Press release:

The Salvation Army would like to acknowledge the overwhelming support of the Genesee County community in supporting the effort to provide food for those affected by the current crisis caused by the coronavirus.

In a typical month The Salvation Army assists approximately 25-30 families per with food. During this crisis the numbers have exploded. Currently the need is affecting more than 600 families per month.

The gymnasium has been converted to the emergency operations center. Staff and volunteers prepack boxes and bring them out and place them directly into vehicles. This helps to ensure social distancing and limits personal contact.

Not only are they serving people affected financially but also significant numbers of people in the “at-risk” population who are reluctant to spend time in the stores.

“It is our community that makes all this possible," said Todd L. Rapp, operations manager, coordinator emergency of Disaster Services, The Salvation Army. "Whether it is fresh produce, frozen meat, milk, eggs, personal hygiene products or canned goods it has all come from our community.”

The Salvation Army would like you to know that they are here for the long run and will continue to help those in need well beyond the current crisis. Even though the region has begun to reopen the need is still great.

Current significant pantry needs are beans, vegetables, fruit, soup and rice.

Should you wish to help, donations can be dropped off at the rear of the 529 E. Main St. location in Batavia (directly across from Tully’s restaurant). Donations are accepted Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Should you need food assistance you can stop by during those same hours and you will be taken care of.

A pedestrian has reportedly been hit by a car on Townline Road west of South Lake Road, Bergen.

Bergen fire and ambulance dispatched.  

Dispatchers checking the availability of Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 11:54 a.m.: The driver may also be injured. Second ambulance requested to the scene.

UPDATE 11:59 a.m.: Byron fire's rescue and ambulance requested to the scene.

UPDATE 12:01 p.m.: Fire police requested to shut down traffic at Route 19 and Buffalo Street.

UPDATE 1:05 p.m.: Trooper James O'Callahan, public information officer for the State Police, confirms that NYSP is investigating a fatal car/pedestrian accident in Bergen. No further information is being released at this time.

UPDATE 3:09 p.m.: Bergen assignment back in service. The road is reopened.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

A man has reportedly fallen off a two-story roof at a location on Horseshoe Lake Road in Stafford.

Stafford fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Mercy Flight available if needed.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) (11:08 a.m.): A first responder on scene says the man fell about eight feet. He is conscious and alert and is answering some questions.

UPDATE 11:10 a.m.: Mercy Flight was cancelled.

Public Notice

Town of Batavia State of Emergency Declaration

A State of Emergency is hereby declared in the TOWN OF BATAVIA, effective at 6 p.m. on May 17, 2020.

This State of Emergency has been declared due to the existing and continuing declared States of Emergency at the Federal, State, County, and City of Batavia, related to the COVID-19 Virus.

This situation threatens the public safety.

This State of Emergency will remain in effect for 30 days or until rescinded by a subsequent order.

As the Chief Executive of TOWN OF BATAVIA, County of Genesee, State of New York, I, Gregory H. Post, exercise the authority given me under Section 24 of the New York State Executive Law, to preserve the public safety and hereby render all required and available assistance vital to the security, well-being, and health of the citizens of this Municipality.

I hereby direct all departments and agencies of TOWN OF BATAVIA to take whatever steps necessary to protect life and property, public infrastructure, and provide such emergency assistance deemed necessary.

Gregory H. Post,

Town of Batavia Supervisor

May 17, 2020

As of 2 p.m. today, there were no new COVID-19-positive cases reported in Genesee County.

The health department released no further information.

Someone is reportedly burning rubber and construction materials on property at the northeast corner of Walkers Corner Road and Caswell Road in Byron.

Byron Fire Department is responding, along with law enforcement and a representative from the Department of Environmental Conservation.

During this time of uncertainty and pain, it is important to feel that we are "doing something" positive.

While the essential workers are out of the house and risking their own health and that of their families while feeling fearful, others are staying home worrying about finances, health, and feeling frustrated and restless, wishing they could work or do more.

Whether we attend a church, synagogue, temple, mosque or are nontraditional or do not belong to a worshipping community at all, prayer may play a part in the actions we all can take during this coronavirus pandemic.

For some, prayer is a way of life and it is second nature to ask others to pray with us or for us. For others, it may be a vague memory from childhood; one that brings a sense of comfort and peace.

Often, people want to pray but feel that they don't know how or are skeptical about the whole idea. It doesn't matter what your tradition around prayer is. During times of fear and death, uncertainty and change, prayer can bring peace and calmness. It is that action we can take together.

St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia is offering all of us a chance to have many people pray for any concerns that we might have.

We may need to ask for protection for essential workers, patience for ourselves, or surrounding a loved one in a nursing home or hospital with love.

Whatever our needs are, we can write a request on a ribbon and tie it to the prayer fence at the church walkway, 405 E. Main St., Batavia.

All requests will be checked daily and prayed for by parishioners until you take the ribbon down or this pandemic is over.

Together we show what love looks like.

Weekly Sunday message from Pastor Roula Alkhouri, Batavia First Presbyterian Church.

Dylan DeSmit performs for you at 8 p.m. (or thereabouts).

Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received 14 more COVID-19 cases. Orleans has 12 new cases (bringing the total to 166) and Genesee has two (bringing the total to 171). 

Contact tracing has been initiated and all who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff. Nine of the Orleans County individuals are residents of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center and three are community members. Genesee County’s two individuals who tested positive are community members.

The health department was made aware that the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) did swab all residents and employees of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center. Any questions regarding specific issues should be addressed to The Villages or NYSDOH.

We have also received word of the death of an individual who had tested positive for COVID-19 and was a resident of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center (now for a total of 21 nursing home deaths related to COVID-19). Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this individual during this very sad and difficult time.

Horse racing in New York State could resume as early as June 1, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today at his COVID-19 pandemic press conference.

The governor said that racing would take place without spectators and with safety measures that will be outlined in detail in the days ahead, and the restart would hinge upon the continuous decline of New York’s total hospitalization rate from the virus. 

While live racing isn’t scheduled to officially begin at Batavia Downs Gaming until July 22, Henry Wojtaszek, president of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., said today’s announcement is welcome news.

“We’re certainly happy to hear that, and we have been doing a great deal of work preparing for our opening (of the gaming facility) sometime in June,” he said. “We have been working with the (New York State) Gaming Commission internally and will start working on the track in about a week or so to get that ready.”

Batavia Downs’ harness racing slate currently lists 65 dates, beginning on Wed., July 22 and ending in early December.

When asked if Batavia Downs Gaming has a reopening plan in place, Wojtaszek said that “it’s a work in progress” that is being shared at every step with the Gaming Commission.

Live Racing GM/Director Todd Haight, Vice President of Operations Scott Kiedrowski, and Wojtaszek are steering the drafting of the facility’s reopening plan in conjunction with the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association, “with whom we have a very good relationship,” Wojtaszek said.

“We’re also working with our trade association, the New York Gaming Association, and individually to cleanse and sanitize, and put the safety protocols in place,” he said, noting that some parts of the operation are included in Phase Three and some in Phase Four of the state’s four-phase reopening strategy.

“That’s why we’re hoping to open sometime in June,” he said.

Wojtaszek said that all employees are back to work, some on a regular basis – such as security, surveillance and maintenance staff – and others either working at the Park Road site, from home or on call.

Also, today, Cuomo said that Watkins Glen International race track would be able to reopen for NASCAR races in August, and baseball was mentioned as a sport that could conduct its season without fans in the stands.

The governor reported that daily hospitalizations and intubations have dropped to around 400 new cases per day.

A two-car accident is reported in the city at Center and School streets downtown. It is partially blocking traffic. Occupants are out; one male has a minor head injury and is conscious and alert. City fire, Mercy medics and police are on scene. Two flatbed tows are called.

Press release:

“Channel 4 contacted me several weeks ago asking if I would accept their invitation to debate my primary challengers. Without hesitation, I responded yes, I would love to debate. I believe the voters in NY-27 deserve it. 

Yesterday, Channel 4 called to let me know that the debate has been canceled due to my opponent, Chris Jacobs, refusing to participate.

The career politician is refusing to debate me. Why? What is he hiding? Is he afraid that his liberal voting record will be exposed? 

If Jacobs is refusing to debate me, how can he debate anyone or stand up for anything in Congress? We cannot afford to have weak politicians. If he can’t even debate me, he certainly doesn’t have what it takes to stand up to AOC, Nancy Pelosi, or Chuck Schumer. 

We need someone in Congress with enough resolve to stand up for what’s right, a fighter, not afraid of a challenge. It’s time we have real representation. I am not going to back down from a fight. I am not going to back down from a debate. I will respond to questions because the voters deserve answers. They deserve to be informed.”

The Batavian received this response from the Jacobs campaign at 4:26 p.m.:

“We have agreed to participate in two formats with WIVB, one for the special and one for the primary. We had previously agreed to debate Nate McMurray and look forward to allowing voters to see the clear choice between Chris Jacobs -- a strong conservative leader, who has been endorsed by President Trump and will help the President secure our borders, get tough on China, and fight for Western New York -- and Nate McMurray who supports Bernie Sanders’ and AOC’s far-left socialist agenda.”

Tim McArdle, Le Roy High School principal, created a series of videos celebrating the Oatkan Knights spring sports teams, which had their spring seasons canceled by the pandemic. For the full playlist, click here.

Three local companies that normally compete with each other have come together to support the community and Batavia High School Students by creating and printing a series of T-shirts that feature the Blue Devils logo.

The shirts are being produced and sold in cooperation with BHS by Extreme Streetwear, John’s Studio and T-Shirts Etc.

Each shop created its own design. The options included short sleeve T-shirts, long sleeve T-shirts, crew neck sweatshirts, and hooded sweatshirts.

The shirts can be purchased online at an online team store.

The store will be open until May 31. Once closed, each shop will have one week to produce their apparel. There will be shipping available via UPS as well as local pickup option at BHS on June 6.

The store owners, in a statement, said they came together to highlight a local option for branded and commemorative apparel and encourage people to shop local. 

Especially in these times, we all feel that shopping local is essential. COVID-19 brought with it so many uncertainties, trials, and hardships, but what has remained consistent is the loyalty and strength in our local business community.

Briefing.

Gov. Cuomo announced that harness racing at Batavia Downs can resume without fans on June 1.

Press release:

• Westchester and Suffolk counties are now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care.
• Calls on U.S. Senate to pass Coronavirus Relief Bill
• Confirms 2,419 additional coronavirus cases in New York State -- bringing statewide total to 348,232; new cases in 52 counties.

Governor Cuomo: "What can you do, or what economic activity is willing to reopen without a crowd, right? They're talking about this in terms of sports. You're going to have baseball without a crowd but it can still be televised -- great. If you can have economic activity without a crowd, that's great. We can do that in this state with horseracing tracks, and we're going to do that. There will be guidelines for the actual participants, but no crowds, no fans. But for the industry itself, for the televised viewers, that can still work. That is also true with Watkins Glen, that can operate and there's a big viewership for Watkins Glen."

Cuomo: "Let's put the politics aside. If there's ever a moment in this government, in this country, where it's not about politics, this is the moment. For Senators to be talking about 'I'm not going to bail out blue states because the blue states have more coronavirus cases', shame on you. Shame on you to look at the death toll in this nation and say 'I want to count how many people passed away by their political party and I'm more interested in states where Republicans live than where Democrats live'. We're not Democrats and Republicans, we are Americans. That's what comes first and in a time of crisis we've always been Americans."

Earlier today, Cuomo announced horseracing tracks across the state and Watkins Glen International Racetrack will be allowed to open without fans as of June 1st. The state will issue guidance on how they can open safely reopen in the coming week.

"Operation Flight From Above" flew over Batavia’s VA home and UMMC to thank healthcare providers for their effort during the COVID-19 crisis.

The flyover consisted of two World War II era planes. Geneseo’s National Warplane Museum’s  C-47 "Whiskey 7," which saw service over Normandy, France, and a locally owned P51 Mustang called "Mad Max."

After a rough start because of bad weather in the Southern Tier, the formation flew over only about 15 minutes late at 1,300 feet and 180 mph.  

The parking lots and sidewalks around UMCC were full of viewers who got a glimpse of the planes as they flew over during their salute. 

Next two photos below submitted by Frank Capuano.

Photo below by Bob Aiken.