Purrdita, a calico cat in the town of Batavia, was last seen Friday near her home on Batavia-Elba Townline Road. Submitted photo
The family of Purrdita, a one-year-old female calico cat, is worried about her, as they haven't seen her in her home at Batavia-Elba Townline Road since Friday.
Sometimes she hides for a day, but she still has not been seen as of Sunday, and she's an indoor cat, so the family has put out an appeal for her in case she has somehow managed to escape the home.
If you have seen the spayed feline, also known as Purrdy or kitty-kitty, please call Corinne Miller-Williams at (585) 815-3797.
Michael and Megan Nixon, parents of Capt. Tyler Austin Nixon, 27, with the flag from his coffin near the end of a funeral service on Saturday at St. Cecilia Cemetery in Oakfield. Photo by Howard Owens.
Capt. Tyler A. Nixon, U.S. Army
Tyler Austin Nixon, 27, a graduate of Oakfield-Alabama High School, was honored with a Mass of Christian Burial at Resurrection Roman Catholic Church on Saturday morning, followed by burial with military honors at St. Cecilia Cemetery in Oakfield.
Nixon, a highly regarded captain in the U.S. Army, died unexpectedly on Sept. 23. He was found unresponsive in his quarters at Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, where he was attending Medical Service Corps training in the Captains Career Course.
His death remains under investigation by the Army, and an Army spokesman said no further information will be released until the investigation is completed.
The Batavian did not seek comment from his parents, Michael and Megan Nixon, but in a military memorial service in San Antonio on Oct. 3, Nixon was praised by a former and his most recent commander as an outstanding human being and an officer who was a credit to the U.S. military.
Col. Thomas Collette, a former commander, spoke of first meeting Nixon when the colonel took command of the 421st Medical Battalion.
"As you can see, Tyler was a big guy with an even bigger smile. He introduced himself brimming with enthusiasm for his new role as the S3 (Operations and Training Officer),” Collette said. "I couldn't have been more pleased to have an officer so deeply committed to this position. Even in our first conversation, it became abundantly clear that Captain Nixon was an officer filled with a passion for operations and unafraid of a challenge.”
In the ensuing months, Collette said, Nixon took on increasingly complex and demanding duties that "pushed him well beyond his prior experiences. These challenges might have overwhelmed the lesser officer, but Tyler remained resolute and dedicated to professional growth and leadership development."
Collette observed Nixon as the officer in charge of the Expert Field Medical Badge competition, which would take place in Europe.
"What stood out most about Tyler in these duties was his thirst for knowledge and self-improvement," Collette said. "He valued and actively incorporated feedback from others, firmly believing he could learn from anyone. This desire to learn and grow forged strong bonds across the battalion."
Collette said Nixon displayed a "relaxed confidence and unwavering positivity" and that he was "the first to bring levity to intense situations."
He said, "We will forever remember him first for his cheerfulness, his quiet, unshakable confidence, his natural gift for uplifting others when they fell down, and his spirit that refused to quit."
Nixon graduated from Canisius College, where he attended the Reserve Officer Training Corp, and was thus commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation in 2018. At Canisius, Nixon played rugby, a sport he continued to enjoy while in the Army.
Major Gray (his first name isn't mentioned during the service) remembered Nixon for many of the same traits recalled by Collette.
He said he didn't really get to know Nixon until after they were deployed to Italy.
"During the drive to Vicenza, I learned about Tyler's love for his family, his dogs, motorcycles, lifting weights and rugby," Gray recalled. "We talked about the wonderful traveling opportunities that being stationed in Europe had to offer and how we looked forward to seeing new things and going into new places. While we were there, I learned that Tyler was an incredibly hard worker starting early and finishing late almost every day."
He said Nixon was "good-natured and easygoing" and that he could "connect with anyone."
He also recalled a story that illustrated both Nixon's love of sports and his dedication to seeing the mission through, even if it was a recreational activity.
"He literally gave up an entire weekend to umpire a softball tournament when he was told that they would have to cancel if they didn't get the volunteers they needed," Gray said. "So in the days leading up to that, he studied and learned how to umpire even though I'm pretty sure he had never played softball before, so he could umpire the game. Leading up to that time, he had to learn all the hand gestures and get all the calls down. And while he was umpiring, pretty much everyone was talking about how great he was doing and how he was the best umpire out of all the ones that they had, and that every future tournament that they were doing, they wanted him to come. That really is a testament to who he was as a person."
Besides his parents, who currently reside in San Antonio, Capt. Nixon is survived by his brother Jacob, sister Alison, and niece Coram, along with his grandparents Dale and Elaine Tucker and Michael and Kathy Nixon.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Burdett-Sanford Funeral Home in Oakfield.
The Batavian wishes to thank the Nixon family for providing us the opportunity, the honor and the privilege of covering his memorial service on Saturday.
Besides the photos with this story, you can view 49 more photos in a slideshow by clicking here. And scroll down to the bottom of this post for a video of the Oct. 3 service in San Antonio.
Attica resident Mark Brown rolled his second 300 game in three weeks on Friday night -- finishing with 12 strikes in the County Line Friday Trios League at Mancuso Bowling Center.
The 54-year-old right-hander struggled a bit on lanes 13-14 in the first two games but found the line in game three to finish with a 647 series.
Two weeks ago, he posted a 300 game en route to a 754 series in the same league, on lanes 21-22.
In other Genesee Region USBC league action at Mancuso's:
-- Jason Quilliam of Batavia fired a 289 third game for a 760 series in the Meyer's RV Monday Night NFL League;
-- Brian Cline of Middleport spun a 248 triplicate for a 744 series in the Mancuso Real Estate Monday Doubles League;
-- Nick Johnson of Bergen rolled a 279 middle game on the way to a 750 series in the Brighton Securities Tuesday Triples League.
In Tommy Kress 60-and-Over Tour action today, Jim Foss of Medina took first place at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport, firing a 224 final game for the $250 top prize. Paul Spiotta of Batavia also made the finals, earning $70.
For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.
The Buffalo Bills played a rare Sunday morning game -- because the game was in London -- and multiple bars and restaurants opened early for fans, including the Smokin' Eagle in Le Roy.
Zeke Lynn shows off a Western New York Plate at Everybody Eats during the takeout restaurant's soft opening Saturday at Batavia City Centre. Photo by Joanne Beck
Liliana Perl and her family drove to Batavia just to try out a signature Everybody Eats dish at City Centre on Saturday evening. After all, the Elba resident had heard about the new takeout restaurant and wanted to give it a try, she said.
She and the family filled the tables and seats that were just outside the kitchen and enjoyed their meal even though most dishes were to-go orders. They had the Western New York Plate: a derivative of the garbage plate, but with a chef Zeke Lynn touch of pan-fried hash browns, macaroni salad, a hotdog, meat sauce, mustard and ketchup.
Was it worth the drive?
“That was amazing,” Perl said. “It was very, very good, the best in town. We are garbage plate fiends. We love a good garbage plate.”
Lynn first announced in August that he would be moving into the space at 29 Batavia City Centre after cleaning up the space and setting up the kitchen.
Now, with a new stove and griddle installed, he had a couple of test days earlier this week selling sandwiches and a minestrone soup, despite the very unseasonably hot temperature (that became the joke about serving hot soup in 86-degree weather).
The restaurant had a soft opening on Saturday, featuring bolognese, a dish of homemade beef and pork ragu that’s slow simmered and served over fettuccine pasta, and his WNY Plate loaded with potatoes, mac salad, meat sauce and a choice of hotdog, burger or cheeseburger.
They will be there again from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday, with the pickup entrance opposite Wendy’s. To order, call or text (585) 813-7969.
Lynn and his partner, Sam Lang, have worked in restaurants “our whole lives,” and look forward to catering to the appetites of their local customers, Lang said.
“Every week, we’ll focus on specials and then bring in some new stuff. We really feed off of feedback, good or bad. We really want to know what people want,” he said. “We’ll have a steak night coming up soon. The hardest part is we don’t really want to lock down one thing. And we’ll be offering cooking classes; they’ll be coming in the future.”
He and Lynn felt that the Bolognese and WNY Plate are two of their best dishes, so that’s what they began with. They will be adding other menu items as they go along, according to customer requests and input.
They plan to serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and add a dinner menu from Thursdays through the weekend.
An officer checks the VIN of a vehicle identified as the suspect vehicle in a pursuit in Batavia. The plates may have been switched on the vehicle. The operator fled from the vehicle after stopping in a driveway on Summit Street, across the street from St. Joe's. He apparently lost control trying to negotiate the turn from East Main onto Summit. Photo by Howard Owens.
A pursuit that started on the Southside of Batavia is now a foot chase in the area of Summit Street.
The vehicle may have struck a building on Jackson Street, and the suspect continued to Jackson, South Jackson, Maple, East Main, and now Summit.
The suspect, described as a black male with a ball cap is now west on Washington Avenue.
UPDATE 12:36 p.m.: The subject is also said to be wearing a plaid-style jacket.
UPDATE 1:43 a.m.: The search is ongoing, involving patrols from Batavia PD and the Sheriff's Office. There is nobody available on scene who can provide an update about the case. Communication has been moved to a secure channel. So, it will be unlikely we can provide any further updates tonight. The search is generally in the area of Summit and Washington.
Photo showing the skid marks from the vehicle as a result of the operator apparently losing control. Photo by Howard Owens.
The Oakfield-Alabama/Elba Aggies picked up a win on Saturday, beating Geneseo 31-0.
OAE stats:
QB/DL Austin Pangrazio - 21 Carries, 134 Yards, four TDs., three Tackles, one TFL, one Fumble Recovery
RB Avery Watterson - 15 Carries, 128 Yards, one TD
LB Ashton Bezon - 10 Tackles, five TFLs, one Sack, one Forced Fumble
DL Angelo Penna - nine Tackles, three TFLs
"It's good to get one back in the W column," said Head Coach Tyler Winter. "These boys have been working hard. I'm happy they got to enjoy the fruits of their labor. However, we know we need to remain grounded and stay the course. Class D is wide open this year. We keep saying, 'The team in our class who has the best October is going to really like their November.' We'll continue to grow and prepare for the next challenge."
The Pembroke Dragons continue to dominate other eight-man squads, picking up their sixth win against no defeats on Friday by beating Allegany-Limestone (Section VI), 68-22.
Coach Brandon Ricci credits the blocking of Ben Steinberg, Jayden Mast, Jayden Bridge, Madden Perry, JJ Gabbey, Octavius Martin and Hayden Williams with helping the Dragons amass 400 yards of total offense on just 27 plays.
Tyson Totten ran for 275 yards and six touchdowns on 19 carries. He also added a punt return for a touchdown.
Fullback Caleb Felski had 100 yards rushing and one touchdown on seven carries.
Quarterback Vijay Dhanda Finished the scoring on his lone carry for a 50-yard touchdown.
Defensively the Dragons were led by linebacker Vijay Dhanda with 11 tackles. Caleb Felski added nine tackles of his own, while Tyson had six and an interception that he took 80 yards back for a score.
York/Pavilion beat Notre Dame 25-18 in a Thursday Night football game.
For Notre Dame, Jay Antinore was 7-13 passing for 112 yards and TD with one interception. He also ran for 70 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown on the ground.
Ryan Fitzpatrick had five receptions for 96 yards and a TD.
For York/Pavilion, Parker Bonefede was 13-20 passing for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He ran seven times for 21 yards and two TDs.
Tyler Brady and Jacob Pangrazio each had a TD reception.
Just listed: 5497 Ford Road, Elba.Adorable!! Move in immediately and don’t skip a beat because everything has been done for you! Affordabley priced this home offers a lot-new roof, all new windows, new back patio and great corner 1/2 acre lot and freshly landscaped! PLUS a completely gutted and remodeled first floor that has pretty eat in kitchen full first floor bath with laundry and downstairs bedroom. Upstairs also has full bath and two good size bedrooms-this home has great use of space that makes it seem much bigger than square footage! Also there is an attached garage with wall heater that allows you to do some extra puttering if you want to!! This home has a lot to offer and is not a flip home-easily seen and no delay!!
Reader-submitted photo of a police car damaged by a fleeing suspect during a high-speed chase that went down Holland Avenue, Batavia.
In a pursuit that reportedly started with the theft of merchandise from Ulta Beauty, a Batavia PD patrol car was struck and damaged on Holland Avenue at around 5 p.m. on Friday.
The suspect vehicle was later spotted on Park Road and was headed toward the Thruway.
Police communications are on a secure channel, and Batavia PD has yet to release further information.
Engineer Michael Metzger and Developer Michael Schmidt at the Sept. 27 Town of Pembroke Planning Board meeting. Photo by Howard Owens.
It's more expensive to build an apartment complex in Pembroke than locations to the town's immediate west, according to developer Mike Schmidt, and what he can charge for rent in Pembroke is substantially less than in just about any part of Erie County.
So he wouldn't build in Pembroke if not for the tax abatements he sought and could receive from the Genesee County Economic Development Center.
On Thursday, the GCEDC board of directors voted to move the proposed incentive package for Countryside Apartments LLC to a public hearing at a date and time yet to be scheduled in the Town of Pembroke.
If approved by the board after the hearing, Schmidt, who is planning to invest $15.65 million to build a complex that could eventually contain 96 market-rate apartments -- would receive a sales tax exemption on building materials worth $739,200, a property tax abatement of $2 million, and a mortgage tax abatement of $130,000.
The location is at 8900 Alleghany Road, Pembroke, which is about halfway between Cohocton Road and Brickhouse Corners. Immediately to the south of the currently wooded 8.2-acre lot is a farm field and a long-abandoned gas station. A single-family home is on the land to the north. The property is zoned limited commercial and agricultural-residential.
The Batavian interviewed Schmidt on Friday because, at a Town of Pembroke Planning Board meeting on Sept 27, it sounded like Schmidt said he was getting no government assistance for the project -- as in, no government subsidies.
At the meeting that night, some residents raised the specter of Ellicott Station and how the project seemed to go from market-rate apartments to low-income housing once state and federal agencies got involved, and Schmidt replied that "They (Savarino Companies) already had all the agencies lined up to work with them. We are here alone. Mike's (Metzger) my engineer. We have no intention of doing that. I can put that into writing. We certainly aren't going to be looking for any state financial aid or any type of anything from the government to help us. (emphasis added)"
Today, Schmidt said he felt bad that maybe he didn't communicate as clearly as he would like. He called himself a straight-shooter and said that he certainly didn't mean to mislead anybody. In his mind, he was speaking purely in the context of seeing the kind of government assistance that comes from Housing and Urban Development or the state Office of Homes and Community Renewal -- assistance that comes with strings attached on the kind of housing you must develop.
The GCEDC assistance has no such income requirements.
It perhaps should be noted, too, that GCEDC is not technically a government agency. It is a public benefit corporation, which places it somewhere between being a government agency -- created through legislation -- and a standard non-profit. However, IDAs, such as GCEDC, are given the authority to grant relief from certain taxes levied by state and local government bodies.
Schmidt said no one with GCEDC or any government agency has approached him about turning his complex into subsidized housing.
"It's not going to happen on this project," he reiterated.
He said that was the only point he was trying to make to the planning board and residents in attendance, and he's sorry if it came across as forgoing all assistance.
"My intention is to do my level best to be as clear as I can with my answers," Schmidt said.
He said he understands that what has happened with Ellicott Station has made people more distrustful of developers. He said he's followed the project closely and that by his count, Savarino Companies has a dozen different government agencies involved in the project. That isn't the case with his project, he said.
He said he understands that people are concerned about a "bait and switch."
"That (Ellicott Station) hasn't been real helpful to me," Schmidt said. "The trust level that is normally there between a developer and a town board and a town planning board has kind of been breached."
When asked if his statement that he wasn't seeking assistance might be seen as misleading and leads to further distrust of developers, Schmidt said he disagreed with the idea that he is taking anything from anybody.
He called it a "mischaracterization."
Nobody is handing him money, he said. He's financing the entire project himself. However, the tax breaks are the only way to make the project viable because of the disparities in expenses and revenues between Genesee County and Erie County.
"There is no way this project could move forward without the help," Schmidt said. "Without the help, these projects and projects like it won't happen."
An explanation of the abatements: If nothing is built, there is no sales tax to charge on materials not sold, so the argument from IDA supporters is that it isn't money spent, and the same with the mortgage tax. On the property tax abatement, in the form of a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes, meaning the developer pays some fees to local jurisdictions), the abatement is only the portion of the tax increase caused by the increase in assessed value that development creates, so if there's no development, there is no increase in assessed value, and no new taxes to forgive, and no increase in tax revenue when the PILOT ends.
Schmidt listed several Erie County communities where he could get $800 a month more in rent for the same apartments he's planning in Pembroke, where he'll charge from $1,400 a month to $1,700 a month.
And because there are fewer qualified contractors who will take on projects in Pembroke, and it costs more to truck some material to Pembroke, his expenses are higher to build in Pembroke than in other communities.
Additionally, the cost of construction in recent years has gone up substantially in the past few years, he said. Not counting site work, it costs $200 a foot to build an apartment complex, he said.
Financial incentives are the only way he can keep rents affordable.
Asked about getting tax breaks not available to existing landlords in the area, he said his costs are substantially higher than any landlord buying existing buildings.
"When you're buying apartments in an area where you're paying a fraction of the amount per unit than it costs to build new, that's a real benefit to that landlord," Schmidt said. "When I build new units at a higher rental price, those landlords are able to raise their rents, and with higher rents can still say, 'look at what a bargain you're getting from me.'"
Genesee County, in general, and Pembroke in particular, needs more housing, Schmidt noted, especially in light of all the new development coming in -- Plug Power and Edwards Vacuum at WNY STAMP, multiple new projects at Exit 48A, and new mixed-use developments at Brickhouse Corners.
Because of that, Schmidt believes his project will be successful and fill up quickly, though he recognizes there are no guarantees, which is why he's taking a phased approach to building the complex -- four separate buildings of 24 apartment units each. He's not going to build any units beyond the first phase if it turns out there is no demand, or he will wait for the demand to grow, which could take years.
"I don't know how big the demand will be," Schmidt said. "I can't say. I know it's not a field of dreams where I can build 10,000 units, and they will be full. That's not it. But I'm confident this will be a successful project."
He also thinks he will fill the units with tenants that current Pembroke residents will appreciate as neighbors. And that his tenants will be the kind people who not only make a positive contribution to the community but they will also contribute economically, which benefits all business and property owners
"As I said at the meeting, having more people who are qualified, hardworking people with good jobs drives the value up of every property," Schmidt said. "Undoubtedly."
Who rents apartments? Schmidt said it's people who don't want the responsibility of owning a home.
"A house is permanent," Schmidt said. "It means you think you're going to stay in the area. You know you have a secure job. You want to be certain that you want to stay in a community. You like the schools. An apartment is a stepping stone into that area."
An apartment dweller doesn't have to worry about putting on a new $18,000 roof, or fixing the dishwasher when it's broken, or plowing the snow, or tree removal after a storm, or spending $300 plus labor on a new sump pump.
"Apartment living is very simple living," Schmidt said. "When you pay rent, you have an all-in number. For $400 a week, you know every expense is covered. People like that.”
He then explained, "I know a guy who sold a $500,000 house and is moving into an apartment -- not senior housing but into a $2,300-a-month apartment. You might say he's insane, but he doesn't want to do snow removal. He doesn't want to mow a lawn any more. He wants to be able to go and come as he pleases."
Schmidt admitted, "Hey, I'm a landlord," so of course, he's bullish on apartments, but he sees the demand. A fellow landlord in Erie County rents his units for $2,600 a month.
"You might think, 'Who the heck is going to pay that,'" Schmidt said. "He has a waiting list."
He added, "New people are coming. They just will be. I don't know how many jobs they're projecting over the next 10 years, but if the projections are just half right, there will be a lot of need for housing."
But meeting the growing local need for more roofs to put over the heads of more people is only possible, he said, through the financial assistance of an agency like GCEDC.
"Housing is needed in the area, so how are you going to get it, to get investments from people like me, who would normally invest in other parts of the WNY region, more toward Buffalo, if you're not going to work with them and help them, without some sort of financial incentive," Schmidt said.
Rendering of a 24-unit apartment building proposed for Route 77 in Pembroke, courtesy of Developer Mike Schmidt.
August 2023 File Photo of John Bennett Photo by Mike Pettinella
After spending 40 years in a career involved with people dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, John Bennett believes he has come to know those people fairly well. And after all is said and done, no matter their struggles and perceived defects, “they’re just people,” he says.
Bennett, the chief executive officer for UConnectCare, formerly Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, or GCASA, is taking some time to collect his thoughts and plans for the agency after his request for funding was turned down Wednesday by four Genesee County legislators.
The Batavian needs to clarify two points that may have gotten lost in the fray of comments involved in the potential deal. One is that the $100,000 request was not directly from the county’s coffers or taxpayers. The money would have come from settlement funds that were the result of an opioid-related lawsuit that Genesee County was part of, along with several other counties.
There is some $463,000 available, and a portion of the money has a restricted use that must go toward opioid-related purposes. For example, some of the opioid funding went for monitoring of wastewater to track what types of drugs are being used in Genesee County.
The second point is that while the assessed value of the motel has been cited as $293,000, the property has also been listed as for sale on LoopNet. That listing does not include an asking price; however, Realtor.com gives the estimated market value of the property as $970,343. That is how the purchase price landed at $800,000.
Aside from those two financial considerations, the legislators did not want the deal for other reasons, and those comments are what hit the hardest for Bennett, he said.
The idea was to have a place for transitional housing to serve people in need of safe temporary housing, and it was discussed by a committee of representatives from the county, GCASA, and mental health that all seemed to agree it was a good idea, he said.
“I will say that the legislators, this group, sent a message about how they feel about people with addiction and recovery. And it's disappointing to me because I've worked 25 years in this community. And, you know, part of my mission is to help reduce the stigma of people with addiction, and I feel that maybe I haven't done such a good job,” Bennett said. “If that's the way some people in the legislature still feel about having us in the community and the people we serve … I'm trying to take a look at all that right now.”
He invites the legislators, and anyone who is interested, to take a tour of the facilities at the newly named UConnectCare, and talk to people there to learn more about what they do.
Bennett is concerned about how people with addictions are portrayed just because they may struggle and relapse — even if it’s multiple times. Many people have such a story in their own families, including Bennett, he said. His grandfather, whom he was named after, “drank himself to death,” dying the year Bennett was born as a young man in his 50s.
“And my mother always told me stories about what a kind man he was, that he’d give you the shirt off his back, but he had a drinking problem, and then in her infinite wisdom named me after him,” Bennett said. "I grew up going to Al-Anon meetings. And then my uncle, who was a prominent regional director for Mutual of Omaha, was also an alcoholic.”
The point being that, yes, good people can struggle with substances, he said.
He also takes issue with any insinuation that his agency is a drain on the county. GCASA has gotten $35,000 from Genesee County in its yearly allotment.
“We’re very appreciative of that, but that’s all we get in a $12 million budget,” he said. “So we’re not a drain on this county at all. In fact, we bring a lot of business. And the building that I sit in, we bought the building at auction. It was abandoned and dilapidated. It was empty for like 10 years. And nobody was paying taxes on it. That’s why we ended up buying it at auction,” he said.
The agency helps to boost the local economy by hiring local contractors for that work, and the 76 percent of its 200-person staff that lives and works in Genesee and Orleans counties, he said.
“You can come come down to visit us. If you really serve in the community, come down and take a tour of our buildings, meet my staff, and meet some of the people that we service. They'll be willing to talk to you. But don't step up in public and say things that you don't really know anything about. That's my message,” he said. “Some people are there at the worst. They're down and out, and they're at the worst point of their life, and they need help. And, you know, you have to be willing to work for those people, too. So, yeah, I'm disappointed. I'm okay with making a decision not to give the money. I mean, that's not really the issue. The issue was how it was managed, the things that were said.”
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today released the following statement on the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the upcoming House Republican leadership race.
"The American people are fed up with political gamesmanship and dysfunction in Washington," said Congresswoman Tenney. "Sadly, a small group of Republicans teamed up with the Democrats to plunge our conference into a leadership race and sideline our effort to pass conservative appropriations bills.
"Instead of working together to pass spending cuts, gain operational control of our borders, rein in Biden’s bloated bureaucracy, and hold the corrupt Biden family accountable through oversight functions, Republicans will remain divided amid important negotiations with Biden and Schumer. Speaker McCarthy’s magnanimous and courageous decision to step aside gives Republicans one last chance to unify, come together, elect a speaker, and deliver conservative wins for the American people."
No matter who we are or where we come from, we all know at least one person affected by opioid use disorder (OUD). An estimated 2.1 million Americans have OUD 1.
Since 2019, there have been 57 fatal opioid overdoses in Genesee County, with additional deaths still pending official causes of death. What many don’t realize is that OUD is a medical disorder characterized by an inability to stop the use of an opioid, despite the negative consequences associated with its use.
HEALing Genesee is committed to reducing opioid overdose deaths. Many families are broken and lives are disrupted due to misuse of opioids. Research findings are clear: medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are the single most effective tool to promote long-term recovery.
Recovery from OUD also requires more than willpower, and medications can be part of the solution. Three FDA approved medications – methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone – can lower the risk of relapse and overdose.
Evidence shows that these medications reduce or eliminate withdrawal symptoms (methadone, buprenorphine), blunt or block effects of illicit opioids (methadone, naltrexone, buprenorphine), and reduce or eliminate cravings to use opioids (methadone, buprenorphine).
MOUD treatment can be combined with psychotherapy, support groups, or other treatment opportunities where available. To reduce overdose deaths and the many other destructive effects of opioid use disorder on our community, we must increase the number of people who seek MOUD treatment and who stay in treatment long enough to recover.
A HEALing Communities Study spokesperson, Johnny, has been taking MOUD for over 5 years as part of his recovery path. During an interview led by study staff, Johnny provided some ways for how he overcame treatment barriers. “At the beginning there were many people who didn’t believe in MOUD.”
He noted there were many people in his life who believed MOUD was just substituting one drug for another, but it’s not. He says, “Don’t give up. This [MOUD] works. If it doesn’t work for you the first time, try again. Be honest with yourself and your counselors and the people trying to help you. It is your treatment and your recovery. Stay in treatment, your life is worth it!”
You Can Help HEAL our Communities
How can you help? If you know someone with opioid use disorder, encourage them to seek MOUD. If you know someone who is in MOUD treatment, let them know you support their efforts and recognize the courage it takes to break the cycle of drug dependence. If someone you know has a family member in MOUD treatment, tell them how glad you are to hear it and how you hope their family member stays in that treatment as long as they need it.
Your encouragement matters because one of the reasons that some people leave MOUD treatment too soon, or never enter it at all, is lack of support from family and friends. The notion that MOUD “isn’t real recovery” has prevented too many people from using MOUD to succeed in recovery and there are challenges people in recovery face. Some challenges may include separating from previous drug-using social networks and managing anxiety and depression, withdrawal, and potential occasional relapse events.
For a person with opioid use disorder, chances of recovery become much greater when MOUD treatment efforts are supported by friends, family, and the connections within their social networks, and transportation, housing, and employment are accessible in the community.
Together, we can HEAL our communities.
To learn more about the challenges people face with opioid use disorder, and some tips to overcome them, visit www.HealTogetherStories.org to watch the powerful testimonials of people on MOUD in communities like ours. It is up to all of us to help as many people in Genesee County recover from opioid use disorder.
To learn more about the HEALing Communities Study, visit:
HEALing Communities Study Website: www.HealTogetherNY.org/Genesee
GOW Opioid Task Force Website: www.gowopioidtaskforce.org/
Town Court Clerk Below are two lists: one details the myriad responsibilities that fall within the purview of the court clerk; the other summarizes the knowledge and abilities that court clerks possess or acquire through training. These lists are provided so that a judge and municipality can intelligently discuss the benefits that a court clerk can provide. The items below can also form the basis for a list of job duties should a municipality need to fill a vacancy in a court clerk position. Primary Responsibilities A. Maintain confidentiality of records and information when required to do so B. Prepare court calendar C. Collect monies, reconcile daily receipts, deposit receipts, prepare reports for monthly disbursements, reconcile bank accounts, and prepare administrative reports D. Enter convictions on drivers' licenses and prepare conviction reports electronically transmitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles E. Enter criminal conviction on NCIC reports and electronically send same to Division of Criminal Justice Services F. Respond to inquiries-in person, by phone, by e-mail and by mail-and provide assistance to lawyers, litigants, media, and members of the public G. Prepare monthly reports that are electronically sent to the Office of the State Comptroller H. Prepare orders, summonses, warrants and other court forms i. Communicate with outside agencies in order to coordinate the Court's activities and provide services to litigants. Such agencies include: ii. Law enforcement agencies, such as local police departments, New York State Police, Sheriffs office, FBI and CIA, US Armed Forces, and the Office of the District Attorney; I. Other courts, including superior courts and other local town and village courts; and i. Miscellaneous county agencies, such as Community Service, Community Dispute Resolution Center, Pre-trial Release, Probation, Stop DWI program, Victim Impact Panel, and Youth Court. ii. State agencies that require periodic reporting, including the New York State Unified Court System, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Office of the State Comptroller, the Division of Criminal Justice Services, and the Office of Court Record Retention. J. Examine court documents to ensure their accuracy and completeness K. Receive and file summonses, traffic tickets and other documents for court proceedings i. Assist the Justice at the bench during all Court proceedings Knowledge of: 1. The functions and organization of the Unified Court System ii. Basic legal terminology, codes and abbreviations iii. Court forms, practices and procedures, including those set forth in the Uniform Justice Court Act and the Uniform Civil Rules for the Justice Courts (22 NYCRR Part 214) 2. Ability to: i. Prepare judicial orders and decisions ii. Effectively communicate information orally and in writing iii. File and retrieve materials, extract data from various sources for entry onto court form iv. Research and interpret laws outlined in court documents and litigants' motions and other papers v. Perform mathematical tasks in order to compile court activity reports, total receipts, accept payments, and verify bills vi. Refer to appropriate documents, statutes, citations or other sources in order to respond to specific questions from attorneys, litigants and members of the general public vii. Interpret policies, statutes, rules and regulations and apply them in specific contexts viii. Establish work priorities ix. Constructively manage conflict with court users Qualifications: Highschool diploma recognized by the NYS Dept of Education or appropriate equivalent. Along with 4 years of college, specialization in criminal justice, law, business administration or related field. -OR- 2 years college with specialization in Business Administration or related field. Please email your resume to abrownell@townofbatavia.com no later than 12/16/2024. Pay is based on experience.
