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Pettinella: Bowling leagues, tournaments come to a screeching halt

By Mike Pettinella


Due to the coronavirus pandemic, organized bowling at the local, state and national levels has come to a screeching halt -- putting the overwhelming majority of the 1.4 million members of the United States Bowling Congress on the sidelines heading into the peak of the tournament season and down the stretch of the league season.

Without question, it’s a punch to the gut.

For more about the impact of COVID-19 upon the bowling industry -- and to catch up on tournament action that got in before the government's "social distancing" mandates -- click on the Pin Points logo above or the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

County health department worked quickly to quarantine people connected with lone COVID-19 case

By Howard B. Owens
Video Sponsor
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While there have been no new confirmed cases of patients infected by coronavirus in Genesee County since yesterday, there are now 10 people under mandatory quarantine and "a couple" of them are symptomatic, according to Paul Pettit, director of public health.

Yesterday, Pettit announced Genesee County's first confirmed case. Today he revealed that the person who contracted the disease has some sort of association with the Girl Scouts.

The 10 people now in mandatory quarantine -- up from just two yesterday -- are people who came into contact either directly or one-person removed from the person who contracted COVID-19.

That person is described as at least 65 years old. The person is not hospitalized and is quarantined in isolation at home.

Pettit said Department of Health staff has worked diligently over the past 24 hours to identify the people the infected person came into contact with -- within six feet -- either while symptomatic or 24 hours prior, and he said he's confident most of those people have been identified and contacted and placed into quarantine.

"The Girl Scouts of America are being very cooperative in providing us information to help us in that investigation," Pettit said. "At this point, the relative risk to the general public, again, as we talked about in regards to this case, remains very low through our investigation. We have a very good timeline of where this individual has been and where they've gone. And we have made, again, most of those contacts at the moment and put those folks under quarantine."

There remain seven people in the county under precautionary quarantine. 

Pettit reiterated the need for people to practice social distancing -- don't touch, remain six-feet apart -- wash your hands frequently, don't touch your face, stay home if you're sick, isolate yourself as much as possible.

That will help protect you and vulnerable residents from the spread of the disease, but just as important it will help slow the spread of the flu, which can also lead to hospitalization for some people.

"I know it can be painful and it's not what people want to do, but the reality is we need to free up capacity in our health care system," Pettit said. "And that's why the governor is currently looking at alternate sites to provide additional capacity because at the moment, a lot of our beds are still full and we need to make room for folks if they do have a higher level of severity with this illness so that we can handle them. Again, going back to what we keep talking about, flatten the curve, push it out, let's free up some capacity in our health care system so we can respond to those in need."

Pettit said if you have flu-like symptoms, contact your primary health care provider. 

"We're going to continue to report out that flu still remains very prevalent in our communities," Pettit said. "So if you are having a respiratory illness, it does not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. You may have the flu or you may have some other respiratory illness, regardless of what it is. We're asking folks to stay home. This is no different than our messaging that we do year-round when you have flu."

Pettit said he's frustrated that there are so few testing kits available and that the county cannot, as of yet, offer widespread testing for COVID-19.

"It's been very challenging," Pettit said. "There's just a shortage. They're just not available, contrary to what we are hearing from the federal government, from the state government, you know, 'folks wanting to get swabbed can get swabbed.' Unfortunately, locally, that's not the case at the moment. And we're working as hard as we can to provide that capacity to our residents."

It was President Donald Trump who said on March 6 that "anybody who wants a test can get a test." 

As of March 17, there have been 25,000 tests administered in the United States. Over the same time period, there have been 274,000 tests administered in South Korea. South Korea is reportedly making progress in fighting the spread of the disease.

There are several factors involved in the lack of available tests in the United States.

Asked about the slow response by the federal government, Pettit said, "I can't comment too much on the national level. I mean, that's out of our realm and out of our wheelhouse. Is it anything we can control? I mean, 'would it, could it, should it,' those are all things that we can debate later on. The reality is we need to focus on what's going on on the ground in our community and that's what we're doing here locally with county government and what we're doing in the health department.

"And I can tell you, as I told you yesterday, we are pushing back where we're saying we need these. We're being as aggressive as we can. Any time you have community spread, we need to identify cases. That's how we contain it. That's how we isolate and quarantine folks to try to minimize that continual train of exposure. So all I can tell you is, we are doing our best."

In Italy, where news reports indicated the society and government was slow to respond to the first cases in the country, there were 475 deaths reported today. The most of any country in one day.

Additional reading: The Single Most Important Lesson From the 1918 Influenza (The New York Times Opinion Section)

NOTE: Thank you to Alecia Kaus/Video News Service for sharing a couple of minutes of video from today that I missed because I didn't notice that my camera stopped recording. Regarding our second failed attempt to live stream the press conference, my MacBook wouldn't recognize either mic I tried to use with it, so all I could do was record the press briefing.

Batavia Town Supervisor declares state of emergency; town office, highway garage closed

By Mike Pettinella

Press release:

Gregory Post, Town of Batavia supervisor, declared a State of Emergency at 6 p.m. on March 18, 2020 and issued an Emergency Order effective March 19, 2020 beginning at 12 a.m.

Town of Batavia Town Office and Highway Garage are closed to the public effective March 19, 2020 for five days unless rescinded earlier or renewed in five-day increments.

The Town will conduct business with the public remotely through the use of phones, computers, mail, or other means.

Town Board meetings will be closed to the public until further notice. Provisions will be made for the public to observe or otherwise remotely participate in Town Board meetings.

Taxes and dog license requests with required documents should be dropped off in the drop box located on the westside of the Town Hall, paid online or mailed in. They will be processed during regular business hours.

The Town Clerk will return your paperwork via U.S. Post Service. Email Town Clerk to inquire about other services.

Town Clerk email:  tmorasco@townofbatavia.com

Phone: 585-343-1729

Website - www.townofbatavia.com

Shed fire reported in Byron

By Howard B. Owens

A shed fire, with flames showing, is reported at 6177 Walkers Corner Road, Byron.

There is a boat and other equipment nearby.

Byron and South Byron along with Stafford dispatched.

City of Batavia cancels six public meetings through April 23

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The City of Batavia is canceling the following meetings:

  • Wednesday, March 18th -- Plumbing Board Meeting
  • Monday, March 23rd -- City Council Meeting
  • Thursday, March 26th -- Zoning Board of Appeals
  • Thursday, March 26th -- Zoning Board of Appeals
  • Tuesday, April 21st -- Planning and Development Committee
  • Thursday, April 23rd -- Zoning Board of Appeals

As a reminder, City Hall and City buildings are closed to the public until further notice.

City Bureau of Inspection closed but permitting continues

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The City of Batavia Bureau of Inspection is currently closed to the public. Permits may be submitted through the following methods:

  • Email – mchilano@batavianewyork.com
  • FAX – 585-345-1385
  • Applicants will be notified when the permit has been issued, at which time, payment can be made by the following methods:
  • Check sent by mail to: Bureau of Inspection, One Batavia City Centre, Batavia NY 14020;
  • Dropbox on the wall outside the doors of City Hall;
  • Personal internet banking;
  • Credit card over the phone (fee will be applied).

Applicants must call in advance for required inspections. Application is available on the City’s website here.

For questions, please call the Bureau of Inspection at 585-345-6345.

Schumer pushes NY-specific measures into COVID-19 bill, unlocking nearly $2 million for GC

By Billie Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced today that the Senate has passed another bipartisan emergency legislative package to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19), sending the bill that will deliver billions of dollars to New York, and millions to the counties, to President Trump for his signature.

Schumer successfully pushed to include a cost-sharing provision in the legislation so New York’s counties, which pay part of Medicaid’s costs, benefit from the increase federal Medicaid support. Schumer has successfully championed this provision in prior disaster response legislation, including after 9/11, Hurricane Sandy and the 2008 financial meltdown.

The Schumer-backed emergency measure delivers billions to New York and its counties immediately, while the state, city and local governments works to contain the virus’s spread and cover mounting costs in new "hot spots."

“Enhanced FMAP funds are so important because they are immediate and flexible. The state – which gets billions and the most of any state in the nation – and counties use the money they save on whatever they want, alleviating pressure from the crisis,” Senator Schumer said.

“New York is the national epicenter in the coronavirus fight and this bill will ensure New York and its counties have the tools, the dollars, and the federal resources to go at the virus with full force. I am proud to deliver this support that will unlock billions for New York state and send money directly to counties on the front lines of this battle as we all work together to contain the virus’s spread and cover mounting costs.”

Schumer explained that statewide dollars related to healthcare funds known as “FMAP," unemployment benefits, and meals for seniors who might become homebound were included in the final bill, and said all of this will mean billions for New York. Schumer called on Leader McConnell to work with him last week to send the measure to President Trump’s desk ASAP.

“This passed in the Senate with bipartisan effort because we recognize the challenges that states, especially New York, are facing in the coronavirus battle,” added Schumer. “These are dollars for New York healthcare, free testing, paid emergency leave, unemployment insurance, meals for homebound seniors, and other critical efforts that are needed to sustain the mission.”

Schumer said he scored the haul by temporarily adjusting the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate. Right now, the federal government pays 50 percent of expenses for Medicaid in New York. Under the deal, the feds would temporarily pay approximately 56 percent.

New York Essentials

+$6B in healthcare funds for New York -- Schumer explained, once signed by President Trump, on an annual basis, the bipartisan deal will deliver more than $6 billion in critical healthcare dollars to New York in the form of what is called “FMAP,” which encompasses the state’s Medicaid program. That program is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. FMAP is a matching rate enacted in 1965 that determines the federal funding share for state Medicaid programs.

The federal government matches state funds spent on Medicaid, based on the state’s FMAP, which varies by state. For example, New York’s FMAP is 50 percent. This means that for every dollar spent on Medicaid in New York, New York’s share of the cost is fifty cents (this 50 cents, in turn, is split between the State and Counties and localities), while the federal government chips in the other 50 cents.

Only some states have FMAPs of 50 percent and New York is one — Schumer’s efforts increased the federal share of New York’s Medicaid program to 56.2 percent, thereby dropping the state’s share to 43.8 percent. This delivers more federal dollars immediately to the state and localities, to the tune of more than $6B annually.  

The Breakdown

State share: $5.26 billion

NYC share: $1.038 billion

Counties share: $436 million

  • Genesee County: $1.9 million

​The Medicaid program plays a critical role in helping states respond to disasters and public health emergencies like the coronavirus. For example, Medicaid was able to provide enhanced funding and coverage in response to the Zika virus outbreak in Puerto Rico. There are also millions of Americans who depend on Medicaid for access to essential health care, including vaccines and diagnostic tests.

Recognizing that New York State and localities are in dire need of direct fiscal aid and are forced to share the cost of Medicaid, Schumer in 2009, fought to make sure that New York State counties and localities received direct aid from FMAP through the financial crisis, a roughly $12B package. Even farther back, in 2003, Schumer was successful in getting a share of FMAP for states during an economic downturn, of $10 billion in fiscal relief through a temporary FMAP increase that lasted five fiscal quarters. 

$1B for people who might find themselves out of work—Schumer explained, once signed by President Trump, the Act will also deliver more than $1B in additional unemployment benefits to states, unlocking tens of millions of new dollars to help New York as the virus’s economic impacts risk taking effect. This emergency package would also waive certain measures, such as work search requirements or waiting weeks to those who have lost their jobs over the spread of coronavirus, or those who have been diagnosed. Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs provide unemployment benefits to eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own, and meet certain other eligibility requirements.  

$15M dedicated specially to New York seniors who might need meals—Schumer explained, once signed by President Trump, the emergency bill will also include a special pot of $15 million for meals homebound seniors might require. The funds would be in addition to a larger federal tranche of hundreds of millions that would deliver more resources to local food banks and pantries. Schumer said the meals for seniors is especially important because these folks are most vulnerable to the virus and might need to remain socially isolated for a certain duration.

In addition to this bill, Schumer also negotiated and passed an emergency $8.3 billion coronavirus supplemental signed by President Trump last week that will deliver hundreds-of-millions to New York State, New York City and New York institutions as they wage the fight and ramp up virus testing measures. Moreover, yesterday, at Schumer’s urging, President Trump heeded the call to enact a national emergency. The disaster declaration will allow FEMA to provide emergency protective measures to the state at a 75 percent federal to 25 percent state cost share for a wide range of eligible expenses and activities.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act also delivers billions in free coronavirus testing, paid sick leave for workers, strengthens food assistance by $1B.

As of 8 a.m. today, March 18th, the New York Department of Health reported more than 1,300 cases in New York state, with 17 deaths.

While the immediate health risk to the majority of the American public is thought to remain low, Schumer has emphasized that the challenges of community spread have already begun to strain New York state and local government responses, particularly health departments, which is why this latest measure is so critical.

Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus In New York (8 a.m., March 18)

New York City

1,399 (10 deaths)

Albany

36

Allegany

1

Broome

1

Chenango

1

Clinton

1

Delaware

1

Dutchess 

20

Erie

7

Genesee

1

Greene 

2

Herkimer

1

Jefferson

1

Montgomery

1

Monroe 

14 (1 death)

Nassau

183 (1 death)

Niagara

1

Oneida

2

Onondaga

2

Ontario 

1

Orange

32

Putnam

2

Rensselaer

1

Rockland

30 (2 deaths)

Saratoga

14

Schenectady

5

Suffolk

116 (3 deaths)

Sullivan

1

Tioga

1

Tompkins

3

Ulster 

8

Westchester

538

Wyoming

1

Town of Stafford issues policies due to COVID-19

By Billie Owens

From Town of Stafford Supervisor Robert S. Clement:

Town of Stafford issues policies due to COVID-19​

Essential employees will be in their office to assist with any town matter. Staff here at the Town regularly checks emails and phone messages.

Town of Stafford's Office will be closed to the public or open by appointment only.

If needed to drop off payments, there is a secure drop box located in the front of the Stafford Town Hall, 8903 Route 237; receipts will be mailed back to you.

Check our website here.

Please contact these offices with any question, or if an appointment is needed:

Stafford Town Supervisor

  • Office -- (585) 344-1554, ext. 5
  • Home -- (585) 344-0672
  • rclement@rochester.rr.com

Stafford Town Clerk

  • Office -- (584) 344-1554, ext. 4
  • FAX -- (585) 345-0592
  • tcstaf@rochester.rr.com

Stafford Highway Superintendent

  • (d) (585) 343-2907
  • (e) (585) 343-6780

Stafford Town Assessor

  • Office (585) 344-1554, ext. 6
  • FAX (585) 345-0592
  • staffordassessor@gmail.com

Stafford Code Enforcement

  • Office (585) 344-1554, ext. 7
  • (c) (585) 490-4152
  • (c) (585) 716-1093
  • ceostaf@rochester.rr.com

Stafford Town Court

  • (585) 344-4020, ext. 3
  • FAX (585) 345-0591
  • staffordtowncourt@rochester.rr.com

Whitman Printing offers to help out: free takeout menus, COVID-19 posters, half off printing/copies for students & teachers

By Billie Owens

Whitman Printing in Batavia is offering to print up to 100 takeout menus for free, for local restaurants/bars.

They will be printed using black ink and standard-size copy paper. No artwork or layout services – they’ll print from a file or copy an existing menu.

Besides the menus, Whitman Printing is also doing two other offers for the community:

  • Free posters for COVID-19 recommendations available for pickup in their lobby, located at 3817 W. Main St. in Batavia;
  • 50-percent off printing and copies for students and teachers.

Attention all UMMC visitors: restricted until further notice with three exceptions

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Consistent with Governor Cuomo's directive for long-term care facilities, Rochester Regional Health has implemented enhanced visitor restrictions to further protect our patients, our team members, and our community.

United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia is restricting ALL visitors until further notice.

Limited visitation will be allowed for the following patients only:

  • Pediatric patients may have two designated guardians on site at a time;
  • End-of-life patients may have one on-site visitor at a time;
  • Obstetrical patients may have one on-site visitor at a time.

Visitors and guardians must be symptom-free (no coughing, no fever, no runny nose) and must not have knowingly been exposed to an individual with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.

National Grid commits $500,000 to assist families in three states impacted by COVID-19

By Billie Owens

Press release:

National Grid is directing $500,000 to support customers affected by the health impacts, financial hardships and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding will provide immediate relief to families and individuals in need and bolster efforts by local organizations to assist communities across Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.

"We are committed to helping our customers through the difficult times and unchartered challenges associated with this pandemic," said Badar Khan, National Grid’s interim U.S. president. “We recognize this is an unprecedented and rapidly changing situation. We want to do our part to look out for our customers and protect the communities where we live and serve.”

A portion of the funds will be dedicated directly to National Grid’s customers experiencing financial hardship. The Company will also work with community-based organizations and funds to help support many of the basic needs being interrupted.

The following represents a sampling of some of the programs and funds that will be targeted:

  • The United Way Rhode Island Crisis Fund 
  • The Rhode Island Good Neighbor Energy Fund 
  • Boston Resiliency Fund
  • The United Way of Central MA "We Care Fund"
  • Island Harvest on Long Island
  • The United Way and other organizations across our New York footprint

In addition, National Grid has taken the following steps to further protect the safety and well-being of our customers and employees: 

  • Suspending collections-related activities, including service disconnections, to lessen any financial hardship the COVID-19 pandemic may have on customers;
  • Encouraging customers who are struggling to pay their National Grid bill to contact the company as soon as possible for assistance;
  • Offering the expertise of our Consumer Advocates, who provide crisis intervention support for customers in need, working closely with state and county Social Services and community assistance organizations;
  • Requiring our employees to take precautionary measures before entering a customer’s home to limit exposure to our customers and our workforce.   

“Ensuring the health and safety of our employees and customers is our number one priority,” Khan said. “We have a comprehensive emergency response plan in place to keep the lights on and the gas flowing for our customers. Our pandemic team is meeting daily and we’re closely monitoring all developments associated with this evolving and complex situation.”

Khan noted that the Company also is sharing its preparedness plans with regulators, federal, state and local officials, emergency response organizations, customers and other key stakeholders. Additional information on National Grid’s pandemic preparedness and a customer Q&A can be found here.

“We will continue to closely monitor our customers’ needs during the pandemic and find new ways to assist where we can,” Khan said.

UPDATED: Batavia's Classic Optical closed at least until Tuesday, March 24 due to COVID-19

By Billie Owens

Classic Optical is closed for the remainder of the week because of COVID-19. We are planning to reopen on Tuesday March 24th, but that is dependent on conditions at that time.

Classic Optical is located at 44 Batavia City Centre in the City of Batavia.

Phone is (585) 343-1920.

Visit online here.

UPDATE 12:39 p.m., March 19: Customers can contact the business owner and optometrist Robert "Bob" Chiarmontee via email, which he checks often: classicopticalis@juno.com

Town of Alexander issues new policies until further notice due to COVID-19

By Billie Owens

Town of Alexander issues the following new policies until further notice due to COVID-19.

Following order by our governor and resolutions passed by the Town Board, the Alexander town offices were closed as of yesterday, March 17, until further notice. 

TOWN CLERK: 585-591-2455, clerkax@rochester.rr.com

The office doors will remain locked until further notice. Residents may utilize the court drop box on the outside of the building for payments, paperwork, or requests for transfer station cards or by mail as well. If there is an urgent situation that needs to be addressed in person please call to set up a possible appointment. Receipts and cards will be mailed to you as soon as possible to keep business running as smoothly as possible.

Dog licenses can be mailed in or dropped in the drop box. And anyone in need of a handicap permit can call and one will be mailed to you.

Clerk’s hours to answer calls will be as follows:

Monday, Tuesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. 

Wednesdays 8:30-2:30 and Thursdays 10-11:30 a.m.

VILLAGE CLERK: 585-708-4167 clerk@villageofalexander.com

The office doors will remain locked until further notice. Residents may utilize the village drop box on the outside of the building or call or send mail. 

TOWN ASSESSOR 585-343-1729, ext. 207 rsaulsbury@townofbatavia.com

The assessor’s office will be closed to the public until further notice.

BUILDING AND ZONING 585-343-1729, ext. 238 mmahaney@townofbatavia.com

Permits can be mailed to the Alexander Town Clerk or dropped in the drop box. If you need a permit to fill out they can be found on the Town of Alexander website. 

TOWN COURT 585-591-8165

Town court is CLOSED until further notice. Any questions feel free to call.

TOWN SUPERVISOR 585-591-0783 superax@rochester.rr.com

Please call with any questions or concerns.

  • Town of Alexander, P.O. Box 248, Alexander NY 14005
  • Village of Alexander. P.O. Box 266, Alexander NY 14005

We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause but our employees and our communities best interest was in mind when we made these decisions. Thank you for understanding.

Shannon Tiede

Alexander Town Clerk/Tax Collector

NYS Farm Bureau urges action to keep farms and agribusinesses open and productive

By Billie Owens

Statement New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher:

“The agricultural community is strong. We understand adversity and come together in trying times. Our farms and agribusinesses are working hard to follow safety protocols and ensuring food production continues for the people of New York State and the country.

For this to continue, it is also important that agriculture remain open for business. New York Farm Bureau has sent a letter to Governor Cuomo commending him on the state’s response to COVID-19, but also asking that any mandatory business closures exempt farms, agricultural businesses that serve as a supply line, and food processing plants.

The letter reads in part, “Despite the spread of the COVID-19 virus, cows need to be milked, livestock needs to be fed, seeds need to be planted, machinery has to be repaired and regulations mandating environmental compliance will need to be met in order for food to continue to be placed on store shelves. The state’s food security and livestock health depend on obtaining an exemption from mandatory workplace staff reductions or closures for businesses across the state.”

In addition, New York Farm Bureau is concerned that the United States’ Consulates have suspended in-person processing of H-2A agricultural guest worker visas just as the spring planting season is weeks away. While we understand that plans are being implemented to consider workers who have previously been granted H-2A visas, it would halt the hiring of any new foreign workers. This could delay both planting and harvesting on farms and result in lower food production.

New York Farm Bureau has expressed our thoughts to the White House and members of New York’s congressional delegation. We have also encouraged our members to contact their representatives as well.

The letter to President Trump reads in part, “With the continued spread of COVID-19, now more than ever, it is essential that America maintain its level of high-quality food production to ensure food security for the nation. These H-2A visa workers help to plant, manage, and harvest essential crops, including fruits and vegetables. While we are not asking the Administration to jeopardize public health and safety or border security, NYFB requests that the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ensure that all H-2A visa applications are reviewed and acted upon in a timely manner to ensure the flow of approved H-2A workers into the U.S.”

Americans are coming together to get through this pandemic as a united nation. Farmers are doing their part, and the people of this great state and country can rest assured we will get the job done for us all.”

Click here to read the full letter to Governor Cuomo.

Click here to read the full letter to President Trump.

New York Farm Bureau is the State’s largest agricultural lobbying/trade organization. Its members and the public know the organization as “The Voice of New York Agriculture.” New York Farm Bureau is dedicated to solving the economic and public policy issues challenging the agricultural community.

Holland Land Office Museum closed through April 1 because of COVID-19

By Billie Owens

Dear Holland Land Office Museum Supporters:

We at the Holland Land Office Museum have been watching the current circumstances regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. Though we had originally planned to stay open, with the recent updates to the situation within our local community, the Board of Directors and I have decided to close the museum to the public for the recommended two-week period until April 1st.

This closure is in addition to canceling and rescheduling the remainder of events scheduled for the remainder of March.

We will be continually evaluating the situation as April approaches and will keep everyone updated if we decide to cancel or reschedule further events.

Any updates to our situation will be communicated through our website, Facebook page, and email. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact the museum by phone at 585-343-4727 or by email at hollandlandoffice@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support and understanding of this decision. We hope for everyone to stay safe and healthy.

Ryan Duffy

Executive Director

COVID-19: Roz Steiner Art Gallery at GCC closed through March 31

By Billie Owens

The Roz Steiner Art Gallery at Genesee Community College is closed through March 31st.

Tomorrow, two public receptions for the Fine Arts students' exhibit 'Express It' are also cancelled.

The director of the gallery, Mary Jo Whitman, posted a video of the works in the student exhibit, which was on display starting March 3, on Facebook and it can be viewed here.

Here is the official statement from the gallery:

"In accordance with directives issued by Governor Cuomo this week, all state agencies, including Genesee Community College, are taking action to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. As such the Roz Steiner Art Gallery will be closed through March 31, 2020 and the opening receptions for 'Express It: GCC Fine Arts Student Exhibit' have been cancelled."

GC Board of Elections closes to public starting tomorrow due to COVID-19

By Billie Owens

Genesee County Board of Elections
Dick Siebert and Lorie Longhany

Beginning Thursday, March 19, the Genesee County Board of Elections will be closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of the voting public.

Voter registration forms for registering to vote or for any of the following -- change of address, name change, party enrollment changes, as well as absentee ballot applications -- can all be accessed on our website here, by phone at (585) 815-7804 during regular business hours, or by email at:   election@co.genesee.ny.us

These forms can either be mailed back to us at Genesee County Board of Elections, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020, or placed in the DMV drop box on Court Street at County Building One in the City of Batavia.

Richmond Memorial Library is closed to the public until further notice

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Below are the most recent updates from Richmond Memorial Library. We will send more information as it becomes available. 

Upon the recommendation of New York public health officials, the Richmond Memorial Library is closed to the public until further notice to minimize public interactions and the spread of this virus -- COVID-19.

Currently checked-out materials can be renewed online or by telephone, or returned to a library drop box. Due dates will be extended through May 18 via telephone renewal, and overdue fees will be waived on materials returned up to three weeks after our re-opening date, yet to be determined.

Online services are being highlighted and promoted, including streaming and downloadable services.

Other services which can be sustained while closed to the public are being considered by library administration and staff at the first available opportunity.

These measures will be updated regularly.

Thank you for helping to keep our community safe and healthy!

NY-27 candidate Parlato says her campaign is here to serve the most vulnerable during coronavirus crisis

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Beth Parlato, Conservative Republican candidate in the NY-27 congressional district race, today released the following statement regarding the COVID-19 pandemic:

“COVID-19 is not a political problem or a partisan problem. This is an American problem. It’s a world problem. It’s a pandemic. And it needs to be taken seriously, especially for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

"With that, our campaign is shifting our focus to assisting the most vulnerable and those in need in NY-27 during the coronavirus crisis.

"I will not sit idly by as our neighbors are struggling. We are here to serve the community. Our campaign will be using our website as a resource for those in need. Anyone in need in NY-27 can submit a request for essential food and household items. We will be fielding requests, collecting donations, organizing volunteers and deliveries to our vulnerable neighbors who cannot leave their homes.

"You can sign up for assistance, to volunteer or donate items at bethforcongress.com.

"We are in this together. We will get through this together.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Hotline:        
1-888-364-3065     
   
Helpful websites for COVID-19 updates: 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/

Top Items on Batavia's List

Tourism Marketing Assistant Position The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, serving as the official tourism promotion agency for Genesee County, NY is seeking an experienced marketing professional to assist in the overall Chamber tourism and marketing initiatives for Genesee County. https://visitgeneseeny.com/about/join-our-team
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Town of Batavia Court Department is seeking a part time as needed Court Officer. Court Officers are responsible for maintaining order in the court room and court facility during proceedings. Please send resume to Town of Batavia, Attention Hiedi Librock, 3833 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020. Complete job description is available on the Town web site or at the Town Hall Application deadline is April 15, 2024.
Tags: Jobs offered

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