Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley speaks on bombshell New York Post report that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top aide admitted to covering up nursing home deaths:

“It is hard to find the words to express my frustration with the details of this report," Hawley said. "I am incredibly saddened by how families who have already lost their loved ones have been disrespected by this administration after already going through the painful process of grief.

"We now know for certain that the governor put his reputation before the lives of over 15,000 nursing home residents, and we must keep all options on the table to hold him accountable, along with everyone else responsible for this tragedy and the ensuing cover-up.

"At this point, any excuses made to not rescind the governor’s emergency powers and immediately investigate this matter as thoroughly and independently as possible are entirely disingenuous, and we must now all put politics aside to do what’s right for the thousands of families who had their loved ones taken from them.”

Oakfield-Alabama beat Kendall on Thursday 70-35, with Gaige Armbruster scoring 16 points and Kadon Cusmano scoring 12.

Jordon Schlagenhauf scorred 11.

In other games in boys basketball:

• Pembroke beat Alexander 54-39
• Byron-Bergen beat Holley 57-39

In girls basketball, Honeoye Falls beat Batavia 64-50.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more photos from the O-A game, click here.

Entering tonight’s league bowling competition, 36 bowlers had registered 900 series – 36 consecutive strikes over three games – that have been offici

And if it wasn’t for one stubborn 6-pin on the final delivery of the final game, Batavian Rich Wagner, one of the best bowlers in the Genesee Region USBC over the past 20-plus years, would have added his name to the list.

The 38-year-old left-hander rolled games of 300, 300 and 299 for an 899 series while competing on lanes 23-24 for the Toyota of Batavia team in the Toyota of Batavia Thursday 5-Man League at Mancuso Bowling Center.

“On the last ball (on lane 24 at the 24-lane center), I was thinking just hit the head pin; don’t throw it in the gutter,” Wagner said. “My legs were shaking. I couldn’t feel them. I didn’t want to fall down on the lanes. It was just get it there. I tugged it just a little bit, but it could have gone.”

Wagner said he was grateful to have the opportunity to potentially etch his name into the record book.

“The more I’m thinking here, processing it a bit, I had a chance. I can’t complain,” he said. “I can’t get upset or anything like that.”

He said he used two different balls throughout the night -- a DV8 Turmoil II Solid on lane 23 and a Turmoil II Pearl on lane 24, balls drilled by Brian Green of Striking Effects Pro Shop last year.

“I was swinging 23 a little bit and I was pretty straight up the boards on 24,” he said.

Wagner said every ball was in the 1-2 pocket, some driving the 5-pin into the 10-pin (a “swishing” strike) but most packed solidly in the sweet spot. He said he caught a break in the sixth frame of game three.

“I drifted just a little to the right and hit the pocket a little soft, but a messenger came back (off the side wall) and ripped out the 7-pin,” he said. “Other than that, every shot – minus a few swishers – was just dead on.”

Wagner actually had three perfect games in a row in the league as he finished with a 300 last week in a 751 series on lanes 17-18. Ironically, he tripped a 6-pin on the last ball.

Tonight’s outburst raised his league-leading average to 236, and shattered his previous high series of 812.

Mancuso Bowling Center manager Mike Sputore called the feat of 35 straight strikes "the most impressive three-game set I'll ever see."

"It was unbelievable and I'm really glad for Rich as he's just a great guy," he added. "You could see how very humbled he was by it, which says a lot about his character."

A sergeant at Albion Correctional Facility, Wagner said he appreciated the support he received from his teammates – Tom Fluker, Matt Buckley, Leon Hurd and Nathan Cordes – as well as from the other league bowlers.

His team won its match against the Eastown Beverage team of Geoff Harloff, Jim Pursel, AJ Allenbrandt, Mike Johnson and Matt Balduf -- rolling 3,334 scratch with Cordes chipping in with 697. Pursel rolled 697, starting with a 279 game, for Eastown Beverage.

“It didn’t get all quiet. They kept it loud and not making it as nerve-wracking, even though it was,” he said, adding when the messenger took out the 7-pin in the sixth frame, “I didn’t feel my legs the rest of the night.”

One of those who was looking on was Wagner’s wife, Jenn, who bowls with another team in the league.

“I hid behind two people so he wouldn’t see me,” Jenn said. “It was pretty amazing. Afterwards, I told him it didn’t matter whether he got that last strike or not because it was incredible either way. It’s bittersweet, but incredible at the same time.”

----------

• The previous all-time high series in the Genesee Region USBC was an 858 rolled by lefty Brian Cline of Middleport on Jan. 13, 2018, also at Mancuso Bowling Center. His games were 279-279-300.

• Wagner, who burst onto the bowling scene as a preteen and has competed in Professional Bowlers Association events, upped his 300 game total to 43.

Press release: 

Assemblyman Steve Hawley visited the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia to drop off valentines that were made by first-grade students from Jackson Primary School as part of the Assemblyman’s “Valentines for Vets” program.

A veteran himself, and a member of the Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Hawley remained outside of the facility as he left the valentines due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“In what has been a challenging and isolating year for us all, it was my pleasure to facilitate the delivery of these valentines to let our veterans know how much their service is appreciated by the young people of our community,” Hawley said.

“The messages written by the children for our veterans were heartwarming and an encouraging sign for our future, and I am proud of these young patriots for what they’ve done to show our veterans how much their service means to them.”

At first glance, one might think that a major metropolitan area such as Austin, Texas, or Phoenix, Arizona, would have major advantages over the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park – better known as STAMP – when it comes to convincing an international corporation to build a semiconductor facility in the Town of Alabama.

But not so fast, says Steve Hyde, chief executive officer of the Genesee County Economic Development Center, who participated in a video interview with Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian, earlier today.

Hyde, when given the opportunity to “sell the STAMP site,” didn’t hesitate -- coming up with several reasons why it would be beneficial for a company such as Samsung, for example, to build a $13 billion chip manufacturing plant at STAMP.

Recent published reports indicated that Samsung was considering STAMP – as well as the Austin and Phoenix areas – for a new semiconductor plant and that the Albany-based Plug Power was planning on operating a “green hydrogen” facility at the Genesee County park.

“STAMP can really compete and they (potential tenants) have got to take a serious look at us,” Hyde said. “That’s why we’re seeing opportunities in a big way right now in the marketplace.”

Hyde backed up that statement by pointing out that STAMP is located between two metropolitan areas (Buffalo and Rochester), has a growing and hungry workforce, and has access to low-cost green energy, and also the fact that New York does not impose “personal property taxes” on manufacturing equipment – a significant savings to these mega companies.

“There are very discreet advantages here in Western New York that you want to seize upon and emphasize,” Hyde said. “And they also need to consider that against some of the challenges in a market that has been a boomtown for 25 years (speaking of Austin) … that you have incredible competition for the workforce there right now.”

He noted that in Austin, the home of Tesla, Oracle, Texas Instruments and Samsung, big companies are competing for the same set of workers.

“Plus, the infrastructure there is overwhelmed and the congestion is crazy. So, there’s some challenges there relative to workforce,” he said. “When you look at us, we’re at a distance of a mile a minute you can literally travel on the highways. And there’s a well-qualified workforce from New York’s second- and third-largest metros. And for the pay rate at STAMP (estimated at $75,000 to $100,000 annually) … those workers will drive 30 to 45 minutes.”

Hyde also said another big advantage is that New York doesn’t charge “personal property taxes.”

“All of the manufacturing equipment in Texas is taxed as personal property taxes. So, when you really look closely at it, we’re going to be really aggressive on the incentive side with the state … and will be far less expensive than Austin because we don’t tax the equipment that will be two-thirds the cost of the project,” he explained.

He also pointed out that this area has good workforce solutions, noting that area colleges, including Genesee Community College, and Genesee Valley BOCES are building degree programs for high-tech industry.

“These big projects that we’re talking about, whether it’s a big renewable project or semiconductor, (they’re) huge power users,” Hyde said. “They want green power and we’ve got the New York Power Authority and we’ve got Niagara Falls less than 30 miles away. We have some of the lowest-cost green energy available in all of North America – like half of what it costs in Austin.

“So, you look at power, you look at operating costs, our labor is about 10 percent cheaper than Austin right now because the market has run up so much. Those factors are a huge part of the cost profile of running an operation like this.”

Hyde’s comments come in the face of a story in the Buffalo-based Investigative Post that indicates Samsung is leaning toward Austin as the site for the microchip factory that would employ about 1,800 people.

According to the Investigative Post report:

• Austin “appears to have a leg up, as it is already home to Samsung Austin Semiconductor, which has 2,500 employees;

• Samsung has purchased 250 acres of land next to its existing facility and has applied for zoning variances, and is seeking more than $1 billion in incentives to build there. It quoted Nate Jensen, a professor at the University of Texas-Austin, as saying Samsung’s odds of expanding there are “north of 90 percent.”

• Roger Kay, a market analyst with Boston-based Endpoint Technologies Associates, said that Austin has “the inside track” and suggested other sites, including STAMP, “are most likely involved to help the company drive up the value of incentives in Austin.”

Hyde remains optimistic, stating:

“We’ve been eating this elephant a bite at a time as capital becomes available. You know what, though, we’re finally just now arriving at the season where we built the initial pieces of the infrastructure for the site and we can accommodate smaller projects. But we’ve got all of the big infrastructure fully designed, fully permitted and fully ready to build … and now the big projects are inside that window.”

We need an exceptional human to illustrate creative concepts, be a part of our creative development teams and work in tandem with our marketing agency.

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Be prepared to talk aliens, best binge worthy TV shows, and why life is best lived to the beat of your own drum....and graphic design, but we can get to that in the second interview.

Data Update –

• Genesee County received 20 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) 
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.  
• Twenty-four of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.  
• Fifteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• One of the new positive individuals is a resident of Genesee Senior Living.
• We are saddened to report the loss of two individuals who are both over the age of 65. One individual resided at the New York State Veterans' Home and one individual resided at the Batavia VA Medical Center. We do not provide any further information to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families. Our deepest condolences to the families and friends during this very difficult time.

Orleans County received 16 new positive cases of COVID-19.  

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s. 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
• Twelve of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Six of the new positive individuals are residents of The Villages of Orleans Health & Rehab.
• Four of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility.

Press release:

The Western New York COVID-19 Community Response Fund announced today that it has awarded more than $4.5 million to more than 300 nonprofit organizations in our region, bringing the total grant amount from the Fund to $13.1 million.

This collaborative funding effort was convened in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 health crisis and is now administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, in partnership with The John R. Oishei Foundation, the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation.

A collaborative of many local foundations has been meeting regularly and monitoring the needs in our community since the onset of the pandemic. It became clear in early 2021 that, as the pandemic continued longer than initially expected, many nonprofits who are providing basic needs services such as food, housing, healthcare, childcare, mental health, transportation, and other emergency services, were continuing to face critical funding shortfalls. 

Emergency grants were awarded to organizations in all eight counties of Western New York and ranged from $500 to $300,000, based on the need the organizations shared with the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund.

Grants are supporting efforts directing helping families and individuals with everything from stocking the shelves at small rural food pantries to providing childcare for students in remote and hybrid learning centers to supporting mental health organizations who have a growing waiting list of clients that need to connect virtually. 

“When the philanthropic community first came together to create the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund the group committed to continually monitoring the evolving needs in our community as a result of the pandemic," said Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president/CEO of Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

"This round of emergency grant funding was the direct result of hearing that nonprofits providing basic needs services needed critical financial support to carry out their missions. In addition to these grants, the Fund is continuing its commitment to addressing long-standing systemic challenges through its Moving Forward Together initiatives that include more than 400 organizations working collaboratively on a number of different innovative solutions.” 

To date, nearly 90 foundations and corporations and more than 1,900 individuals have supported the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo received a grant from national philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in late 2020 and a portion of that funding is supporting this round of emergency grants.

To see a full list of contributors, or to join the effort, please visit www.WNYResponds.org.

DePaul Properties Inc., and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse are among 104 community providers in 41 counties to receive funding from the fifth round of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative.

Announced at the end of January, DePaul’s Batavia Apartments at 555 E. Main St. will receive $400,000 for an additional 20 units (beds) – increasing the facility’s capacity from 42 to 62 units – while GCASA will receive $250,000 for an additional 10 units (beds) to go toward operating costs of its supportive living program.

Additionally, DePaul’s Batavia Apartments have been granted $4.7 million from the New York State Homeless Housing Assistance Program to cover construction and design costs.

“We’re really excited for Genesee County,” said DePaul President Mark Fuller, also mentioning that the agency opened the 60-bed senior apartment building known as La Rosa Villas in Le Roy last September.

Fuller said he was particularly pleased that the project includes the installation of an elevator.

“The elevator will make it more user-friendly for both the existing and the new people,” he said. “I’ve been working on this for a while.”

He noted that when constructed about a dozen years ago, DePaul decided to save some money by not putting in an elevator.

“The first floor was handicapped accessible, but the reality is that a lot of our residents have real mobility problems – getting up and down – and they also have different handicaps. So, that has been an issue,” he said. “And other issue is that there has been a huge waiting list, twice as many people (as apartments that are available).”

Fuller said the push to build 20 more units has been in the works for about three years.

“This will enable an enhancement of the services that we’re providing,” he said. “And the need is definitely there. As Batavia, Genesee County and Upstate New York ages, we’re seeing more and more frail elderly, and they lack good, handicapped-accessible housing.”

He said the ESSHI money – broken down as $20,000 per unit times 20 units -- will be used to run the addition and will be reimbursed after it is open.

Of the new units, 10 will have no age requirements for tenants and 10 will be limited to those 55 and over. The previous 42 apartments have no age requirements, he said.

Rent is fixed for the one- and two-bedroom units but potential tenants are subject to income limits.

Fuller said the company has acquired building permits and is in the process of getting it designed en route to the financial closing. He said he hopes to start construction by June and expects completion within a year.

Funding Ups GCASA's Units to 15 in Genesee

At GCASA, Rosalie Mangino-Crandall, director of project innovation and expansion, said the ESSHI awards permit up to $25,000 per bed/unit and “that is what we ask for per unit or very close to it each time.”

“So, for the units about to open, we will have just shy of $125,000 (5 units x $25,000), and for the newly announced award, we will have about $250,000 (10 units x $25,000).”

GCASA also operates two units of ESSHI housing in Orleans County.

Mangino-Crandall said 100 percent of the ESSHI funds will go for operations of the program, which are paid when the agency submits a list of expenses incurred to the state for reimbursement.

She said for this project, renovations on the units of a property previously purchased are almost done, setting the stage to provide supportive housing for those with a substance use disorder who are homeless or a risk of not having a home, or have a history of housing instability. Individuals and families are eligible for this service.

The ESSHI, per its website, has been set up to provide $30 million annually to fund support services and operating costs for at least 1,200 units of supportive housing for homeless persons with special needs, conditions or other challenges. The conditional awards provide service and operating funding for permanent supportive housing units.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) has joined the House Rural Broadband Caucus for the 117th Congress.

“Expanding broadband access is critical to rebuilding and advancing rural Western New York communitie,” Jacobs said. "This need has existed for years, but the pandemic has amplified these needs as schools have moved online, telehealth services are being used more frequently and vaccine appointments are being made online, and Western New Yorkers are working from home."

The House Rural Broadband is cochaired by Reps. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Peter Welch (D-VT-AL), Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16), and Bob Latta (R-OH-05).

The Rural Broadband Caucus works in a bipartisan way to promote broadband deployment. Since its inception, the caucus has successfully secured billions of dollars for expanding internet access to rural areas.

“Students shouldn’t have to sit outside a restaurant to do homework, farmers should not lose revenue because they cannot compete with high-tech competitors, and small businesses should have every available resource to grow and thrive in Western New York,” Jacobs said.

“This has been one of my priorities since taking office, and I worked with my colleagues to successfully secure $635 million in funding for the USDA ReConnect Rural Broadband Program in the most recent appropriations bill.

C'onnecting our region is vital to our future, and I am committed to supporting efforts to improve access for Western New Yorkers. Joining this caucus puts me in an even better position to advocate for the needs of my constituents.”

Press release:

ALBANY -- Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY), a joint program of the New York State Archives and the New York State Library, has secured a five-year contract to continue to deliver supports and services to New York State’s cultural collecting institutions.

With the program’s extension, more than 5,000 organizations that safeguard New York’s historical records are eligible to apply for collections-related assistance and participate in education and training programs, free of cost, through 2025.

“The State Archives and State Library are excited to continue to provide support services, assessment services, and training through our DHPSNY program, ensuring that repositories across the state continue to have access to the tools they need to preserve and make available the essential materials that tell the story of New York and its people,” said State Archivist Tom Ruller.

State Librarian Lauren Moore also emphasized the importance of the program’s extension, adding that it builds on the State’s track record of supporting cultural organizations.

“I am pleased that we can continue to offer valued statewide services to our library and archives communities," Moore said. "New York State has always been a national leader in providing preservation services and grants to our cultural communities and their stewards.”

The new contract includes thoughtful adjustments to DHPSNY services and important COVID-19 safety precautions.

In 2021-25, qualifying New York organizations such as archives, museums, and libraries are invited to apply to receive free virtual Planning & Assessment Services, including Archival Needs Assessments, Preservation Surveys, and Strategic Planning Assistance.

Often a prerequisite for grants and other funding opportunities, these services provide reports and recommendations that are designed to support New York organizations in improving and advancing program efforts while forming strategies for future growth and development.

“In a world where budgets are ever tighter, where demands upon our staffs increase and personnel additions may be impossible, DHPSNY's reports and recommendations can prove the worth of archival and other documentary-related repositories to funding agencies as well as to our patrons, donors, administrations, and ourselves,” said Daniel DiLandro, New York State Historical Records Advisory Board chair and Buffalo State Archivist/Special Collections librarian, stressing the value of DHPSNY services.

Application materials for DHPSNY’s Planning & Assessment Services will continue to be reviewed three times a year and can be submitted year-round on the DHPSNY website dhpsny.org.

Applications to be considered for DHPSNY’s Spring Planning & Assessment Services Round are due Friday, March 26.

In addition to its virtual Planning & Assessment Services, DHPSNY will offer a new service for institutions that need to invest in resource development and capacity-building before they can reasonably embark on implementing the more sophisticated recommendations that come with DHPSNY’s Planning & Assessment Services. Debuting in 2021, this service will have a shorter, less formal application and be offered on a rolling basis.

In 2021-2025, DHPSNY will also continue to offer free education programs, including webinars and mentorship opportunities, as well as regular virtual networking events and online courses in place of in-person workshops. While in-person interaction remains limited due to COVID-19, DHPSNY will host virtual Community Conversations on a regular schedule. 

Additionally, DHPSNY will continue to offer one-on-one technical assistance, provide web-based resources, and maintain the DHPSNY Community Facebook Group (bit.ly/DHPSNY-Community), which provides the stewards of New York’s history a safe space to unite to discuss topics of interest; ask questions, share learnings, and develop a network of peers.

Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York is a collaboration between two long-running New York programs dedicated to service and support for archival and library research collections throughout the state: the New York State Archives Documentary Heritage Program and the New York State Library Conservation/Preservation Program.

DHPSNY is supported by the New York State Archives, New York State Library, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), and New York State Education Department. DHPSNY’s Strategic Planning Assistance curriculum was developed in collaboration with the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON).

For assistance, questions about eligibility, or additional information, contact the DHPSNY team at info@dhpsny.org or (215) 545-0613, ext. 338. Sign up here to receive the DHPSNY newsletter for updates on services, deadlines, educational programs, and more.

Press release:

As part of the efforts to update Genesee County’s Comprehensive Plan – "Genesee 2050" – the Department of Planning recently reached out to superintendents at school districts countywide to get students involved in a contest to create and design a new flag.

“It’s important that we solicit input from the youth of our community as they will be the leaders of government and business in 2050,” said Felipe Oltramari, director of the Genesee County Department of Planning. “We hope their input in creating and designing a new county flag will reflect their vision for Genesee County 30 years from now.”

Competition guidelines for the design of a new county flag are available online here.

Submissions are due by Feb. 28.

The Genesee 2050 Committee will select the top finalists and then have an online vote where county residents will choose one winner.  

“This is an exciting activity to get our youth involved in an important lesson in civic duty and responsibility,” said Genesee County Legislature Chair Shelley Stein. “The youth of our county are our future and I am excited to see that vision reflected in a contest in the creation of a new county flag.”

The Genesee County Department of Planning also is continuing to ask for input from the public through a series of online surveys.  

The surveys seek public comment on various subject matters including recreation, recreation facilities, agriculture, food supply, the coronavirus pandemic and renewable energy siting.

Interview with Steve Hyde, CEO of GCEDC. We'll talk about the state of economic development in Genesee County, touching on the ag park, Downtown Batavia, and STAMP. We're scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

From movie nights to crafts, it’s been a fun-filled start to 2021 at La Rosa Villas in Le Roy!

Situated on the site of the former Lapp Lumber Mill on Mill Street across from Oatka Creek in Genesee County, DePaul’s La Rosa Villas feature 60 units for individuals 55 years old and above.

Thirty of the units have on-site supportive services, which promote stability, health and independent living for persons with histories of unstable housing.

There are 20 ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act compliant) and three Hearing and Visually Accessible (HVA) units in the building. For more information about La Rosa Villas, click here.

Pictured, Shelley Gillman (inset photo above left) wears a homemade New Year’s Eve hat, and Cindy Barber (inset photo above right) shows off her beaded snowflake craft.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after the House Committee on Agriculture met today to consider the agriculture portion of the proposed COVID-19 budget reconciliation package. 

"This legislation was crafted unilaterally without any input from the Republican members serving on the Agriculture Committee. While there is some good in the bill, it contains many unrelated, partisan provisions that fail to meet the needs of our farmers and my calls for targeted, bipartisan relief.

"In my district alone, there are over 4,400 farms who produce 22 percent of New York State's total agriculture sales. Western New York farmers supply schools around the country with dairy and supply grocery stores throughout the United States with produce, meat and eggs. The impact of NY-27 farmers on our country is significant, yet we have not held one hearing to assess the current needs of farmers, and my Republican colleagues and I were not consulted. 

“Republicans offered several amendments that would improve this legislation by supporting small producers, restarting the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program halted by the President and redirecting money toward high-speed internet in rural communities. Democrats rejected these amendments, once again refusing to work with us to craft a bipartisan package.

"It is my hope this does not become the norm for this committee for the 117th Congress, but rather we work together to support America’s oldest and most substantial industry."

Jacobs has served on the House Committee on Agriculture since his election in June during the 116th Congress. He was reappointed for the 117th Congress in January of this year.

Press release:

On Wednesday, Feb. 10, the Section V Athletic Council met and determined the tournament structure for winter high-risk sports.

The team sports of boys basketball, girls basketball, and ice hockey will have a closed sectional tournament in which only the top eight teams in each classification will make their sectional tournament. Wrestling will hold class sectional tournaments starting on March 12.

The Fall II Sports Season (which includes boys volleyball, competitive cheerleading, football, and girls volleyball) will begin on March 1, and the regular season will end on April 23. Sectionals must be completed by May 2.

Indoor Track & Field is now looking to host a sectional tournament starting on Thursday, March 4.

Submitted image and press release:

Now more than ever, it’s important to be able to connect to the internet so the Hollwedel Memorial Library has a Wi-Fi area that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We know that not everyone has access to the internet, and especially during the COVID pandemic, residents have been using our Wi-Fi and computers for all sorts of tasks,” says Josselyn Borowiec, library director. “We want everyone to know that when we are not open, they can still pull into our parking lot Wi-Fi area and connect at any time of the day or night.”

Residents can also use the computer stations inside the library that have popular software and provide access to the internet at no charge.

Information about the many programs and services available at the library can be found on the library’s website at www.HollwedelLibrary.org. Residents with questions can also contact the library by phone at (585) 584-8843 or stop by 5 Woodrow Drive in Pavilion. 

Current hours are: Monday and Wednesday 2 to 7 p.m. / Friday 1 to 5 p.m. / Saturday 10 a.m. to noon / Closed Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Photo: Hollwedel Library Director Josselyn Borowiec demonstrates using the library’s Wi-Fi in the Wi-Fi area designated by the signs in front of the building.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley joined his colleagues in the Assembly Minority in a press conference calling on members of the Assembly Oversight, Health and Aging committees to sign a petition that would trigger the delivery of a subpoena to New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard A. Zucker to testify and provide all data on nursing home deaths occurring during the coronavirus pandemic.

The subpoena would also request all communications from the Department of Health (DOH) and other parties that led to the decision to develop, implement and override its March 25 directive, and allow Zucker to provide answers as to why this information was kept from the Legislature and public for such a long period of time.

According to Section 62-A of Legislative Law, if a majority of members on a given committee sign a petition, they then have the authority to issue a subpoena for the individual in question to appear before the committee to answer questions.

Hawley has sought for months to hold legislative hearings in which Dr. Zucker would be compelled to answer questions regarding the thousands of deaths in New York nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and about the attempts that followed to cover up the severity of the tragedy.

“Given the sheer tragedy of this situation, I am hopeful my colleagues in the Majority on this committee will do what’s right as human beings and compel Commissioner Zucker to provide the answers grieving families have waited far too long for,” Hawley said.

“If our governor’s own attorney general was able to put aside their partisanship for the sake of truth and justice, I can only hope those in the Majority on these committees will also put their humanity before their politics.”