Get in-person tax help and e-file for free at Richmond Memorial Library this tax season Richmond Memorial Library is pleased to partner with volunteers from the New York State Department of Tax and Finance to offer income-eligible citizens assistance with filing their taxes online this tax season.
Tax Department employees will walk you through your income tax returns, step-by-step, as you complete and e-file your tax return for free.
If you earned $84,000 or less in 2024, you qualify.
Safe and secure online tax software.
Use on-site computers, or your own laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
You only need basic computer skills and an active email account.
Sessions will be offered on Thursdays –February 6, February 13, February 20, February 27, March 6, March 13, March 20, March 27, April 3 and April 10. Appointment slots are 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Those interested must schedule an appointment. For more information or to make an appointment, contact the library at 585-343-9550 x3 or visit the reference desk.
Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross Street in the City of Batavia. Find the library online at batavialibrary.org.
File Photo of City Manager Rachael Tabelski Photo by Howard Owens
When she suggested that the city of Batavia could lower its tax rate by 50 cents earlier this week, City Manager Rachael Tabelski reserved other aspects of her proposed 2026 budget for more formal discussions, including the biggest expenses, utility increases of $300 a year for an average family, and being able to maintain a same level of services.
UPDATE 1/18/25: Tabelski said on Saturday that the 2024 estimated water and sewer total of $600 that she provided was incorrect and did not include meter and capital improvement fees. That number should have been $850, making this year’s increase about $50 for a family of four.
City Council has agreed to a budget workshop schedule that is to begin Jan. 27. However, Tabelski agreed to review the $22.4 million general fund budget Friday, the first time she had done so before council workshops began, she said.
What are some key takeaways? Two drivers of budget expenses are a $628,000 increase in health insurance costs and about $400,000 more in retirement fees, she said.
The unassigned fund balance is at a healthy 21% level, which is close enough to the ideal percentage of 25%, she said. As a result, Tabelski is suggesting moving $526,000 from that fund balance into the general fund revenue to help balance it out with expenses.
The property tax levy is expected to be $7.2 million from a total taxable assessed value that increased by $102 million from this last year, she said, and a flat sales tax to be at $7.8 million.
“We typically do not see an increase in value like this in the city of Batavia. Not only have residential property sales and comps and the hot seller's market contributed to this increase but so has the reassessment of commercial properties that have done work and added to their value. So we're seeing the economic development strategies starting to actually add value to the overall assessment,” she said. “And when we add new assessment, especially in our commercial buildings, we're spreading out the tax payments across the community and across the residential properties as well. So the point being, it's always great to add value, especially in commercial buildings to your city.”
In 2017, the city started tracking all of the projects being managed by the private sector, in addition to what was being tracked in the public sector, “and we've had over 152 million in completed projects, 30 million right now under construction, and another 70 million planned by 2028,” she said.
“So again, the investment in the private sector projects will equate to increased tax base over time,” she said.
Video lottery terminal revenue is not being used because there is no guarantee from year to year that the city will receive this aid and how much it will get, she said. The recent yearly amount has been $440,000.
Major expenses include $10.5 million for public safety, $5.1 million for public works, $4.9 million for health care, $2.9 million for retirement, $1.2 million for street and sidewalk repair and replacements; $540,000 of capital costs — vehicles, buildings, and parking lots/sport court resurfacing; and $1 million being put away in reserve to pay the first bond payment for a new city police facility when that time comes.
“The goal is to not let our debt payment affect the taxpayers,” she said.
The city’s debt service, paying off prior purchases, still includes construction of City Hall, a fire truck, water project, and now the $15.5 million police station will get added to the list.
The property tax rate may decrease by 50 cents per $1,000, which would mean a rate of $8.46 per $1,000 assessed value, or a savings of $50 a year on a home assessed at $100,000 if assessments are stable from last year.
Tabelski has proposed water and sewer rate increases. A 1% water increase would add 6 cents per 1,000 gallons, and a 3% sewer rate increase would tack on 9 cents per 1,000 gallons. A family of four can expect its total annual bill to be about $900, she said, including water, sewer, and the meters and capital improvement fee (which are not slated for an increase).
In an inflationary world, with rising labor, supplies, and materials costs, “the city will need to continue to prepare for economic unpredictability and continue to invest in infrastructure and safety for our citizens,” Tableksi said in her budget message.
In order to do that, priority must be placed on security, health, and safety of city employees and residents, she said.
Speaking of infrastructure More than $4 1/2 million has been invested into the water plant to “keep it going for the next, we’d say, 15 years,” she said.
“We’re about 85% done with the projects inside of that. We again partnered with the county with Phase Three moving forward of the water project, we still see the plant being able to continue to produce water with these investments for about the next 15 years. And then, if we need to continue to use the plant, we’ll have to look at more investments,” she said. The wastewater treatment plant, we're planning for multiple projects, including sludge removal, some bypass systems. Our wastewater plant is one of the most unique systems east of the Mississippi. There's no other plant like it in New York. It's a fully biological system, unlike all other wastewater plants in New York, which are chemical systems.”
The new ice rink chiller system will be installed once the season is over this spring, the Bank Street streetscape project will continue this summer, another main Cohocton and Walnut water project bid has just been awarded for a spring construction start, and the Austin Park playground has been delayed due to New York State parks legal easement language that had to be inserted into the documents since grant money is tied to that project, she said.
Street and sidewalk resurfacing and replacement is scheduled in this budget for Kingsbury, Watson, Morton, Ganson, South Spruce and Union Square, using $900,000 of consolidated highway improvement program (CHIPs) funds and two parking lot mill and repavings near City Centre.
There will be a tree removal and planting project to add 1,000 trees to the city’s urban forest over the next three years, mainly in the Fifth and Sixth wards, with a portion also in the Second Ward, she said.
The first budget session is set for 6 p.m. Jan. 27 at City Hall.
Plug Power, the green hydrogen manufacturing firm based in Lathan, with a plant under construction in the town of Alabama, has closed on a $1.66 billion loan guarantee with the U.S. Department of Energy.
The loan guarantee has been under negotiations for months and closes just days before President Joe Biden leaves office.
“Finalizing this loan guarantee with the Department of Energy represents a significant step in expanding our domestic manufacturing and hydrogen production capabilities, which create many high-quality jobs throughout the U.S.,” said Plug CEO Andy Marsh in a release. “In addition to reducing carbon emissions and enhancing the resilience of the U.S. energy grid, we believe the hydrogen economy aligns closely with national security interests, ensuring that the U.S. remains at the forefront of energy technology development and deployment on a global scale.”
Based on prior reporting, it's unclear if Plug intends to use a portion of the loan funds to complete its $290 million green hydrogen fuel plant under construction in WNY STAMP.
Chris Suozzi, VP for business and workforce development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center, reportedly told a Washington, D.C.-based commercial real estate firm that Plug Power's STAMP project is on hold.
However, throughout the negotiations process, Plug Power has publicly maintained that it intends to use the fund to complete six plants, which has previously included the local plant.
The loan guarantee will help finance the construction of up to six projects to produce and liquify zero- or low-carbon hydrogen at scale throughout the United States. Plug’s Graham, Texas, green hydrogen plant, the first to benefit from this financing, will create hundreds of high-quality jobs. Powered by an adjacent wind farm, Plug’s green hydrogen production plant will utilize the company’s electrolyzer stacks manufactured at its factory in Rochester, N.Y., and its liquefaction and storage systems built at its facility in Houston.
The company already has operational plants in Georgia, Charleston, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
The loan is for $1.55 billion in principal, and Plug is expected to pay $107 million in interest.
Advancing clean hydrogen is a key component of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to building a robust clean energy economy that creates healthier communities, strengthens energy security, and delivers new economic opportunities across the nation. Today’s announcement will help unlock the full potential of this versatile fuel and support the growth of a strong, American-led industry that ensures the United States remains at the forefront of the global economy for generations to come. Plug submitted its application to LPO in November 2020.
The release states the Plug is positioned to build out clean hydrogen facilities in several potential locations and to supply its national customer base with end-to-end clean hydrogen at scale.
This project advances President Biden’s efforts to strengthen domestic clean energy supply chains, which are essential to meeting the nation’s ambitious climate goals and enhancing our national and energy security.
The DOE expects that hydrogen from the plants will fuel cell-electric vehicles in material handling, transportation, and industry, which could result in an 84 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional hydrogen production.
The clean hydrogen facilities will utilize Plug’s electrolyzer stacks that are manufactured at the company’s state-of-the-art gigafactory in Rochester, NY and will use modular designs to ensure a resilient hydrogen fuel delivery network. Plug is among the leading commercial-scale manufacturers of electrolyzers in the United States and currently operates the largest Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system in the United States at its Georgia hydrogen plant.
The DOE explains the process:
Electrolyzers use electricity to split water into its component parts, hydrogen and oxygen. Plug’s PEM technology allows it to operate efficiently even with variable electricity, enabling it to leverage electricity from intermittent renewables. Electrolyzers that use renewables to power their hydrogen production produce emissions-free clean hydrogen. The electrolyzer stacks can be easily configured to produce systems at 1 megawatt (MW), 5 MW, and 10 MW scales. (One MW powers the equivalent of 750 American homes based on their instantaneous demand.)
Wall Street's reaction to the news of the loan? A 7% drop in the stock price, bringing it down to $2.44 a share by the close on Friday.
In its 28-year history, Plug has never turned a profit. The company has reported reported $1.4 billion in losses. It also has $930 million in debt already on its books.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Genesee County and portions of western and north-central New York. An arctic airmass is forecast to move into the region starting Sunday (January 19) and lasting through the middle of next week.
Key Weather Concerns:
Bitter Cold Temperatures: At times, temperatures may plunge to 10 to 20 degrees below zero in lower elevations and 20 to 30 degrees below zero in higher terrain.
Lake Effect Snow: Accumulating lake effect snow is likely east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario from Sunday night or Monday through midweek.
Community Safety Guidance:
Cold Weather Safety: Residents are urged to protect themselves and others during the extreme cold. The National Weather Service offers cold weather safety tips at www.weather.gov/safety/cold-outreach.
Vulnerable Populations: Check on vulnerable family, friends, and neighbors, including older adults, young children, and those with medical conditions.
Bring Pets Indoors: Keep pets inside during extreme cold weather if possible.
Warming Resources:
Public places and large local businesses may serve as temporary warming locations.
During business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day), contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services at (585) 344-2580 for assistance.
For after-hours assistance, call the Genesee County Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.
Please prepare now to stay safe and warm during the incoming cold weather. Stay tuned to local news for the latest weather updates, and visit www.weather.gov/buf.
Alexander improved to 9-2 on the season with a 64-61 win over Oakfield-Alabama in Boys Basketball.
The Hornets, after trailing throughout the first three quarters, mounted a charge in the fourth, scoring 23 points to 11 for the Trojans, but still came up short.
Dylan Pohl scored 24 points for Alexander and Kingston Woods scored 18.
"I’m very proud of the fight the boys had tonight," said Hornets Coach Ryan Stehlar. "It was a great Friday night high-school basketball atmosphere. We need to learn from this loss and move on to the next game."
Tony Kutter with his book "Cheese in the Time of Glasnost and Perestroika" in his home in Pembroke in a 2015 file photo. Photo by Howard Owens.
Local business legend Tony Kutter passed away on Wednesday at his home in Pembroke, surrounded by his family.
He was 91.
Kutter and his brother inherited their father's business, Kutter's Cheese, in the 1950s, when they were in their twenties and turned it into a business with an international reputation.
In 1995, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Kutter traveled to Russia as part of a trade exchange program to help aspiring Russian entrepreneurs learn how to start cheesemaking businesses.
Kutter himself learned the business from his father, Leo, who learned the trade in Germany after fighting for the Kaiser in World War I and, on the advice of a boss, moved to America, settling in the then-thriving city of Buffalo but dreaming of starting his own cheese-making business.
By the time the Kutter sold the family business to Yancy's Fancy in 1998, Kutter's had worldwide retail reach.
Notre Dame beat Attica in Girls Basketball on Thursday 44-23.
The Lady Irish improved to 8-4
The Irish were led by Sofia Falleti, who scored 18 points and had 9 rebounds. Shirley Thompson pitched in 8 points and 6 rebounds. Clairissa Milliman and Penny Jo Thompson had 6 points each.
A Byrne Dairy & Deli, including a freestanding fuel canopy and four fuel pumps, to be operated 24 hours a day, has been proposed to fill the property at 606-622 E. Main St. in Batavia.
Andrew (Ken) Mistler,property owner of 606-622 and 624 E. Main St., has agreed in writing to a variance since the project is within 500 feet of a public place of assembly, Whole Life Fitness at 624 E. Main St. The project and variance are to be considered during a city Planning and Development meeting next week.
Themeeting has been set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
Applicant Christian Brunelle of Sonbyrne Sales Inc. submitted renderings and the proposed project to city planners to remove existing structures, including the former Country Max store, and construct a 4,332-square-foot, one-story convenience store and gas station.
Genesee County has been notified that it will be awarded $8139 for Phase 41 federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) funds through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as appropriated by Congress through FY2024.
Applications are due from qualified organizations by January 31.
The National Board consists of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army; and, United Way Worldwide. More about the national program is available online at www.efsp.unitedway.org.
A Local Board is charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help supplement food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country. The Local Board will determine how the funds awarded to Genesee County are to be distributed among local qualifying agencies.
The Genesee County Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP) Board is encouraging local agencies that meet requirements to apply for the funds. Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must: 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive Federal funds, 3) have an adequate accounting system, 4) practice non-discrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, have an active voluntary board of directors. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.
The deadline for applications to be submitted online is January 31. Non-profit organizations or public agencies interested in applying for funding may contact local board chair Katrina Standish at 585-589-5605, ext. 103 or via email at KStandish@caoginc.org.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities JUST LISTED! 52 Swan Street Batavia-City, NY 14020. Fantastic opportunity in heart of City that offers multiple business possibilities OR keep it for your own private work/storage space!!This is a super solid 2662 sq ft masonry building that has 3 overhead doors 6 year old roof and finished office space with private entrance to street. The building sits on a partially fenced large lot offering plenty of parking and area to drop your trailer or outside equipment! This type of opportunity doesn't come around often at this price-take advantage of it! Call Reliant Real Estate today, call 585-344-HOME (4663).
November 2024 File Photo of the first meeting for a prospective Genesee County Warming Center led by Oak Orchard Health and First Presbyterian Church. Photo by Joanne Beck
Interested folks filled the meeting room at First Presbyterian Church in mid-November 2024 to hear ideas and issues about the potential need for a warming center in Genesee County. Attendees were encouraged to sign up and indicate their interest in taking part as active participants in the mission led by Oak Orchard Health and church staff.
At that initial meeting, there was “a heartening display of community spirit to gather input on establishing a warming center,” the Rev. Roula Alkhouri of First Presbyterian says.
The meeting was to gauge interest, and about 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.
That first objective was a “resounding success,” Alkhouri said, as the gathering brought together concerned citizens and stakeholders. They, in turn, formed a dedicated steering committee that focused on five key areas to ensure a county warming center’s success, she said.
What is a warming center? This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.
The steering committee established five subcommittees, each tasked with a specific focus:
Funding: This subcommittee is responsible for identifying community donors, securing grants, and exploring other funding sources. They will also handle budgeting for the project.
Space: This team is working on identifying an appropriate space for the center, ensuring all regulatory and compliance requirements are met, and setting up the space.
Staffing: This subcommittee is creating a comprehensive staffing plan, including recruiting, hiring, and onboarding staff.
Community Resources: This group is identifying community partners, resources, supplies, and establishing Code Blue protocols.
Marketing: This team is focused on raising community awareness, communication, and education about the Warming Center.
“We are excited to begin this effort with the invaluable experience and planning resources of Oak Orchard Health,” Alkhouri said to The Batavian. “However, we are still looking for more community partners to join this initiative. If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please email me directly at roulaalkhouri@fpcbatavia.org or call me at the church office at 585-343-0505.
“Together, we can make a significant impact and provide a warm, safe space for those in need during the cold months,” she said. “Your support and involvement are crucial to the success of this project.”
2020 File Photo when JC Penney closed at Batavia City Centre. Photo by Howard Owens
City officials seemed pleased with the results of Thursday’s auction for the abandoned JC Penney’s site at 40 Batavia City Centre.
Such a mortgage foreclosure auction was a first for Batavia Development Corp. Executive Director Tammy Hathaway, she said, noting that it was “pretty interesting.”
File Photo of Tammy Hathaway during an open house in 2024 that involved renderings of the JC Penney's site and possible ideas for the property. Photo by Joanne Beck
“It went rather quickly. I took the public notice, and I did an email blast to all of the developers that we work with, but also the developers that we invite on our tours and to participate in the knowledge of what’s going on economically throughout Batavia,” she said at the second-floor waiting area of Genesee County Courts Facility. “There’s probably five or six individuals here today that have actually, I’ve personally walked through the building because it was listed with a real estate agent.”
Although the lobby was full of people — some there for court matters and others for the auction — only two active bidders stepped out from the group. Batavia business owner Matt Gray opened the action with a $2,000 bid, and the bank, represented by Ted Kwiatowski of Smart Serve, countered with $3,000. Gray then offered $25,000, and was upped by the bank to $26,000.
Gray and the bank went from $100,000 to $101,000, countered by new bidder Bill Baskin with $102,000. Gray then bid $125,000, countered by Baskin for $150,000. Gray offered $175,000, and after going one, two, three times, the auction was closed, with Gray getting the property — assessed at $400,000 — for a final bid of $175,000.
Hathaway talked excitedly about what her dream scenario would be for the site while Gray, Kwiatowski and legal representative Michael Ranzenhofer went to take care of paperwork.
Her vision is some type of live musical and entertainment venue with housing and apartments on the third and fourth floors, she said. As for who has purchased the property, she believes it is now in good hands.
“I mean, Matty is successful in his endeavors; he’s proven that. So I could not even find a complaint if I wanted to,” she said. “I took a phone call this morning from a developer that works in Syracuse that is very familiar with the area and had one who was looking at purchasing the Harvester campus, and he called this morning, and he’s like, I can’t be there at the auction but please, the second you know who purchases it, let us know. Because he’s like, I have a group of individuals, from developers to a whole variety of folks who are interested in having the conversation with whoever does purchase it.
“So creating that network, that’s really what it’s about,” she said. “So here’s a plan, how do we put the plan in action?”
Gray said that he bought the property on behalf of longtime business partner Matthew Boyd and himself. At first blush, he said nothing has been discussed, though “there’s a lot of possibilities.”
“I think you guys already know what I like. I like a vibrant downtown. I like city living. I love residential above our commercial,” he said. “As far as that building goes, it's been a vacant hole in our downtown, and it needs to have something there. So it was just a way of moving the ball forward.”
He will be working with Hathaway and is excited about the acquisition, he said.
The property has been vacant since Penney’s closed in the fall of 2020 and was purchased by California developer Yong Guang Ye in February 2021 for $500,000. Ye defaulted on payments, owing more than $179,000, and the property was put up for mortgage foreclosure by the out-of-state lending bank.
Plans are already underway for the 20th Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner which will take place Saturday, March 15, at 6 p.m. at the Alexander Fire Hall. This annual event is a celebration of Genesee County’s #1 Industry, Agriculture! The highlight of the night is a delicious meal using all locally sourced foods & products from Genesee County farms & agri-businesses. The dinner is open to the public.
Tickets are on sale now at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 8276 Park Road, Batavia. Tickets are $30 each, or a table of 10 can be purchased for $275. Sponsorships are also available which help support agriculture educational events in Genesee County.
Only 400 tickets will be sold. Tickets must be purchased by February 21. For more information or to download the registrations flyer visit the Chamber’s Website www.geneseeny.com.
The Celebrate Ag Dinner is coordinated by the following partners: Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District and Genesee County Farm Bureau.
Sponsors of the 2024 celebration included: Allied Financial Partners, Arctic Refrigeration, Baskin Livestock, Inc., BVT – Brad Vokes Trucking, Carolina Eastern Crocker, Chapin, CPL, CY Farms/Batavia Turf, David Czapranski Trucking, Farm Credit East. ACA, Farm Family Insurance Company, Fieldstone Private Wealth, Freed Maxick CPA, Genesee County Farm Bureau, Growmark FS, LLC-Caledonia, L&M Specialty Fabrications, LLC, Lamb Farms, LandPro Equipment, L-Brooke Farms, LLC, Monroe Tractor & Implement Co., Inc., M&T Bank, My-T Acres, National Grid, Perry Veterinary Clinic, Stein Farms, LLC, Torrey Farms, Western New York Energy, LLC, William Kent, Inc. and Windy Acres Farm.
Farms and businesses that donated locally grown food for the 2024 dinner included: Dorman Farms, Farm Fresh First, Inc/Nortera Foods, Fenton’s Produce, SJ Starowitz Farms, Torrey Farms, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc., Daves Ice Cream, Yancey’s Fancy.
For ticket information or questions contact the Kelly B. at The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 585-343-7440 or kbermingham@geneseeny.com.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) announced the launch of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. The Congressional Art Competition is open to high school students who reside in New York’s 24th Congressional District.
Since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has been held each spring to celebrate the talents of young artists across the country. Rep. Tenney welcomes students from the 24th Congressional District to take part in this tradition. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of experts from NY-24, and the winning artwork will be displayed in the United States Capitol for one year.
In 2024, Tenney’s office received over 30 submissions from high schoolers across New York's 24th Congressional District.
Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor
Computer-generated art
Photographs
All submissions must be delivered to one of Tenney's district offices beginning April 14 and ending April 18. All necessary paperwork must be attached to the students’ artwork.
Please set up a time to drop off artwork at one of the following locations:
Lockport District Office - 169 Niagara Street, Lockport, Phone 716-514-5130
Canandaigua District Office - 2375 Rochester Road, Suite 250, Canandaigua, Phone 585-869-2060
Oswego District Office - 46 E Bridge Street, Suite 102, Oswego, Phone - 315-236-7088
Schumer explained this would lock in the federal funding Edwards Vacuum needs for plans to build its new $300+ million dry pump manufacturing facility for the semiconductor industry, the first of its kind in the country, as there is currently no domestic production of semiconductor-grade dry vacuum pumps.
“Edwards Vacuum’s $18 million CHIPS award is locked in. This finalized federal investment will help ensure NY’s semiconductor supply chain is made right here in Genesee County,” said Senator Schumer. “The signed CHIPS award is a major step forward for this $300 million, 600 job project that will be a pivotal stop on America’s semiconductor superhighway. All the major semiconductor companies in New York and across America need this vacuum technology for their chip fabs, that only Edwards will make in the USA.It is a prime example of why our region is growing as the nation’s semiconductor ‘Tech Hub.’ With the funding from my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law now signed and sealed, Edwards Vacuum’s growth in Western NY can continue knowing the funding will be secured for them to tap no matter the administration. This is a win-win-win: for Genesee County, for Upstate NY, and America.”
This federal funding will support a planned $300+ million investment and 600 good-paying jobs when the facility reaches full production capacity. Schumer explained all chip fabs need vacuum technology, such as that produced by Edwards, to power the sophisticated equipment and state-of-the-art machine tools needed to make microchips. Those tools use vacuum pumps, like those that will now be made in Western New York, to manipulate the chip wafers and control industrial gasses needed to manufacture the finished microchips. By bringing manufacturing to New York, new chip fabs such as Micron and GlobalFoundries in New York and Intel in Ohio can have access to critical dry pumps that will now be made in the U.S., offering chip producers shorter wait times, improved responsiveness, lower risks of supply chain disruptions, and reduced CO2 emissions from an American-made product.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will disburse funds in the coming years as Edwards Vacuum meets project milestones agreed to in the final award.
Schumer also helped the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region win the prestigious Tech Hub designation to support the buildout of the semiconductor supply chain in Upstate NY through his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law and last year secured a major $40 million investment to implement the Tech Hub’s work with companies like Edwards. The proposal, called the “NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub” has built on the historic investments Schumer delivered that have spurred a boom in semiconductor manufacturing and innovation across Upstate NY. Edwards Vacuum is working with Genesee Community College and Tech Hub partners like Monroe Community College, Erie Community College, and the Northland Workforce Training Center to help them hire and train hundreds of new workers.
“The Empire State is becoming a national leader in advanced manufacturing because of the investments New York has made in this industry and the extraordinary help of President Biden. New York State has the talent, infrastructure and innovation to continue on this trajectory and the best is yet to come. My 2025 State of the State includes new initiatives to grow this critical industry, and we’ll continue doing everything in our power to great jobs and boost economic growth,” said Governor Kathy Hochul.
Matt Gray, left, and Bill Baskin are the only two bidders against the bank during a mortgage foreclosure auction Thursday morning for the former JC Penney building in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck
In a series of seven steps, successful downtown business owner Matt Gray scooped up the former JC Penney’s department store in a fairly quick auction Thursday morning at the Genesee County Courts Facility.
Gray purchased the property for $175,000, bidding against the bank and Bill Baskin, who stepped in toward the end with a bid of $150,000.
The property has been vacant since Penney’s closed in the fall of 2020 and was purchased by a California developer in February 2021 for $500,000. He defaulted on payments, and the property was put up for mortgage foreclosure by the out-of-state lending bank.
Gray said he has no definite plans but said that he likes a vibrant downtown with a mix of commercial and housing options.
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