Kim M. Mobley, 45, of 11 Pringle Ave., Batavia, was charged with two felony counts of third-degree criminal sale of a cotrolled substance and two felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of  controlled substance Wednesday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Mobley was arrested at her home Wednesday afternoon following an investigation into the alleged sale of crack cocaine to an undercover agent of the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force. Mobley was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $7,500.

Jessica R. Henry, 23, of Oakfield, was charged with a felony count of use of a child in a sexual performance, a felony count of promoting a sexual performance by a child and a felony count of promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Henry is accused of directing a child to perform multiple sexual acts with Corey Klase, who was arrested by the sheriff's deputies last week. Klase faces multiple charges, including two felony counts of third-degree rape.

Henry was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. She was released under the supervision of the sheriff's office.

Eric C. Zglinicki, 46, of Darien Center, was charged with driving while intoxicated early this morning, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Zglinicki was stopped on Route 77 in Darien. He was also ticketed with failure to keep right.

This morning may not be too bad here in Batavia... But that wasn't the case in Rochester when I left shortly before 7 o'clock this morning. A few inches of snow had already accumulated and more was falling. Streets were greasy and driving slow almost all the way down I-490 to Bergen. So be careful if you're heading in that direction today in your commute.

As for the rest of the day: cold. We're at about 9 degrees right now and could see a low of zero! Yikes. Fortunately, we will not see significant wind until later this evening into tomorrow. In fact, a wind chill warning is in effect from 4:00am until noon tomorrow.

The National Weather Service out of Buffalo warns us that wind chills could dip as low as 20 to 25 degrees below zero. As if that isn't enough:

In addition to the very cold wind chills, winds (will) become well enough aligned later today and tonight for bands of heavy lake effect snow east of Lake Erie. Warnings will remain in place for southern Erie County and also Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

Here's a look out at the Thruway interchange in Batavia right now:

The Holland Land Company has made the list of The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous, landing in fourth place. This picture to the right may look familiar. For those who don't already know, the Holland Land Office Museum inhabits the very same building that was used by the Dutch investors who hired none other than Joseph Ellicott to survey their land purchase for them back in the 18th century.

Pat Weissend, museum director:

The origins of the Holland Land Company go back to 1789, when four Dutch investment firms sent an agent to the United States in search of investment opportunities. The Club of Four, as it was called then, started to buy large tracts of American land in 1792. Two more investment firms joined the original four, creating the Club of Six. The six firms decided to merge their individual holdings into one stock company, and so the Holland Land Company was formed on November 20, 1795.

In September 1797, the company purchased 3.3 million acres of Western New York land from Robert Morris. The plan was to sell off the land in large tracts to speculators and make a quick profit, but the economy changed and they were forced to hang onto the land, develop it and sell it over the next 40 years.

For more info on the Holland Land Company and Joseph Ellicott, please visit the museum's Web site—there's plenty of interesting links and podcasts and histroy lessons—and be sure to keep up with the countdown. Only three more to go!

Earlier today, we picked up a story from Buffalo's Channel 4 news station about some potential route changes and shifting around of delivery times in store for Batavia and some areas in the region. We contacted the local Post Office this morning to see if we could find out some of the details.

Karen Mizurkiewicz, a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service, told us that yes, in fact, they would be adjusting some routes in the region.

"We normally do route adjustments because things change in mail volume," she said. "Also, because we have offered some early retirements for employees including carriers. Instead of hiring new carriers, we're redistributing routes among existing carriers. We need to try to direct our postal stamp dollar as far as it will go. We don't receive any tax dollars. So when you're selling less stamps and delivering less mail, you need to stretch your resources."

Mizurkiewicz didn't have any details on which routes would be affected. She said that right now, the postal service is "examing the data for Batavia," and that changes will be more clear nearer to the end of February.

We'll be sure to pass along those details to our readers when they become available.

Update at 12:17pm: Clinton Street Road has been reopened.

A head-on collission on Clinton Street Road, Route 33, just south of Terry Hills Golf Course near the city line has halted traffic through that stretch of road. Emergency crews are on scene at this time, and motorists are being redirected.

I came in via Route 33 this morning and can attest to the iciness of the road. Whole stretches of 33 in the town of Batavia and further out in Bergen were coated in ice. Please be careful if you do have to drive that way later today, and be sure to avoid it in the meantime.

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From Genesee Community College:

The BEST Center at Genesee Community College is proud to announce new online career training programs. The BEST (Business Employee Skills Training) Center, along with ProTrain, will provide over 180 courses and several certificate programs that will help participants attain increased job productivity and new career skills. These in-demand career courses will help conquer the evolving challenges that face small businesses by increasing productivity and ROI (return on investment).

ProTrain courses are affordable and self-paced, and feature online certification to train participants for the latest job skills. The new program areas include:

• Leadership, Management, and Accounting
• IT Certifications
• Trade and Industrial
• Internet, Web, and Multimedia Design
• Healthcare Field
• IT Security
• Homeland Security
• Green, Renewable Energy

Online training programs offer flexible, anytime, anywhere learning. Nearly every program includes mentor support from an industry expert. With these online courses, participants can earn a wide variety of career skills or certificates. From a medical billing certificate to an interior design certificate, job seekers can earn a certificate to achieve today's in-demand jobs or current career-minded people can take additional courses to further their job skills, such as website development or income tax preparation.

"Online courses are an excellent opportunity for first-time career endeavors, or for people who want to switch career paths," said Jerry Kozlowski, Dean of the BEST Center. "Earning a certificate online is a cost-effective pathway to career success."

For more program information and course descriptions, please visit www.bestcenter.org and click on "Online Training". For enrollment information, contact The BEST Center at 585-345-6868 or Lauren Dickinson at 585-343-0055 Ext. 6602 or lmdickinson@genesee.edu.

A home contractor based in Le Roy will face further accusations of defrauding his customers, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Martin A. Miller, 48, of Le Roy, was charged with a felony count of third-degree grand larceny and a felony count of first-degree sceme to defraud. Miller is accused of accepting $3,100 as a down payment toward a $6,200 barn roof that he agreed to replace in May. He allegedly cashed the check without ever even starting the work on the roof.

Miller was first arrested about a month ago by sheriff's deputies and was charged with a felony count of third-degree grand larceny and a felony count of first-degree scheme to defraud. Those charges stemmed from the accusation that he had taken $3,800 to repair a roof in Alexander and failed to do so. At that time, he was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.

Robert C. George III, 24, of 2 Roosevelt Ave., Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated Tuesday night, deputies said. George was picked up following an investigation of a vehicle off the road in the town of Le Roy. He was also ticketed with failure to reduce speed and use special hazards.

Well folks, it turns out not even the postal service is immune to an economy that's feeling the hurt. A story on Buffalo's WIVB Channel 4 informs us that postal delivery route changes are in store for several districts in the area, including Batavia.

From a companion story on the Channel 4 Web site:

When the nation's businesses experience a downturn, it directly affects the volume of mail. Economic decline leads to a decline in mail volume. The current year is particularly challenging since mail volume has declined significantly

In order to remain economically viable, the Postal Service must make changes to its operations, staffing, and facilities to match current mail volume and to maintain the service performance the American public has come to expect.

We will contact the local branch later this morning to see if there are more details on when and where in particular these changes will take effect.

Temperatures have settled at about 4 degrees, or nearly 30 degrees below freezing, in the Batavia area this morning. As a result, area police have cautioned motorists to be wary of black ice on the roads. Even those roads treated with salt have iced up in some spots, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer.

Fortunately, there's no significant wind to push that cold all the more insistently into our faces today. Unfortunately, that won't be the case tomorrow when more wind develops and could yank the temperature down near -17 degrees. Expect more of the same on Friday.

A well-written article this morning in the Buffalo News has some tips on how to get through the "deep freeze." For example: You may want to keep your water running just a little bit so that it doesn't freeze in the pipes.

Earlier today, we contacted Charlie Mallow, Batavia's City Council president, and Greg Post, the town supervisor, to get their thoughts on some specifics about the upcoming consolidation plan. Mallow sent us his responses via e-mail this past hour. We include them below.

When we called Post, he told us that he wouldn't be available to answer the questions until later this evening. We will try to get in touch with him then and get his answers up once we have them. They were given the same questions.

Note: CGR is an abbreviation for the Center for Governmental Research, the group that put together the report in preparation for an upcoming study on consolidating the city and town of Batavia. You can download the complete report here. Our questions (verbatim) are in italics. Mallow's responses (verbatim) are in bold.

CGR's memorandum calls for a Consolidation Plan to be complete by May in order for community discussion to take place between then and November, in advance of the tentative November 3 vote. Does that sound like a tenable timeline?

The time tables are tight; there is no question about it. It will be a challenge to get the information out to the voters. It is doable and needs to be a priority.

What do you see as your role moving forward in this process? Do you plan to be a passive contributor—for example, you will sit for interviews and meetings when asked, but that's the extent of it? Or do you plan to actively promote consolidation efforts? If the latter, how do you plan to do so?

The experience I have gathered during the cities financial difficulties has made it very clear to me that individual municipalities cannot continue on the way we are. The tribalism that we have in NY is driving away business and making it impossible to compete. We need to eliminate layers of government as soon as humanly possible. I have every intention doing what I can to drive this consolidation issue. To do nothing when you know the future financial outcome resulting from doing nothing would be pure incompetence on my part.

CGR's memorandum states that a public vote is not required for a consolidation. Would you support efforts at consolidation if the residents were not allowed to make the final decision? If the residents do get to vote and they decide they do not want to go ahead with consolidation, but the state Legislature calls for it anyway, would you still support it?

The state should mandate consolidation but, it’s too incompetent and slow to react to make positive changes in our state. The special interests control Albany and most of what comes from state government is a stage show for political purposes. The state government is corrupted to such an extent that nothing good could ever come from Albany. That’s why I’m confident the state will do nothing to solve a major problem like the over abundance of small municipal taxing entities in our state.

CGR states that "current boundaries and the resulting turf protection issues have made it very difficult to develop cost effective regional solutions to deliver ambulance, police and fire services." Do you agree with that? Is consolidation the only answer to these problems? Do you feel these problems would remain if consolidation did not go through?

You’re talking about three distinct issues. Consolidation between the City/Town would be a first step. None of the issues you mentioned would be solved by a vote for consolidation in November. We have asked for a plan that would NOT increase or decrease services or change the tax structures in the city/town. Consolidation would decrease some of the costs and put our community in a position to deal with those other issues in the future.

Fire services are handled by fire districts; these districts cross municipal lines and require another round of consolidation prompted by the state to move forward. I believe county departments have trouble attracting volunteers and getting good response times during the day. The amount of districts also has cost millions in redundant equipment purchases. There are far more fire trucks in this county than are needed. Consolidation of fire districts would be a long and painful task, which is not part of this effort.

Police protection is something that would remain a city service unless there was a petition by residents in the old town who desired the service. Again we are not talking about increasing the level of service anywhere in the town with consolidation. Just sharing the things we currently all need. 

From my point of view ambulance service is something that should come from the county. This service was started by people in the city who had very little knowledge of the long term problems inherent with taking on that service. The city is currently in a position of collecting fees from municipalities it has no taxing jurisdiction over to keep the service afloat. The long term cost of continuing the service the same way would be devastating to our cities finances. This problem is a separate issue that council will be tackling in the upcoming year.

CGR presents population research that shows that the city of Batavia decreased in population by .7 percent between 2001-2006, while the town of Batavia increased 26.2 percent. Do you feel these trends will continue? How could such trends benefit or hinder consolidation efforts?

The town has shovel ready land and a lot of it. The town also has the benefit of 16,000 city residents who shop in their business district. There is no choice but, for new developments to grow outside the city, there simply is very little land to develop inside the city.

From the Office of U.S. Rep. Chris Lee (NY - 26):

Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) has been appointed by House Republican leaders to serve on an economic recovery solutions working group that has been tasked with developing constructive ideas to help put the nation’s economy on the path to recovery. Congressman Lee is the only newly elected member named to the working group.

“This working group provides Western New Yorkers with an opportunity to have their voices heard on the front lines of our economic recovery,” Congressman Lee said. “I believe that my business experience will help me bring to the table new ideas for creating jobs and easing the strain on middle-class families and small business owners.”

The working group is being headed up by Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA), the House Republican Whip, who commented on Congressman Lee’s appointment: “I am pleased to announce that Congressman Lee has been selected to serve as a member of the economic solutions working group. The group was formed in response to President-elect Obama’s request that Republicans offer ideas to help put America back on the path to prosperity.”

Congressman Cantor is the second-ranking House Republican.
 
“The ultimate goal of this working group is to present ideas to the President-elect and Democrat leaders that could be included in a bipartisan economic recovery package,” Congressman Lee added. “We should not squander this opportunity to work across party lines and craft an economic recovery package that strikes the right balance between short-term stimulus and long-term growth.”

As part of his participation in the working group, Congressman Lee will attend a hearing on Thursday morning featuring top national experts and leaders, including former Gov. Mitt Romney. Gov. Romney and other panelists will offer innovative ideas and solutions to help revitalize America’s economy.
 
“As a business leader and former governor, Mitt Romney knows what Washington should – and should not – be doing to create jobs and spur future growth,” Congressman Lee added. “I look forward to hearing his ideas for how we can revitalize our economy.” 

Congressman Lee’s appointment to the working group comes less than a week after he was named to the House Financial Services Committee, which will play a leading role in creating new jobs and strengthening our economy. Financial Services is the go-to panel on housing, insurance, and banking issues; it oversees the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The committee is expected to have a robust legislative agenda in addressing the severe challenges facing America’s economy and financial institutions.

To learn more about Congressman Lee and the 26th district, visit http://chrislee.house.gov.

From Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College's growing Nursing Program may relocate to the first building in Batavia's new Med Tech Park, Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin Hamilton reported to the Board of Trustees Monday evening. The Board met for its regular January meeting at the Batavia Campus.

The Med Tech Park is located on about 30 acres on the south side of Assemblyman R. Stephen Hawley Drive. Genesee's Board of Trustees, with the consent of the Genesee County Legislature, ceded the parcel to the Genesee County Economic Development Center for the creation of a new business park that can house medically-oriented firms in biotechnology, telemedicine, and other emerging health care technologies.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center is now planning the first building in the new park, Mr. Hamilton said. Preliminary plans call for the Nursing program to occupy the second floor of the new building. The second floor would consist of four classrooms, three nursing labs, a large group instruction room, and seminar space.

Genesee's Nursing program now admits students twice each year. The program has grown by about 70% in the past year in an attempt to help meet the growing demand for nurses in area hospitals and other health care facilities.

If negotiations progress well, the Nursing Program could occupy the new space in the 2009-2010 academic year, Mr. Hamilton said.

In other business Monday evening, the Board of Trustees:

• Approved four-year continuing appointments for 29 faculty and staff members. Receiving their first continuing appointments were: Michelle Abdella, Instructor, Math; Elise Banfield, Instructor, Psychology; Michele Bokman, Technical Assistant, Albion Campus Center; Cheryl Corke, Instructor, Accounting; Melissa Dussault, Technical Assistant, Lakeville Campus Center; Patricia Kendall-Cargill, Instructor, Nursing; Judith Littlejohn, Technical Assistant, Distance Learning; Nina Mortellaro, Technical Assistant, Human Communications and Behavior; Lisa Papke, Technical Specialist, Office of Financial Assistance; Carrie Sputore, Technical Specialist, Admissions; and Christopher Stercula, Instructor/Coordinator for Clinical Education, Respiratory Care.

Receiving renewals of continuing appointments were Katherine Brown, Technical Specialist, Office of Financial Assistance; James Bucki, Director, Academic Computer Technology; Robert Cooper, Assistant Professor, Photography; Michael Crittenden, Professor, Physics; Priscilla DiRisio, Technical Specialist/Transfer Coordinator; Mary Jo Dumuhosky, Technical Assistant/Academic Advisor; Donna Ehrhart, Professor, Business and Computer Information Systems; Julie Jackson-Coe, Assistant Professor, Reading; Kathleen Kimber, Associate Professor, Spanish; Nichola Lerczak, Assistant Professor/Instructional Services Librarian; Roger Majeski, Technical Assistant/Head Volleyball Coach; Frank Mayo, Professor, Speech and Theatre; Jennifer Mroz, Technical Assistant, Student Resource Center; Traci Phillips, Technical Specialist, The BEST Center; David Sink, Technical Assistant, Arcade Campus Center; Ronald Spiotta, Technical Assistant, Athletics; Pamela Swarts, Instr uctor, Digital Arts; and Jane Weston, Professor, Biology.

• Approved a three-year Comprehensive Technology Master Plan. The plan commits the College to maintaining leadership in instructional and administrative technology. Key components of the plan include additional technology for online instruction, greater use of "smart" technology in classrooms, emphasis on the purchase of environmentally-sound equipment, and three-year cycling of computers in all labs. The plan follows the vision of a "unified digital campus," providing easy access to instructional and administrative applications and strong technology-based communication tools, according to John Reina, Director of Computer Services.

• Heard Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services Virginia Taylor report that 564 individuals have applied for admission as full-time students for the Spring 2009 semester as of January 4, up 23% from the 459 individuals who had applied one year earlier. Also as of January 4, 473 individuals had applied for admission on a part-time basis, up 8.2% from the 437 individuals who had applied for admission a year earlier. President Stuart Steiner predicted that course registrations would be up approximately 5%.

• Heard President Stuart Steiner report that Eleanor Nixon will join the faculty as a temporary Instructor of Nursing for the Spring 2009 semester. Ms. Nixon comes to Genesee from Family Choice in Cheektowaga. She has experience at the Veterans Administration of Western New York, Hospice Buffalo, Lifespan Home Health and Hospice in Michigan, Battle Creek Health System in Michigan, and Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Ms. Dixon holds an A.A.S. degree from Goshen College (Indiana), and B.S. and M.S. degrees from D'Youville College. She is a resident of Buffalo. Dr. Steiner also reported that Margaret A. Sisson, who has been serving as Acting Director of Athletics since July 2007, has been permanently appointed to the position. Kathy Palumbo, who has been serving as Acting Director of the Nursing Program since August 2008, has been permanently appointed to the position.

• Heard Dr. Steiner report that Dr. Ruth E. Andes plans to retire at the close of the current academic year. Dr. Andes has been a member of the faculty for the past 38 years, serving as Professor of Sociology and more recently, as Assistant Dean of Assessment and Special Projects. Dr. Steiner noted that Dr. Andes has also served as chair or co-chair of each of the institutional self-studies required by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in preparation for reaccreditation.

• Heard Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin Hamilton report that the architectural firm of Joy, McCoola and Zilch is preparing plans for the planned upgrade of the Batavia Campus athletic fields and that the College is nearing the conclusion of the planning process for a new campus center in northern Livingston County.

Last night, the Batavia City Council voted to waive the residency requirement for 14 city employees. That was all the news that was reported about the 6-to-1 vote. Nobody has yet been able to tell us why exactly the city has such a requirement if it's willing to waive it for such a large number of employees. In the meantime, we would like to get your thoughts. Do you feel it's imperative for a person to live in the city of Batavia if they are employed here? Can someone in Oakfield do the job? Does it matter? If it doesn't matter, why does the city require residency here? If it does matter, why would the city waive that requirement? Well, what do you think?

Michele Anastasi, 52, of Lockport, was charged with a felony count of first-degree criminal contempt, second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Anastasi is accused of striking someone during a fight in the town of Pembroke. Following the altercation, Anastasi allagedly made "several harassing messages to the same individual" in violation of an order of protection.

Anastasi is due to appear in the town of Pembroke court this evening to answer those charges.

Every morning, I spend a good hour or so perusing the local media sites, looking for the stories most relevant to the folks of Genesee County. Links to those articles are then included in our Regional Headlines section down here to the right.

Often, there's that one story that deserves more than a cursory mention. For a while now, I've wanted to pick out that one article or news clip that deserved a bit more attention and bring it to you in the full light of our central blog well.

Today is the day we start that service. We hope you enjoy it.

An article this morning in the Buffalo News tells the story of a young man from a small town on the northern shore of Lake Erie. Reporter Chairty Vogel writes the tale with a sure hand and finesse enough to make it come alive.

He burned with artistic fire. But he lived a tough life, and died at a heartbreakingly young age.

Asa Ames was, in many ways, the James Dean of American folk art.

And he lived his entire life — just 27 years — right here in Western New York, in the Town of Evans, where today his simple slab tombstone lies toppled over in a country graveyard, crumbling and neglected.

That was in 1851. Now, Ames will be honored in an exhibit at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

Vogel truly does a tremendous job with this story, which she recognizes as much more than a tragic tale of a talented young man who died too soon. This is the story of undiscovered talent—small town talent—that Vogel so aptly describes as "hauntingly personal." Ames was working outside of the mainstream, away from the city centers in a medium—wood—that was for the most part unappreciated at the time. He is the quintessential outsider. Like Georg Büchner and Henry Darger, Ames was not understood by the insiders until long after his death. And as Vogel tells us near the end of her article, Ames remains something of enigma, even today.

Batavia's City Council last night waived the residency requirement for 14 city employees, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer. Councilman Bob Bialkowski was the sole dissenter in the 6-to-1 vote. Assistant City Manager Sally Kuzon and recently appointed Code Enforcement Officer Ronald Panek were among those relieved of the requirement.

No one has yet explained exactly what such a decision means for the city. If the residency requirement was in place: How did the city hire 14 people in violation of the requirement? We put the question to Council President Charlie Mallow this morning, and we're waiting for his response. We'll be sure to get it up when he responds, if he doesn't just beat us to the punch and post a comment before then.

Update: Mallow has responded to our inquiry from earlier this morning.

"The City has a residency requirement for all employees to live within the boundaries of the County," he said. "These employees were identified as living outside the County, some who have worked for the City for over 10 years, and it has been determined that it is in the best interest of the City to waive this requirement  for these people."

We're looking at a severe winter weather advisory for the region from 9 o'clock this morning through 6:00pm this afternoon, issued by the National Weather Service out of Buffalo. Don't expect things to get more friendly after that. We're already hearing talk of record low temperatures possibly down to minus ten degrees by Thursday. For now, here's what to expect:

A strong cold front will cross western New York early this afternoon and bring 1 to 3 inches of snow to the area. Strong southerly winds ahead of the front will shift to west with the frontal passage and gust up to 35 mph. This will result in considerable blowing and drfiting snow. Expect very hazardous conditions for travel for a few hours during the afternoon.

Please be careful driving out there. Wind, plus snow, plus cold usually make for the worst driving conditions. I can speak from experience that Route 33 between Batavia and Bergen is often treacherous when the gusts start kicking the snow across the road.

Everything looks clear right now on the Thruway.

Most folks around here ought to know the name Emory Upton compatriot of General Sherman, traveler of the world and military documenter and tactician. His patinated likeness stands tall at the monument on the city's west side where Main Street and Ellicott Street join.

Now, Upton has earned himself yet another memorial: a rank of fifth in the Holland Land Office Museum's countdown of The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous.

Museum Director Pat Weissend tells us: 

In 1875, Upton received orders from General William T. Sherman to leave West Point and go on a world tour to observe and study all the great armies of Asia and Europe. Upton and his group headed west by train to San Francisco, got on a boat and headed to Japan. After observing the Japanese army, they went to China, India, Persia, Turkey, Russia and finally ended up in Western Europe.  Upon his return stateside, he published the book The Armies of Asia and Europe.

Recently, The Batavian sat down with Weissend and County Clerk Don Reed at Main Street Coffee as they worked at transcribing a selection of Upton's letters. (Those letters will be edited and published once the transciption is complete.)

For more on Upton, visit the Holland Land Office Museum online.

We received the following statement, issued by the Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming and Orleans Democratic Committee Chairs.

The Democrats of the rural counties of New York's 26th Congressional District (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties, or the GLOW region,) congratulate Chris Lee on being sworn in to represent the district in the 111th Congress.  While he is getting established in Washington, the GLOW county Democratic Committees note that Congressman Lee's plans to open offices in just Monroe and Erie Counties suggest there is a good chance that the rural areas of the district, which comprise a great deal of the 26th, may continue to be overlooked despite there being new representation in Congress.

Mr. Lee has issued a statement announcing that he has been named to the Financial Services Committee, the committee assignment he sought.  Unfortunately, membership on that committee precludes his serving on any of the other important committees in Congress.  (Most members of Congress sit on multiple committees, but members of the Financial Services Committee do not.)  "What our communities really need is a representative on the Agriculture Committee, like the 29th District will have with Eric Massa," says Harold Bush, Chair of the Wyoming County Democratic Committee.  The Genesee County Democratic Committee Chair, Lorie Longhany, says "I am concerned that Congressman Lee is in danger of simply perpetuating a long Washington tradition of being more interested in Wall Street than Main Street.  The fact that two of his very first votes were against closing pay discrimination loopholes -- he voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fairness Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act -- makes me even more on my guard about his commitment to average people."

The other matter of great concern to the GLOW-region Democratic Committees is that Congressman Lee may not be supportive enough of passing the stimulus plan that is the first item on Congress' agenda.  "He never talks about a recovery plan without worrying out loud about 'fiscal responsibility,'" says Phil Jones, Chair of the Livingston County Democratic Committee.  "But 'fiscal responsibility' has become the Republican code phrase for obstructing what we really need in this district, which is jobs.  The Republicans had plenty of chances to be fiscally responsible when they were in control of Congress and the economy wasn't in dire straits.  But economic experts agree that temporary government spending is the only thing that can help turn around our economic situation."  The Orleans County Democratic Chair, Jeanne Crane, notes that public investment in infrastructure and green energy projects could benefit the 26th district for years to come.  "Smart public investments can lead to real, tangible assets for our community, assets that will attract jobs and growth.  We hope Congressman Lee understands that and will support the kind of stimulus package we need."