The New York State Homes and Community Renewal agency has approved an award of $5,691,573 for Ellicott Station, a mixed-use brownfield development project to be built on the site of the former Soccio & Della Penna construction company and Santy’s Tire Sales on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia.

Minutes from a July 14^th teleconference meeting of HCR’s Housing Trust Fund Corporation, a subsidiary public benefit corporation of the NYS Housing Finance Agency, reveal that Savarino Companies of Buffalo, project developer, was one of 19 initiatives receiving assistance.

The minutes also indicate that the committee members "hereby provide that this authorization will lapse after 360 days if a closing on all sources of construction financing sufficient to complete the project has not occurred."

The plan for Ellicott Station, with a price tag of $22.5 million, is to construct a five-story apartment building with 55 new, modern workforce housing units, as well as a brewery, restaurant/beer garden and potential further development on 3.31 acres. It is expected to create 20 jobs in the city’s downtown area.

The venture has received funding ($425,000) from Batavia’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award and has been approved for $3.6 million in tax abatements from the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

In December 2016, the project was awarded a $1.9 million Consolidated Application Grant through the Finger Lakes Regional Development Council. It was introduced to the public by Batavia Development Corporation officials at a press conference nine months earlier.

A telephone call and text message to Chief Executive Officer Samuel Savarino have yet to be returned.

Batavia's Acting City Manager Rachael Tabelski said that Savarino Companies have paid all of the building permit fees to the city, a sign that activity could be underway in the near future.

According to its website, the HTFC’s mission is to further community development through the construction, development, revitalization and preservation of low-income housing, the development and preservation of businesses, the creation of job opportunities, and the development of public infrastructures and facilities.

Financing resources include agency-issued tax-exempt, taxable, and 501(c)(3) bonds, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and subsidy loans.

The HTFC also authorized a $4 million award to Home Leasing LLC of Rochester for its Liberty Square project, a 55-unit, four-story apartment building that is under construction on a parcel of land that had been the site of homes at 552, 554 and 556 E. Main St., Batavia.

Twenty-eight of the apartments will be set aside for homeless veterans with the remainder designated as affordable for lower-income residents.

The total cost of that development is expected to exceed $12 million.

There are any number of reasons that a child might have the sniffles, or run a fever, or get a stomachache. But since all of these ailments are also potential symptoms of a COVID-19 infection, school districts are under instruction from the State Health Department to isolate children with these and other symptoms until its confirmed that child can't spread the disease at a school, said Rochester Regional Health Pediatrician Dr. Steven Schulz today in a Zoom conference call with reporters.

"Because of low community prevalence, there's a 99-percent chance that those symptoms are due to a different virus, that it's not COVID and that's a good thing and a good place that we're starting out with," Schulz said.

"But because we don't want COVID to spread in the schools and break out, we are being very stringent. Actually, it's the Department of Health that's been very stringent with regulations on what's required to eventually return to school."

If a child goes home with a potential COVID-19 symptom, that child can't return to school unless there is a negative COVID-19 test, and the child is again symptom-free, and a doctor has cleared the child to return to school.

The reason a child must be symptom-free even after a negative test for COVID-19, Schulz said, is because of the small percentage of COVID tests that return a false negative.

Schulz serves on the Finger Lakes Region School Reopening Task Force and is one of the people responsible for writing school reopening guidelines in the region. RRH, parent hospital group for UMMC in Batavia, sponsored today's press conference on what parents should know as their children return to school.

Possible COVID-19 symptoms that could lead to a child being kept out of school include runny nose, congestion, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, poor appetite.

"There's a whole host of conditions that can cause all of those things, not just COVID," Schulz said. "And so many kids do have chronic conditions, such as seasonal allergies that can have overlapping symptomatology."

For children with chronic conditions, a doctor can verify those conditions and letters written as needed to allow those children to return to school.

What the main focus is on, he said, is the development of new, or different, or worsening symptoms. 

"Every school district has implemented a screening protocol for students and parents to go through before that student set foot sets foot on campus If they screened positive for any of those," Schulz said. "Again, focusing on new and worsening symptoms, in particular, and those would be reasons for an evaluation with the health care provider.

"Obviously, the big one would be a fever. If a child has a fever, they certainly would need to have additional evaluation. So we, of course, would encourage families if there is any concern that their child might have symptoms that are consistent with COVID to contact their health care provider for the next steps."

If a child at a school does test positive, the Health Department will take over, conduct contact tracing, and determine if any other children were exposed and take proper precautions as necessary. If proper social distancing has been maintained and masks are worn properly, it may not be necessary to quarantine other children.

One thing parents can do to help the entire community, Schulz said, is to ensure they and their children receive a seasonal flu shot.

"It's especially important this year," Schulz said. "COVID and flu have a lot of overlapping symptoms and people can theoretically be infected with both. The concern with that is that we could overwhelm our health care system not just with COVID, but also with flu. Both together could overwhelm it even more.

"So the flu vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect you and others around you from getting the flu. And we are encouraging everyone to get that as early as possible this year."

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Two of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Twenty new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
• One of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
• Seven new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Photo: 4-H Fall Garden Fair class champions, from left: Gia Zuber’s Sunflower Exhibit; Tate Zuber’s Field Crops Exhibit; Alexandria Tarbell’s Pumpkin Exhibit; Bing Zuber’s Dahlia Exhibit.

Submitted photos and press release:

Congratulations to the Genesee County 4-H members who participated in the 4-H Fall Garden Fair at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office on Sept. 14-16.

A variety of vegetable, field crops and cut flower projects were entered by 4-H youth.

With the County Fair cancelled this year, the 4-H Fall Garden Fair was an opportunity for 4-H members to have their gardening projects evaluated.

Projects were judged by Genesee County Master Gardener Volunteers for their overall quality, uniformity, color and being free of insects and disease.  

4-H Fall Garden Fair Class Champions:

Sunflower Cut Flowers – Gia Zuber

Field Crops – Tate Zuber, field corn exhibit

Vegetable – Alexandria Tarbell, pumpkin exhibit

Dahlia Cut Flowers – Bing Zuber

The Genesee County 4-H Program is a youth development program for youth ages 5-18. New 4-H youth members, adult volunteers and clubs are always welcome.

For information about how to join the Genesee County 4-H Program, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040, ext. 131.

Below, Genesee County Master Gardener volunteer Kim evaluating 4-H fall garden fair projects.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs is announcing the following information for students in New York’s 27^th Congressional District who are seeking a nomination to a United States service academy.

Members of Congress can nominate candidates to four of the five U.S. service academies – the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, Colo.; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth academy – the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn. – does not require a congressional nomination.

Rep. Jacobs’ office will be holding a virtual information night with representatives from each of the academies to brief prospective attendees on the nomination process and answer questions. The virtual meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23^rd, at 6 p.m. EST. To RSVP for this night and get login information attendees may call (716) 634-2324 or (585) 519-4002.

Application information can be found at Jacobs.house.gov/services. The deadline for applications will be Friday, Nov. 6^th, at 5 p.m. EST. All applications must be sent to Rep. Jacobs’ Clarence District Office at 8203 Main St., Suite 2, Williamsville, NY 14221.

“It is my distinct honor to help foster the next generation of military leaders," Jacobs said. "Western New York has a deep history of service to our nation, and I look forward to nominating a new class of dedicated and service driven students to our service academies this year."

(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement Tuesday following the signing of Abraham Accords between Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

“Stability in the Middle East has been a long-sought and elusive goal, so it is incredible today President Trump presided over the signing of three different peace agreements between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain," said Congressman Chris Jacobs.

"Iran and radical extremism have been a persistent threat to our troops, our allies and partners in the region, and global security for years, and these peace deals move us closer to building a coalition to confront and end Iranian aggression once and for all.

"I commend President Trump and his team for their tireless work to stabilize the Middle East and uphold our commitment to supporting Israel; this is truly a historic day, and every American should celebrate this tremendous accomplishment."

From Jerry Diskin:

Commander David Rumsey announces that at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18th, there will be a brief ceremony for POW/MIA Recognition Day at the memorial park outside the Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576, located at 53 W. Main St. Village of Le Roy.

What is National POW/MIA Recognition Day?

The United States’ National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed across the nation on the third Friday of September each year. Many Americans take the time to remember those who were prisoners of war (POW) and those who are missing in action (MIA), as well as their families.

The event will begin at 6 o'clock sharp! with a brief ceremony, presenting the “POW/MIA” Missing Man table ceremony, followed by a salute from the Color Guard and Firing Squad.

All are welcome to attend. "For God and Country..." 

In photo from left, Superintendent Mickey Edwards, Undersheriff Bradley D. Mazur, Deputy/Byron-Bergen SRO Joshua A. Brabon, Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr.

Submitted photos and press release:

Due to the recent retirement of the Genesee Valley BOCES School Resource Officer, Deputy Richard S. Schildwaster has been assigned to fill this position. He is a six-year veteran of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and was the former SRO at Byron-Bergen Central School District.  

The Byron-Bergen Central School District has selected Deputy Joshua A. Brabon as its new SRO. Deputy Brabon is a 2012 Advanced Regents graduate of L.A. Webber High School in Lyndonville, and a 2016 graduate of SUNY Brockport with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Environmental Studies. Deputy Brabon brings with him experience as a former SRO at the Perry Central School District and is a two-and-a-half year veteran of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. 

Additionally, the Oakfield-Alabama, Pembroke, Alexander, and Pavilion central school districts also renewed their commitments for this year’s School Resource Officers on campus. 

Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. has previously stated that it his goal to establish a School Resource Officer in all county schools to ensure the safety and protection of the students and faculty.

“Although the cost associated with placing a School Resource Officer in the schools is significant, I continue to believe the safety and security of our children should be of the utmost precedence,” Sheriff Sheron said.

Below, from left, Undersheriff Bradley D. Mazur, Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr., Deputy/ Genesee Valley BOCES SRO Richard S. Schildwaster, and Executive Principal Jon Sanfratello of Genesee Valley BOCES.

Press release:

The Pavilion Central School District’s Board of Education has named three finalists for the district’s next superintendent.

Marirose Ethington, Pavilion Central School District’s board president, said she is pleased with the high-quality candidate pool and enthused about the potential the three finalists have to offer. 

“Selecting the best superintendent for Pavilion Central Schools is the Board’s top priority,” Ethington said. “We are extremely pleased by the quality of the finalists. We are confident that one of these candidates will be the best Superintendent for our school district and community.”

The three finalists are Mary Kate Hoffman, Timothy McArdle and Paul Kesler.

Mary Kate Hoffman is the principal of York Elementary School located in Retsof. Hoffman has 11 years of educational leadership experience including serving as the assistant secondary principal, interim principal and director of Curriculum and Instruction at Pavilion Central Schools. Hoffman began her career in education in 1995 as a second-grade teacher at Pavilion Elementary School. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from SUNY College at Fredonia, and a Master of Science in Education from SUNY College at Geneseo. She earned a certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration from SUNY College at Brockport.

Timothy McArdle currently serves as the principal of Le Roy Junior Senior High School located in Le Roy, a position he has held since 2013. McArdle began teaching in 2003 as a Health and Physical Education teacher for grades 7-12 in the Portville Central School District. He continued his career at Honeoye Falls-Lima Central Schools serving as the Middle School dean of students. McArdle also served as an assistant principal at Batavia Middle School from 2010-2013. McArdle earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and a Master of Science in Health Education from St. Bonaventure University. He holds a certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration from SUNY Brockport.

Paul Kesler is the principal of Batavia High School, where he has served since 2018. Kesler has 23 years of experience in the educational field. He has been employed by the Batavia City School District since 2005, when he began as a principal of John Kennedy Elementary School. He began his career in education in 1997 as a kindergarten/second grade teacher at Dr. Louis Cerulli School #34, an elementary school in the Rochester City School District. Kesler holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from SUNY College at Geneseo and a Master of Science in Education from SUNY College at Brockport. He also holds a Master of Science in Educational Administration from St. John Fisher College. Kesler is certified as a New York State School Administrator/Supervisor. 

Stakeholder groups and the BOE will conduct the final round of interviews with the three candidates on Sept. 29 and 30 at the Pavilion Central School District. The BOE hopes to appoint the final candidate by early November.

Kevin MacDonald, district superintendent of the Genesee Valley BOCES, who is acting as search consultant, said the Board has developed and implemented a process that will help determine the best candidate.

“This is a rigorous search process,” MacDonald said. “Finalists are interviewed by several stakeholder groups, and concludes with a board meeting to make a final decision.”

This home is so spacious and well laid out with extra large rooms, nice kitchen cabinetry, new flooring through out and two full large baths -- one on each floor. Off of kitchen is a large pantry room with laundry hookup – so convenient! Three bedrooms and full bath upstairs, the master bedroom is oversized with pretty wood accents and nice lighting.

There's also full attic, if you need more storage as well a freshly painted, clean and bright basement area for all the rest or a place to work. Cute fenced in back yard and drive...this a great home! Click here to view this listing. Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today, (585) 344-home (4663).

Press release:

Continuing their tireless advocacy for New York’s hard-hit dairy farmers in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today urged U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to ensure both Canada and Mexico are held accountable to their trade commitments under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which entered into force earlier this year on July 1^st.

Specifically, the senators pointed out three harmful dairy trade practices, including Canada’s recent allocation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for U.S. exports of several categories of dairy products, Canada’s Class 7 pricing program (Class 6 in Ontario) and lack of transparency in milk-pricing regulations, and the need for Mexico to translate its USMCA commitment of safeguarding more than 30 common cheese names for American products, into regulations.

“New York’s dairy farmers are the lifeblood of the Upstate economy, but unfortunately they have been squeezed by the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis,” Senator Schumer said. “That is why I am calling on Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Perdue to do everything in their power to ensure that Canada and Mexico abide by their dairy trade obligations, allowing Upstate New York dairy farmers to freely sell their product – as agreed to in the new trade agreement with both countries, the USMCA.

"The trade deal entered into force two months ago, and there can be no further delays to ensuring our New York dairy farmers can sell their products, unimpeded by unfair trade barriers, into Canada and Mexico and churn up profits that mitigate the huge losses they have suffered this year.”

“Dairy is New York’s primary agricultural product and our rural economies depend on the survival of the industry, but poor implementation of USMCA provisions on dairy will harm our dairy farmers and make it even harder for them to recover from this crisis,” Senator Gillibrand said. "Secretary Perdue and USTR Ambassador Lighthizer must hold our trading partners accountable and ensure equitable trading practices for America’s dairy farmers.”

Schumer and Gillibrand explained that under USMCA, Canada agreed to an expansion of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for several categories of U.S. dairy products. However, recently, it has come to the senators’ attention that Canada’s recently-released TRQ allocations weaken the intent of the USMCA and will prevent New York dairy farmers from fully benefitting from the agreement’s expanded market access opportunities.

Additionally, the senators said that under the new trade deal, Canada agreed to eliminate Class 6 & 7 pricing within six months. However, as Schumer revealed in June, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), which represents approximately 4,000 Canadian dairy farmers, requested that Ontario’s tribunal which provides an avenue of appeal on agriculture issues grant restricted access to DFO’s pricing regulations.

The senators argued that with only a few months left until the USMCA six-month deadline to eliminate Class 6 & 7, the lack of transparency and timing of DFO’s request  in combination with the new TRQs, raises questions about whether or not Canada is seeking to circumvent its dairy commitments in USMCA.

The senators also noted that U.S. dairy farmers secured a major victory in the USMCA when Mexico affirmed a list of more than 30 terms for cheese that would remain available as common names for U.S. cheese producers when exporting to Mexico, but with uncertainty remaining over how Mexico will translate its commitment to protect these common cheese names into regulations, U.S. dairy farmers are in danger of losing out on the market share they spent years developing.

Contracts for school resource officers at the Byron-Bergen Central School District and Genesee Valley BOCES* were approved on Monday afternoon by the Genesee County Legislature’s Public Service Committee.

At a meeting at the Old County Courthouse, the committee endorsed memorandums of understanding that place county sheriff’s deputies in the schools as follows:

• Byron-Bergen, 12-month pact from Sept. 1, 2020 through Aug. 31, 2021, at a cost of $96,720.86, which includes salary, fringe benefits and medical insurance;
• GV BOCES, 10-month pact from Sept. 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, at $77,327.70, and from Sept. 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, at $78,191.89, which includes salary and fringe benefits.

County Sheriff William Sheron said that Deputy Josh Brabon will be assigned to Byron-Bergen and Deputy Rich Schildwaster will be assigned to GV BOCES.

Appointments at both schools changed recently with the retirement of Deputy Chris Erion.

The discrepancy in the contract figures stem from the fact that Schildwaster is not taking the medical insurance, instead opting for a “buy-back," Sheron said.

The actual dollar amounts could change after ratification of hourly rates negotiated with the Genesee County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, and yearly retirement and health insurance rates. All costs associated with the SROs are paid for by the school districts.

In other action, the committee:

-- Approved allocating $28,900 from the 1 percent sales tax fund to advance a capital project for improvements at the Genesee County Animal Shelter at 3841 W. Main Street Road.

The county received a $200,000 grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets under the Companion Animal Program and proceeded to solicit bids from qualified contractors for the renovation.

Committee approval awards the job to Testa Construction Inc., of Rochester, which put in a bid of $209,900. Since the balance in the project after architectural costs is $181,000, the amendment to take an additional $28,900 was necessary.

Highway Superintendent Tim Hens said that improvements include installation of mobile kennels, properly winterizing the facility (ventilation system modifications), flooring, caging and fencing.

-- Accepted a grant from the NYS Office of Victim Services in the amount of $130,104.49 to cover the period of Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021 to continue Genesee Justice’s Victim Assistance Program.

Genesee Justice Coordinator Catherine Uhly said the award represents a 23-percent increase from last year.

The animal shelter and Genesee Justice resolutions will be considered by the Ways & Means Committee at a meeting scheduled for 4:30 this afternoon at the Old County Courthouse.

*BOCES is the acronym for Board of Cooperative Educational Services.

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce our next edition of our Guest Speaker Series. On Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m., Jay Black will be presenting on “Civil War Weapons.”

Black is a local Civil War reenactor who will be telling us the history of many of the weapons used during the Civil War as well as showing off many of them in person from his vast collection.

The presentation will be available virtually through Zoom and Facebook Live. It is free to join and watch the presentation. For the Zoom information please visit our website. The Facebook Live information is available on our Facebook page.

This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!

For more information please call the museum at (585) 343-4727 or email at:   hollandlandoffice@gmail.com

A local farmer reports seeing this triangular-shaped object flying over his fields last night at about 8:45. He said he posted about it on Facebook and at least one other person said they saw something, too, and one person sent him this photo. Did you see anything?

By Colleen Jones for Western Problem Gambling Resource Center:

According to the CDC (CDC, 2020) suicide is the 10^th-leading cause of death in the United States. This is a concerning statistic and many people struggle with their mental health every day. There are many factors that may lead someone to think that suicide is the only option, but have you ever thought about problem gambling as a source of emotional distress for someone? 

There are many people who struggle with problem gambling in the United States. It is estimated that 2 million adults in the United States meet the criteria for gambling disorder, with another 4-6 million people in the United States struggling with problem gambling (National Council on Problem Gambling, 2020). 

For many people, they can gamble and not have a problem. However, for some, gambling can cause problems in their lives. Problem gambling is anytime gambling causes problems or negative consequences in someone’s life. Gambling disorder is a diagnosis by a qualified, trained professional determined by the criteria set forth in the DSM5. 

According to the DSM5, a diagnosis of gambling disorder requires at least four of the following during the past year: 

1. Need to gamble with increasing amount of money to achieve the desired excitement.
2. Restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling.
3. Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back on or stop gambling.
4. Frequent thoughts about gambling (such as reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next gambling venture, thinking of ways to get money to gamble).
5. Often gambling when feeling distressed.
6. After losing money gambling, often returning to get even (referred to as “chasing” one’s losses).
7. Lying to conceal gambling activity.
8. Jeopardizing or losing a significant relationship, job or educational/career opportunity because of gambling.
9. Relying on others to help with money problems caused by gambling.

It is important to remember that while all those with a gambling disorder are experiencing problem gambling, not all those struggling with problem gambling have a diagnosable gambling disorder. Whether someone is struggling with problem gambling or gambling disorder, they are at risk of having the negative consequences from gambling seep out into their everyday lives. These effects may not only impact the person struggling with gambling, but also impact their loved ones. 

People who struggle with problem gambling are also at a higher risk for struggling with other mental health disorders. Two out of three gamblers reported that their mental health suffered as a result of their gambling problems.

In addition to struggling with gambling, they may be struggling with other mental health problems such as a mood disorders like depression, personality disorder, and anxiety. Someone struggling with their gambling may be cashing in retirement funds, college funds, or taking out additional credit cards and loans. These impacts can cause someone to feel hopeless, desperate and alone.

These negative effects can take a toll on one's mental health. Sadly, problem gambling has the highest suicide rate among all addictions. When we look at suicide in the United States, 3.9 percent of the adult population have suicidal ideations and 0.6 percent attempt suicide each year (CDC, 2015). While this statistic is alarming, we find that for problem gamblers, the concern continues to grow.

It has been found that 37 percent of those struggling with problem gambling and 49 percent of those with a pathological Gambling Disorder have suicidal ideations. Statistics also show that 17 percent of problem gamblers and 18 percent of those with a Gambling Disorder attempt suicide. This rate is much higher than the general population, and we believe it’s important to raise awareness of this issue through educating community providers and clients. 

Problem gambling is often referred to as “the hidden addiction” because there are no physical warning signs to “test for” problem gambling. It can be very difficult to spot, so it may be difficult to know if someone is struggling with this and may be having suicidal ideations. While there are no physical signs, there are still signs to look for if you think someone may be struggling with a gambling problem.

Some things to look for are: 

• being absent from friend/family events because of gambling;
• feeling stressed or anxious when not gambling;
• low work performance due to absence or preoccupation with betting; and
• lying to family and friends about how much money and time is spent on gambling;
• relying on others to get out of debt, asking for loans or bailouts;
• using money needed for necessary expenses, such as food, rent, or medication for gambling.

While we cannot physically test for problem gambling, there are screening and diagnostic tools that can be used to initiate a conversation about gambling. A common tool to use is the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen, or the BBGS. It is a simple three question screen that consists of yes or no answers.

1. During the past 12 months, have you become restless, irritable or anxious when trying to cut down on gambling? 
2. During the past 12 months, have you tried to keep your family or friends from knowing how much you gambled? 
3. During the past 12 months, did you have such financial trouble as a result of your gambling that you had to get help with living expenses from family, friends or welfare?

If you, someone you know, or a client you work with answers yes to any of these questions, it may be time to start talking about problem gambling.

Problem gambling can affect anyone at any point in their lives and can impact friends and families of those struggling with their gambling. It can develop into a gambling disorder, which leads to damaged relationships with loved ones, difficulty at work, and financial problems.

These problems can be detrimental to an individual's mental health. It is important that we start to realize the importance of talking about problem gambling, and what impacts it may have on individuals.

If we take the time to educate ourselves and start the conversation, we can help break the stigma and shame out of problem gambling and get those struggling the help that they need.

If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, they can visit NYProblemGamblingHELP.org/Western or call (716) 833-4274 to find out more and get connected to resources.

From the GC Office for the Aging:

Each year, Office for the Aging assists older adults with their applications for HEAP -- Home Energy Assistance Program.

If you received your preprinted application in the mail for the 2020-2021 season, please send it to Office for the Aging at 2 Bank St., Batavia, NY 14020.

It is important to include all current income information and year-to-date interest and dividends earned on any accounts.

If you have specific questions about your application, please call (585) 343-1611 for assistance.

Due to COVID-19, we are not able to meet with walk-ins.

The Batavia Town Planning Board on Tuesday night approved site plans for additions to the Imagination Station child care center at 5079 Clinton Street Road and HP Hood at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park on East Main Street Road.

“The day care center will be adding two classrooms in the back,” Planning Board Chair Kathy Jasinski said, noting that the State Environmental Quality Review revealed no negative impact to the area. “We’re happy they are doing a successful business and it was unanimously approved.”

The 2,800-square-foot addition measures 78 feet wide by 36 feet deep. The project’s estimated cost is $250,000, according to documents submitted by owners Kelly and Eric Kronbeck of Alden.

At HP Hood, plans call for construction of a 7,200-square-foot commercial cooler for more storage at the processing plant.

Previously, both site plans were recommended for approval by the Genesee County Planning Board.

Le Roy Principal Tim McArdle produced this video.