A two-car accident is reported in the area of 364 W. Main St., Batavia.

A person has a complaint of chest pain from the shoulder harness of the seat belt.

The vehicles are blocking traffic.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 11:38 a.m.: Vehicles have been removed. The street is clear. City fire back in service.

A shrub is on fire in the area of South Swan Street and Ellicott Street, according to a caller to dispatch. A red Chevy Impala is nearby. The shrub is near a structure. City fire just arrived and reports the location is at the rear of 400 Ellicott. Light smoke is showing.

UPDATE 6:35 a.m.: "Porch on fire. Water on the fire. Overhauling. Will be investigating," says command.

UPDATE 6:39 a.m.: Fire command asks for the owner of the residence at 400 Ellicott St. to be contacted to come to the scene.

UPDATE 6:43 a.m.: The owner says he will try and locate the tenant to respond or he, the owner, will respond. Command says the owner might want to respond regardless of the tenant's availability because "quite a bit of this porch" is damaged from the blaze.

UPDATE 6:53 a.m.: Ladder #15 is back in service.

UPDATE 6:58 a.m.: Command at the scene awaits the owner, with a five- to 10-minute ETA.

UPDATE 7:19 a.m.: The owner arrived and contacted the tenant. Fire command is back in service.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

A full card of harness racing action, food specials and a driver’s bicycle race are all on tap as part of the annual Labor Day activities at Batavia Downs on Monday (Sept. 3). 

The live harness racing action kicks off at 1:15 p.m. with 10 exciting races. But there will also be something for the whole family to enjoy all day long and no one will go hungry for sure. 

The featured meal is a $10.95 chicken barbecue provided by the Center Street Smoke House from noon to 3 p.m. in the clubhouse. The smell of the on-site prepared barbecue chicken with “all the fixin’s” will permeate the grandstand and come with built in value. Every meal purchased comes with $10 in Batavia Downs Gaming Free-play to be used on the gaming floor after earning one base-point. 

If chicken is not to your liking, there will also be $1 Sahlen’s hot dogs, $1 draft beer and $1 soda available on the track apron outlets from noon until the last race. 

Then after the seventh race, Batavia Downs will present the annual Driver’s Bicycle Race sponsored by Crazy Cheap Cars of Oakfield. This race features eight of the top drivers at the Downs competing in a race on bicycles that will then be given away to the fans who correctly picked the winner of the race. 

Our live guests may place an entry in the box of the driver that they think is going to win from noon to 2:30 p.m. There will be eight names chosen from the winning driver’s box after the bike race is completed and each name drawn will receive one of the bikes used in the race. There is no purchase necessary, you must be 18-years-old or older to enter and you must be present to win. 

This year’s competing drivers include (in post-position order) are John Cummings Jr., Rock Vinci, Billy Davis Jr., Denny Bucceri, Shawn McDonough, Drew Monti, Jim McNeight Jr. and Brad Jackson. 

Monti, Vinci and Bucceri have all won this race and bragging rights will be on the line Labor Day for the next 12 months.

Press release:

As co-chairs for Genesee Community College Foundation's 2018 Encore celebration, Thomas A. and Kim M. Cox have been busy finalizing details that are sure to deliver a dazzling "Let it GLOW" evening! Join the entire GCC community for the all-new 2018 Encore celebration on Saturday, Dec. 1, in the new Richard C. Call Arena at the Batavia Campus. Put on your dancing shoes! 

Since its inception, the Encore Gala has provided an opportunity for the local community to raise funds for student scholarships. In 2017, the Foundation awarded over $224,000 in scholarships. As the world and economic factors change, the need for scholarships grows -- and so does Encore!

The Let it GLOW 2018 Encore Celebration will be full of surprises! For the first time ever, the Encore celebration will transform the new Richard C. Call Arena into a festive, jovial party place with lights illuminating the space and adding to the atmosphere. Attendees will find convenient parking, and there will be no need to walk around campus-rather everyone can enjoy all the fun in the new facility!

Guests will be welcomed into the Arena for cocktail hour at 6 p.m. featuring several special Let It GLOW themed signature drinks sponsored by the Michael S. Tomaszewski Funeral & Cremation Chapel LLC and the Dibble Family & Event Center on behalf of Michael and Valerie Tomaszewski. Mingle and taste test the delicious beverages while listening to stylish jazz holiday music provided by The DSP Jazz Trio. Following cocktail hour, at 7 p.m. guests will delight in a gourmet dinner prepared by American Dining Creations.

Then, beginning at 8 p.m. put on your dancing shoes and dance the night away on the Arena field house dance floor as your holiday favorites are performed by nationally acclaimed "Nik and the Nice Guys."

There is still time to become a sponsor for this fabulous new Encore celebration and Scholarship fundraiser. Visit here today for details!

Sponsorship opportunities are critically important to the event and are available at: the Holiday Chord Circle -- $1,000; the Golden Guitar Society -- $600; and the Inner Circle -- $300. Each of these includes tickets (six, four or two respectively) for the gala and recognition in the Encore 2018 program and the live Encore 2018 display.

To become a Let it GLOW sponsor, please visit here or contact the Foundation Office at (585) 345-6809, or foundation@genesee.edu today.

ALABAMA – A new solar-powered sign, which has just been erected on Route 63/77, is indication the Genesee County Economic Development Center is moving ahead with plans to develop the Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in the Town of Alabama.

The STAMP sign stands near the new road, which was built last year from Route 63/77 to Crosby Road to divert traffic around Alabama Center.

Also, a new row of power poles is being installed by National Grid by the STAMP grounds, so existing poles can be moved to allow for widening of Route 63/77 and to create a turning lane, said Mark Masse, vice president of operations at GCEDC.

Masse said the county continues to actively search for a tenant for the site and has companies with various levels of interest in locating here.

He also said they have been working on the final piece of archeological work and are moving forward with infrastructure work.

Photos by Virginia Kropf.

Learning to get along has always been one of the toughest challenges for schoolchildren and when children fight, it's disruptive to a school's instructional environment.

Educators in the City School District think they've found a better way to help children avoid angry resentments and reduce lost class time because of conflicts.

Administrators and teachers have been trained in the practices of peace circles and restorative conversations. The practices are being used in all four of the district's schools.

"It aligns with our districtwide model on promoting social-emotional learning," said Kia Evans, principal at Jackson Elementary. "At our level, with 5-year-olds, social-emotional learning for us means helping kids learn to process very, very big emotions, helping them deal with different situations; helping them come up with the words to articulate it instead of some of the negative behaviors that are attached to it."

Currently, the district has a pretty young crop of principals. Ashley John Grillo is entering his third year at Batavia Middle School; Paul Kesler was principal at John Kennedy but is entering his first full year at Batavia High School; Evans is entering her second year at Jackson; and Amanda Cook took over at John Kennedy Intermediate in the second half of last year.

But a test of whether an innovative program is really working is whether its proponents would carry it with them if they changed employers and all four principals said, about peace circles and restorative conversations, yes, they would, absolutely.

"What’s nice about those things is you get kids talking about those things and then they start writing about them and it just flows nicely," Grillo said.

Grillo said the practices of the peace circle aren't just used in conflict situations. Students also get a chance to use them and learn from them in academic situations.

"In the science lab, you have hypothesis and conclusion, and as you go around the circle, they're all going to have different results in some cases," Grillo said. "Then they can come up with a consensus in class and decide, what is the main takeaway from doing this activity. We call those academic circles but those fall on the same protocols as doing peace circles or a restorative circle."

A peace circle usually involves an entire class and at least one adult facilitator (though at the higher grades students can become their own facilitators). An object, such as a ball, is used -- the peace object -- and only the person holding it is allowed to speak. The students are encouraged to talk about what's bothering them in respectful ways and what concerns them about a particular situation. There are guidelines to follow but the students respond well, even at the younger grade levels, the principals said.

"It forces you to listen and process and a lot of times if you’re still upset and you're passed the ball, you might say pass," Evans said. "But the next time it comes around, you’ve heard and you’ve had an opportunity to process things, you can go further. Sometimes the person who was upset never contributes but it still feels like a healing process."

Grillo said a peace circle is a safe setting with rules of engagement and the students respect the protocols.

“I’ve seen it work beautifully," Grillo said.

Peace circles are also a way of building a sense of community among students.

"Teachers are using it to set values," Cook said. "This is a classroom community. We are all learners. How are we going to best take care of our classroom?"

Restorative conversations more often take place at the high school level, Kesler said. They usually involve a student who has been the subject of disciplinary action but the conversations are a chance to resolve conflicts once the disciplined student returns to class.

"It really does allow both parties to share how they feel they've been harmed what express what they would like to see as the intended outcome," Kesler said.

Kesler said not all of the BCSD teachers have been trained in peace circles. Many have taken the one-day seminar, several others have been through the full, three-day training session during a summer break.

As evidence students respond to it, Evans recalled the time a student saw a friend being mistreated in a hallway before class and he came to the teacher and requested a peace circle.

"He was in first grade," she said.

It might seem like peace circles take away from precious classroom academic time, but all four principals said the time spent on peace circles is a good investment.

"Your return on that time you’ve invested in a peace circle is going to pay back 10, 20 fold because you’ve already laid that groundwork," Cook said.

If small conflicts fester, other kids start picking sides and egging on the main antagonists. That's what administrators and teachers are trying to avoid.

"That 15 minutes is well spent," Evans said, "because later on the teacher has to address the behavior or address situation that could have been mitigated with a peace circle. That will cost more time academically."

The main data point the principals have to know protocols are working is the number of referrals to the principal's office. At his school, Grillo said referrals are down 50 percent.

"I really feel a big part of that, I’m not saying it’s the only answer but a big part of that is the restorative practices that the two assistant principles, the counselors, myself, and the teachers are all using," Grillo said. "We try to really get control of student issues and be proactive instead of reactive. I always feel that secondary education is reactive when it comes to discipline and I feel like we’ve turned that tide at the middle school."

A dispatcher just notified the Bethany Volunteer Fire Department that the Bethany Center Bridge has reopened.

The old bridge was built in the 1930s and in recent years had eroded into a crumbling, rusting eyesore. It was replaced this summer with a new $1.4 million span by the Department of Transportation.

Photo: From Aug. 17, when a construction foreman told The Batavian work would be completed by the first week of September.

Photo: Emily Mikel and her cow, Bingo, received the award for 2018 4-H Holstein Master Showman at the New York State Fair in Syracuse.

Submitted photo and press release:

Genesee County 4-H’er Emily Mikel, of Pavilion, finished her 4-H career with top honors at the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse.

This year marks Emily Mikel’s 11th and final year in the Genesee County 4-H program.

Emily has been active in both the 4-H Dairy Club and 4-H Swine Club. She has shown great leadership and passion for both 4-H and the dairy industry. Her honors also include being named Genesee County Dairy Queen in 2015.

She is a prime example of the leaders that the 4-H program annually graduates.

In her final season of 4-H, Emily exhibited her quality Holsteins at the 2018 New York State Fair. She won many awards with her animals including Grand Champion.

Emily competed against more than 40 4-H’ers from across the state for title of 2018 4-H Holstein Master Showman. After facing tough competition, Emily and her cow, Mikelholm Dempsy Bingo,won it all.

Congratulations to Emily as the 2018 4-H Holstein Master Showman at the New York State Fair.

To learn more about Genesee County 4-H visit: http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/

Press release:

Tops Markets LLC (“Tops” or the “Company”) today (Aug. 31) announced that it has filed a Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan") and a related Disclosure Statement with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

The Plan incorporates the Company’s court-approved agreements with its unions and is supported by certain of the company's senior secured lenders that hold more than 87 percent of its Senior Secured Notes due 2022.

"The filing of our Plan moves Tops another step closer to a successful completion of our financial restructuring," said Frank Curci, CEO of Tops. “We are pleased to submit a plan that will establish a sustainable capital structure and provide the financial flexibility to create an even more exceptional shopping experience for our customers and emerge from this process as a stronger competitor.”

Curci added, "We thank our employees for maintaining our high quality of customer service and dedication to Tops, as well as our loyal customers, suppliers and other stakeholders for their support as we progress through this process."

A hearing to consider approval of the Disclosure Statement is scheduled for Sept. 27. Following approval of the Disclosure Statement, the company intends to seek confirmation of the Plan on Nov. 8.

Additional information is available on Tops’ restructuring website at www.topsrestructuring.com or by calling Tops’ Restructuring Hotline, toll-free in the United States, at (888) 764-7358. For calls originating outside of the United States, please dial (503) 520-4457. Court documents and additional information can be found at a website administrated by the Company’s claims agent, Epiq, at http://dm.epiq11.com/TOPS.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is serving as legal counsel to Tops, Evercore is serving as Investment Banker and FTI Consulting, Inc. is serving as restructuring advisor.

About Tops

Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville and operates 169 full-service supermarkets with five additional by franchisees under the Tops Markets banner. Tops employs over 14,000 associates and is a leading full-service grocery retailer in Upstate New York, Northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.

Rachel Brittany Solomon, 26, of Meadville Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with criminal mischief, endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest, and harassment, 2nd. Solomon is accused of damaging the property of another person at 6:39 p.m. Thursday at a location on Meadville Road. Solomon allegedly resisted arrest and kicked a deputy while holding a child. Solomon was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.

Nicholas David Frayne, 21, of Two Rod Road, Alden, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and criminal trespass, 3rd. Frayne allegedly stole scrap metal from an enclosed property on Sumner Road, Darien, on July 21 and Aug. 9. The case was investigated by Deputy Kyle Krzemien and Investigator Joseph Loftus. Also charged, Dalton James Offhaus, 21, of Brookville Road, Alexander.

Robert C. Hayes, 28, of Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Hayes was stopped by State Police at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday on Route 20 in Pavilion.

Editor's Note Aug. 31, 4:45 p.m.: The Kickstarter link was broken and was replaced with a new, correct one.

Charlie and Penny Marble of County Line Road have been offered what they call “the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Penny is a lifelong quilter, who has won awards for her quilting patterns. Until recently, they traveled the Eastern United States attending quilt shows. She ships her patterns all over the United States and five countries.

Charlie is a sewing machine repair technician for a company in Depew, whose owner has decided to close the business, and has offered it to the Marbles.

In order to take on the new business, the Marbles must complete a studio they had built in 2016 by Amish friends. While the Amish put up the shell, it was the Marble’s intention to finish the inside themselves.

Then Penny got sick last year and was hospitalized. At first doctors thought it was just exhaustion, but after many tests, she was diagnosed with System Exertion Intolerance Disorder, a serious form of chronic fatigue.

It meant they must put their dreams of a new studio on hold.

“It broke my heart,” Penny said.

Now the couple has to complete enough of the inside of the studio in order to take on the sewing machine repair business. To do this, they need to raise $5,000 for materials and have launched a Kickstarter campaign.

“The sewing machine repair business comes with some large contracts, and we would be foolish not to take it over,” Penny said. “We will hire one of the technicians from the business, as well as Charlie.”

The Marbles will also be taking over classes on embroidery, sewing and quilting, which have been offered at the Depew shop. They will also become an authorized Brother (sewing machine) Service Center.

“It is a priority now to finish our building,” Penny said.

Pledges to their Kickstarter campaign will help them finish the interior of the studio, purchase tables, chairs, and electronics for the classroom and install a kitchenette so visitors can have a cup of coffee.

Readers can help the Marbles achieve their dream by logging on to: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pmqdthestitchery/the-studio-2 to make a pledge.

Pledges start at only $5 and Penny is offering rewards for donations, which include: having the donor’s name permanently written on a 2 x 4 or drywall; discounts on future orders; a personalized mug rug; free classes at the studio; and, for a $50 donation, a 1 foot by 1 foot barn quilt or an award ribbon pillow. Pledges of $100 or more will entitle the donor to: $100 off any long-arm quilting project; or two weeks of maker space rental, in which an artisan may set up a booth with their wares and use the classroom for workshops.

Other awards for larger donations include a personalized baby quilt, a T-shirt/ memory quilt, and larger barn quilts.

The Marbles already have instructors lined up for various classes. Charlie and the second sewing machine technician come with years of experience and are qualified to service and repair any make, model or age sewing machine.

“This is going to be a fun place once it’s up and running,” Penny said.

Their target date to open is Dec. 1.

Photo: Charlie and Penny Marble, of Darien, stand amid construction in a shop they are trying to complete in order to take on the business from a Depew sewing machine repair shop which is closing. The couple has launched a Kickstarter campaign in an effort to raise $5,000 by Oct. 3. Photo by Virginia Kropf.

Submitted photos and press release:

With the start of a new academic year, Genesee Community College will take an evening to "Discover the Stars" with its annual scholarship reception. On Monday, Sept. 10 from 5 - 7 p.m., the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the Batavia campus will be filled with scholarship donors, recipients and the families of both to celebrate the shared significance of academic achievement.

The annual Discover the Stars Scholarship Reception celebrates "Scholarships in Action."

"The Discover the Stars reception is an annual opportunity that brings together the families, legacies, and stories of GCC's cherished scholarship donors and puts them in the room with the bright, hopeful, and promising faces of the scholarship recipients," said Robert J. Bennett, event emcee and member of the Genesee Community College Foundation Board of Directors.

(Jane M. Bickett)

The 2018 Discover the Stars event will feature two keynote speakers: Jane M. Bickett, GCC Class of 1981, a senior business systems analyst of Eastman Kodak Company, as well as Scott A. Gardner, GCC Class of 1998, who is president and CEO of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce.

At Eastman Kodak Company, Jane Bickett is responsible for the technical functionality and business processes for global billing and invoicing in more than 30 countries. Her business experience includes computer system administration and serving as a team leader of a computer programming group involving frequent international travel.

Through her 36-year career, she has actively participated in the technical evolution of business from implementation of basic local word processing applications to global procedures and computing. She is a native of Le Roy, and earned her Computer Programming A.A.S degree from GCC in 1981.

(Scott A. Gardner)

Born and raised in Warsaw, Scott Gardner became president of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce in 2013, continuing his lifelong interest in making Wyoming County a vibrant community. He previously was a legislative aide and chief of staff to Assemblymen Thomas M. Reynolds and Daniel J. Burling, respectively. He currently serves as the chairman of the Wyoming Foundation, and holds the rank of Major in the Civil Air Patrol, in addition to a number of other volunteer and leadership positions.

Gardner earned his A.A.S Paralegal from GCC in 1998 and attended SUNY Empire State College where he concentrated on Public Policy and Public Affairs. He was recently inducted into GCC's Alumni Hall of Fame and served as honorary chair of GCC's Cougar Classic Scholarship Scramble Golf Tournament and also the Nursing program's Gatsby Gala.

The Genesee Community College Foundation accepts scholarship donations throughout the year and has full-time dedicated staff in place to assist any donor in establishing a scholarship, or even in funding an existing one, such as the Genesee Alumni Legacy Scholarship.

Details on the scholarships available to students is available at https://www.genesee.edu/offices/finaid/scholarships/ and new applications will be accepted starting Sept. 1st. Interested applicants are encouraged to review and apply right online! The simple online application collects information and matches applicants with a list of scholarships they may qualify for. Experts are available in GCC's Financial Aid Office at (585)345-6900 or via email at financialaid@genesee.edu.

Country Line Electric Supply is a true family business, said Sarah Rosenbeck, who with her brother William “Billy” Massett III has been involved in the company since they were young.

“Billy and I grew up spending time at the shop,” Rosenbeck said. “When we were old enough, we worked there weekends, after school and during summer vacations.”

In April, the company reached its 40th anniversary and they are spending the rest of the year celebrating.

Rosenbeck, who works in the Batavia location with her husband, Justin, handles the office managerial duties, while Billy, who works in the Silver Springs shop, takes care of product line and knowledge. His wife, Jen, is office manager there.

The Rosenbecks have three children and the Massetts have two.

“It is our hope the tradition of us growing up in the business will be passed on to our children,” Rosenbeck said. “If they choose to join the business, it would be wonderful.”

Country Line Electric was founded to fill a void in the business community, Rosenbeck said. Her father grew up in West Seneca, where he worked installing elevators. While doing side jobs with his grandfather, many of them in the Genesee/Wyoming County area, William realized there was no electrical supply company nearby.

William was familiar with Silver Springs, having visited Silver Lake growing up. He first opened his business in Silver Springs, which remains the main headquarters. He purchased the old Silver Springs school when it merged with Letchworth Central, and 30 years ago moved into Batavia, opening a business just west of their current location at 5059 E. Main.

Rosenbeck and her brother took over in 2015, but their father remains on the board, she said.

Country Line Electric sells commercial products for the heating, plumbing, ventilation, cooling and waste industries, as well as serving residential customers. Agriculture is a large part of their business, also, Rosenbeck said.

The company continues to grow and currently has several job openings at its Silver Lake location.

They are currently near the end of a two-year process to become certified as a “woman-owned business” in New York State.

“This certification will open more doors for us, and allow us to work more on the municipal level,” Rosenbeck explained.

They are also looking to put on another addition, she said.

The company has been celebrating since April by offering free hot dogs to customers on “Hot Dog Wednesday," handing out free tee shirts and sponsoring several contest giveaways on Facebook.

“I asked Dad when he started this business, did he ever imagine to see 40 years,” Rosenbeck. “He said this has been a dream come true for him.”

Top photo: Sarah Rosenbeck and her husband, Justin, stand in front of Country Line Electric Supply on East Main Street, Batavia, the company founded 40 years ago in Silver Springs by her father, William Massett.

Sarah Rosenbeck is the daughter of William Massett, who started Country Line Electric Supply in 1978 in Silver Springs. She and her brother William Massett III “Billy” now run the company, which is celebrating its 40^th anniversary. Rosenbeck works in the Batavia location with her husband, Justin, while Billy mans the Silver Springs store with his wife, Jen. Photos by Virginia Kropf.

Submitted photo and press release:

Press release:

Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers announced today that the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of Le Roy Police Department will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

While we spend the Labor Day holiday and the end of summer celebrating with our loved ones, law enforcement officers across New York State will take to the roads in an effort to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives. The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts started on Aug. 17 and will end on Monday, Sept. 3.  

Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. Sobriety checkpoints play a key part in raising awareness about the problem. New York State Police, County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force.

The STOP-DWI Labor Day Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from our STOP-DWI Foundation and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. Throughout the remainder of the year the Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign will also target Halloween and the national Holiday Season in December.

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol and drug related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving. 

You can help to make a difference by Having a Sober Plan!  Download our mobile app – “Have a Plan” and you will always be able to find a safe ride home:  www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp

Impaired driving is completely preventable. All it takes is a little planning. Have a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend!

Press release:

New York Farm Bureau, along with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner, Richard Ball, and Farmers for Free Trade, highlighted today the importance of open markets for the state’s farmers and encouraged a quick end to the trade war that is creating an economic hardship on family farms across New York.

The farmers gathered at the Great New York State Fair, an important celebration of New York agriculture, to discuss their concerns. A number of New York commodities, including dairy, soybeans, wine, maple and apples face retaliatory tariffs in several countries including China, Canada, Mexico and in the European Union.

In turn, commodity prices have fallen on agricultural products. Equipment prices are rising due to the steel and aluminum tariffs, and farmers are concerned about losing long-established markets as countries turn to other, cheaper sources for their food. These losses, in turn, will impact rural communities that depend on agriculture to support their local economies.

While U.S. agriculture has had a trade surplus, the farm economy has not been a bright spot for this country. Net farm income was already down by 50 percent before the trade wars began. When times are tough, this is when this country needs to be looking for new opportunities to expand markets to sell the quality products produced on our farms.

The principle agreement announced this week with Mexico is a positive step in the right direction, but ultimately, we will need Canada to complete an effective NAFTA deal. Farmers also encouraged a resolution to disputes elsewhere, including China.

“We understand that trade agreements may need to be updated, but we have to be careful not to damage the relationships that we already have and depend on,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher. “We are encouraging our leaders in Washington, to move quickly at getting the parties back to the negotiating table, much like we have seen this week with Mexico, and to move forward on improving trade relations with our partners.”

“The tariffs being imposed on our agricultural commodities are compounding an already difficult marketplace and putting New York’s farmers in a precarious situation. Once these markets are lost, we could find it extremely difficult to regain that footing. We have an opportunity here to collaborate with our partners and to call for new free trade agreements and thoughtful, long-term solutions,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball.

“Farmers for Free Trade is proud to join the New York Farm Bureau at the state fair today to discuss the importance of trade to New York's agriculture and manufacturing industries,” said Angela Hofmann, deputy director of Farmers for Free Trade. “Today's joint event will highlight the price that New York agriculture and manufacturing workers are paying from the trade war and call attention to the need for consistent and fair trade policies.”

“Our farmers are reliable, they are resilient, and they are responsible. They are ingenuitive and they are innovative in producing an excellent product for consumers both stateside and abroad amid a myriad of unpredictable challenges including the weather and ever-changing consumer demand. As steadfast patriots, we look to our government to recognize that our growers already operate in an environment of uncertainty and hope that this administration will facilitate opening the doorway to global opportunities in a way that is good for our country and its farmers,” said Colleen Klein, New York Corn and Soybean Growers Association’s executive director.

“Since the end of May, following Mexico’s announcement of 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on U.S. cheeses, the price we receive for our milk has dropped by 14 percent. To put that into realistic terms for our dairy farm, that is a loss of more than $3,000 a day. Farm families like mine and our dairy farming friends across New York State are asking for a quick end to the trade war affecting our families’ livelihoods and our country’s backbone, the American farmer,” said Johanna Fox-Bossard, Barbland Dairy in Fabius.

“New York maple producers are concerned about trade from two fronts. The tariffs in both Asia and Canada mean a potential loss of markets for American made maple syrup as cheaper Canadian maple syrup moves in to fill the void. In addition, the steel and aluminum tariffs have resulted in price hikes for equipment we need to produce maple syrup. My company alone was forced to increase prices 10 percent, prices that eventually will be passed down to consumers. We need a fix now before there are long-lasting repercussions on New York’s maple industry,” said Dwayne Hill, Shaver-Hill Maple Farm.

A pair of voter referendums to help Le Roy Fire Department purchase a new ladder truck was defeated at the ballot box Tuesday night by tallies of 107 for and 236 against to buy a new truck, and 113 for and 228 against to sell the current truck.

The first referendum would have authorized the Le Roy Fire District to borrow $1 million and spend $400,000 of reserve funds.

Yesterday, Fire District officials released the following statement:

“We would like to thank the voters of the Le Roy Fire District for taking the time to turn out and vote at last night’s election and express their views.

The results of this vote will help us shape how the District’s responsibility to provide the best possible fire protection and service to the residents.

At the same time, we need to recognize the time and efforts of the Departments’ officers and Apparatus Committee for their two years of time and research into developing the basis for this vote. We will redirect their work into continuing the best possible firefighting force for this community.

We must keep in front of us that this was a vote on a fire truck and not on the dedication, commitment and professionalism of the men and women of the Le Roy Fire Department.”

Signed: Le Roy Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners, Fire Chiefs and Officers