoid water emergencies, all residents served by the countywide public water system are asked to do their part to conserve water. The countywide water system includes the City of Batavia and all towns and villages within the County (except the Village of Alexander). It is anticipated that these voluntary water restrictions will remain in place until the end of summer.

Guidelines to save water include:

• Avoid filling swimming pools;
• Avoid watering lawns and washing cars;
• Use your automatic dishwasher only for full loads;
• Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads;
• If you wash your dishes by hand, do not leave the water running for rinsing;
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator to keep it cool instead of running the water;
• 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;
• 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;
• Take shorter showers. Long showers can waste five to 10 gallons every extra minute;
• 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.

If voluntary conservation measures are unsuccessful, mandatory water conservation may have to be enforced.  

For more information, please contact:

Tim Hens, Genesee County Engineer, (585) 344-2580, ext. 5510  

Genesee County Department of Health, (585) 344-2580, ext. 5510

A two-vehicle accident is reported in the median in front of Arby's at 212 W. Main St. in Batavia. One driver is complaining of whiplash. City fire and Mercy medics are responding.

The location is between Holland Avenue and Oak Street.

Photos by Jim Burns and press release:

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

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

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

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

An enormous thank you to the following volunteer teams:

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

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

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

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

Directors of the Batavia Development Corporation this morning approved a revolving loan fund grant request of $18,800 from VJ Gautieri Constructors for sidewalk replacement at Ellicott Place.

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative project will result in 10 new market-rate apartments on the upper floor of the Save-A-Lot building at 45-47 Ellicott St., as well as the rehabilitation of 18,000 square feet of vacant commercial space.

“The Ellicott Place project, located in the Batavia Improvement District and the Route 63 redevelopment corridor, is a key DRI project in alignment with the City’s Comprehensive Plan,” said Andrew Maguire, BDC director of economic development. “We’re thrilled with the progress Mr. (Victor) Gautieri and his team have made and we all look forward to the economic impact that Ellicott Place delivers.”

In his application, Gautieri, the company president, said the grant will go toward replacing the private sidewalks that are adjacent to the building, indicating that an increase in the cost of materials has put the project over its budget.

Maguire reported that Gautieri’s commitment to replacing the sidewalks is an eligible use of grant funds that cover masonry repairs, façade improvement and storefront upgrades.

The $3.1 million project received $1.15 million from the state’s DRI award to the City of Batavia.

The capital investment for the sidewalk replacement is pegged at $47,000.

In other action, the board approved a resolution to apply for a National Grid Urban Center/Commercial Revitalization grant for up to $250,000 for the Jackson Square project.

Maguire said that funding could provide for furniture and more lighting elements in the public entertainment area located between Jackson and Center streets.

HEALTHY LIVING CAMPUS PRESENTATION

The board also heard a presentation from Rob Walker, chief executive officer of the GLOW YMCA; Daniel Ireland, president of United Memorial Medical Center, and David Ciurzynski, representative of the two entities, on the progress of the Healthy Living Campus on East Main Street.

The $30 million DRI project will combine services of both the YMCA and the hospital under one roof.

BDC Board President Lori Aratari said the video presentation “got everybody a little more excited to see a visual of what this transformational project is going to bring to Downtown Batavia and how far they have come.”

She said she was impressed with video of the proposed YMCA, mentioning the childcare area, walking track on the second floor overlooking Main Street, fitness area and aquatics center.

“It’s a bright and open area that will be a totally different Y than what we have today,” she said.

Ciurzynski said the venture is a big piece of many projects that will generate new business for the city and Genesee County.

 “This is all part of a plan that will stimulate the growth of our city. Not every single project is going to be the answer to everything, but when we start stitching them together we will have something really nice after a while,” he said.

He shed a bit more light on the timetable, starting with finalizing the design as a prerequisite to obtaining approvals from planning boards and other agencies.

“We have to do an approval for the hospital piece to the (New York State) Department of Health and we’ve got our permit reviews. Hopefully, sometime in September or October we will be able to get it out to contractors for bid,” he advised.

Ciurzynski said demolition of Cary Hall will precede regrading of the site and establishment of the building pad. Once the pad is down, crews will be able to work on the foundation and utilities.

“We really would like to get some of that work done over the winter so when springtime comes, we can hit the ground running and get the building up in the air,” he said.

He mentioned that the schedule could be altered depending upon the availability and shipping of materials -- a problem in the construction industry of late.

Aratari said she is looking forward to the day when the many projects taking place in the city are complete.

“The next couple years are really going to be amazing for Downtown Batavia,” she said. “Hopefully, these will bring the community to downtown as now we’re finally getting back out there.”

Photos: Top, The sidewalks around the Save-A-Lot store will be replaced as part of the Ellicott Place project; bottom, view of the west side of the building, which is being painted bright white. The outside of the second floor, which will have 10 apartments, also has been painted. Photos by Mike Pettinella.