Press release:

After an almost muted, secretive swearing-in ceremony and an election that still has not been certified, Chris Jacobs has begun his short term in Congress. His first big moment? A vote against our military and for the Confederacy.

Jacobs sided with Trump and voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, because it includes a provision to rename military bases that are currently named after Confederate Generals. The bill, H.R. 6395, passed the House easily with more than half the Republican caucus voting for it. Every other Congressperson from Western New York voted for it—even Trump extremists like Tom Reed and Elise Stefanik sided with Democrats Higgins and Morelle.

“Jacobs was alone on his first day of Congress, protecting dead traitors. I want to be shocked, but I’m not. Jacobs has sided with Trump over the people of NY-27 again and again, even supporting Trump’s failure during the pandemic and Trump’s advocacy for far-right conspiracy theories. This bill will give a pay raise to our troops, and provide the Pentagon with pandemic response funding—I’m glad it passed in spite of Chris Jacobs. We are going to watch him like a hawk watches a field mouse,” McMurray said.

Jacobs also voted against H.R. 1957, the Great American Outdoors Act, a vastly bipartisan bill to fund and restore our National Parks. The bill also funds state and local parks without using taxpayer dollars. The bill’s passage marks a once-in-a-generation win for environmentalists, for the President, and for bipartisanship, but Jacobs voted against it.

“Our national, state and local park system is second to none, and the question has to be asked: ‘Why would Jacobs vote against 94 percent of Americans that support preserving these natural wonders?’ His family’s business, Delaware North, has extensive business with the National Parks and has had a high-profile, coastline dispute with Parks Services over Yosemite. It’s fair to ask if Jacobs should be voting on such bills, given the potential conflicts.”

McMurray was most concerned, however, about Jacobs’ support for the confederacy.

“Jacobs said that Black Lives Matter is a radical ideology, but defending treasonous generals is OK? A man of wealth like him, a man whose family owns estates across New England, owns the Boston Bruins itself, cannot claim this has to do anything to do with ‘Southern Pride,’ ” McMurray continued.

“He is shamelessly indulging the racist agenda of our President, and it’s an insult to the Union soldiers from across NY-27 who fought the Confederacy. There are tributes to these soldiers everywhere — including the town square in Avon, before the courthouse in Warsaw, and in Geneseo where there stands an obelisk honoring the Union war dead. Geneseo is also home to a statue of General Wadsworth, who defended our nation’s capital, fought valiantly in Gettysburg, and died on the battlefield. The current Republican Town Supervisor is his descendant,” McMurray added.

McMurray is planning a tour to pay tribute to the men and women of the Genesee Valley and Niagara Frontier who confronted the tyranny of the Confederacy and fought for what was right at the most pivotal moment in our country’s history.

NOTE: The Batavian offered the Chris Jacobs campaign to respond and the campaign declined.

U.S. Senate Republicans are calling it the HEALS Act but, in Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell’s opinion, the latest federal stimulus proposal does nothing to cure the wounds being inflicted upon state and local governments.

Hoping that the bill offered on Monday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is “dead on arrival,” Gsell took the GOP to task for failing to include funds to help financially strapped municipalities such as Genesee County.

“They just left the realm of local governments and even additional resources for states on the outside with the idea that apparently they want to keep waiting to see what the economy will do … all across the country, not just in New York State,” he said.

The $1 trillion Health, Economic Assistance, Liability protection, and Schools Act, or HEALS Act, is the Senate’s answer to the $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act, that was passed by House Democrats in May.

Gsell believes the stimulus package (the fifth since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March) will likely be the last economic rescue package prior to the November presidential election.

“This Senate bill and the House of Representative bill are diametrical ends of the spectrum … and hopefully (they’ll meet) somewhere in the middle to get bipartisan support in both chambers to get this thing done by August 7^th,” Gsell said. “Once they come back in September, they may put anything else in terms of fed stim off past the election and maybe not even then.”

Gsell said states and local governments are facing significant losses in revenue from several sectors, primarily sales tax, but also from hotel bed tax and gaming distributions. He took exception to a provision in the HEALS Act that calls for the construction of a new FBI building in the nation’s capital.

“It is insulting that there is money in this bill to build a new FBI building in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Where does that come out with what should be a federal stimulus bill?"

Reportedly, money for a new FBI headquarters was put in the bill at the request of the Trump administration.

“The economic dislocation is still significant. For what happened yesterday, to pretend that that’s not the case, to me is both disingenuous but also shows a lack of understanding of what’s going on with regard to the national economy and what’s going on with local governments,” Gsell said.

According to the latest report from the New York Association of Counties, the state’s counties and New York City could lose up to $13.5 billion in revenue in 2020 and 2021, a situation that could result in cuts to services and permanent layoffs.

NYSAC projects a $4.9-billion loss in sales tax in the next two fiscal years in light of unemployment soaring to 13 percent (up from 4 percent in 2019) as well as an 80-percent decrease in hotel occupancy taxes and the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of gaming sites across the state.

Furthermore, NYSAC forecasts that state reimbursement cuts of at least 20 percent will cost counties outside of New York City more than $670 million a year.

While acknowledging that the NYSAC figures are worse-case scenarios, Gsell said Genesee County officials are “looking at it from the standpoint of what have we experienced so far in the quarters of sales tax payments that we have seen since the beginning of this calendar year” and hope for federal support.

“If the McConnell bill somehow survives, and I hope to gosh it doesn’t, that will engender the State of New York to start doing across the board 20-percent cuts, if even that low percentage wise, in state reimbursements to county governments and other local governments,” he said. “That’s when some of the numbers you’re seeing here (in the NYSAC report) could be visited upon a county like Genesee in our budget. That’s why the governor has yet to institute his across the board reimbursements that he was given the power to do when the state budget was adopted.”

To this day, Zachariah and Danielle Young, of Darien Center, really don't know what happened to the remains of their stillborn daughter, Evangeline Elsie.

A photo of the document       Michael Tomaszewski reportedly produced showing
Zach Young authorized the 
cremation of his daughter.
Legally, we are told, a verbal
authorization is not permitted.

They have a box of ashes but the don't feel assured that the box contains the ashes of the little girl they still call Eva.

"The paperwork had the date that literally was a scribble on it," Zach said. "We have absolutely no answers as to when she was actually cremated."

The Youngs said they didn't want Eva cremated, at least not at the time the baby may have been cremated. And, as they remember, when Michael Tomaszewski Funeral and Cremation Chapel received the remains of the baby from Rochester Regional Hospital, he said he wouldn't do it.

As Zach remembers it, Tomaszewski, or "Tom," as they knew him, said "something doesn't look right" and so he agreed to hold onto the remains while the Youngs researched the circumstances of their daughter's death. 

The baby was born at UMMC. She had seemed healthy

just days before when doctors detected a strong heartbeat.

On Feb. 22, when Zach and Danielle arrived at the hospital,

the couple was told Eva's heart had stopped beating.

After hours of labor, Danielle gave birth to a lifeless body.

"It was devastating," Zach said.

"A mother knows their baby already before they're born," Danielle said. "A mother already has that bond. It's like having somebody rip that away and be careless with her remains is just insane. I don't understand it."

Genesee County Coronor Karen Lang confirmed that Eva was born Feb. 22 at UMMC and her body was sent to Rochester Regional for an autopsy. Eva's little body was then sent by courier to Tomaszewski. Tomaszewski has acknowledged receiving the body.

But what happened next is muddled by the funeral director's contradictory stories to the Youngs and to Lang.

On Thursday, the Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Tomaszewski on about 200 charges. Most of the charges are related to allegations that he misappropriated fund families had prepaid for funeral services. He is also accused of failing to fulfill contracts to purchase headstones and gravesites.

What he hasn't been charged with yet -- and it's unclear if there will be charges -- is how he handled the remains of some deceased people. Chief Deputy Joseph Graff, Sheriff's Office, has confirmed, the department is looking into multiple reports of Tomaszewski mishandling the remains of people who died. The two cases Graff has confirmed involved a veteran who should have been interred at the Bath National Cemetary -- for free -- and the remains of Evangeline Elsie Young.

Lang said she became involved in the Young case after talking with the parents last November. At that point, she learned the Youngs still did not have the remains of Eva nor Eva's autopsy report. 

Both Tomaszewski and Rochester Regional Health were offered an opportunity to comment on this story. Neither responded with a comment.

Tomaszewski has provided both the Youngs and Lang with multiple stories about what happened with Eva's remains. He told the Youngs in June that he hadn't delivered the remains to the crematorium and then a short time later said she had been cremated.  

In November, he told Coroner Jeff McIntyre, who was assisting Lang with the case while she was on vacation, that he cremated Eva when he first received the remains; however, Tomaszewski couldn't produce documentation. He later told Lang he cremated the baby in June.

Most people don't understand, Lang said, that most funeral homes don't have the facilities to store the remains of deceased people for long periods of time.

When Lang asked Tomaszewski, who also operates a catering facility, what he did with Eva's body from February until June, Lang said Tomaszewski told her that he kept the body in a cooler in his prep room.

Tomaszewski eventually produced documentation on the cremation of Eva but neither of the Youngs signed it -- which Lang said is required by law.  Instead, the document says the Youngs gave permission over the phone for the cremation. 

Based on their conversation with county officials -- which includes an interview the Sheriff's Office -- the Youngs suspect the box of ashes they received is too light to contain the remains of a once nine-pound baby. So they feel in limbo. Their church -- High Point in Pembroke -- held a service  for Eva but they didn't have her ashes then and they don't know if what they have now are really her ashes.

They would just like answers.

"I think to make it up, he would have to really admit to his wrongs and not just for me, but for a lot of people," Danielle said. "Losing somebody as it is, is something traumatic to have to deal with. And for us to trust you with our dead loved one..."

"It would be nice to at least know what happened because we got three different stories from him," Zach interjected.

"We don't really have answers," Danielle said. "To be honest -- to be honest with anybody -- would be good. The trauma of losing our daughter was bad enough and then to have to worry about her remains -- that wasn't professional."

Previously:

• Local funeral director charged with stealing money from customers
• Sheriff's Office looking into report that Tomaszewski improperly handled stillborn baby's remains

(Initial Post)

UPDATE: The driver has been identified as John W. Schoonover, 59, of Boyd Road, Pavilion.  The accident report indicates he lost consciousness while driving causing his vehicle to veer off of westbound Route 5, into the eastbound lane, striking an earth embankment on the south shoulder before striking the parked vehicle. Schoonover is at Strong Memorial Hospital and listed in satisfactory condition.

Press release:

The County Manager’s Office is pleased to announce the appointment of Tammi Ferringer as the new Assistant County Manager effective Aug. 15.

Tammi, a lifelong resident of Genesee County, brings 15 years of experience in county government to her new role as a key operative in the Chief Administrative Office of Genesee County government.

Ferringer began her County career in 2005 as Senior Financial Clerk-Typist at the Genesee County Health Department and quickly worked her way through the ranks to Administrative Officer/Budget Officer. In 2014, she transitioned to the Department of Social Services serving as director of Fiscal Operations and Child Support and, in 2019, was appointed as the County’s compliance officer.

Ferringer has continually exceeded expectations in her different roles in the County, leading to a series of promotions and advancements. Unique skill sets in both finance and compliance make her a great fit for the needs of the Assistant County Manager position.

She's a graduate of Batavia High School. She holds an associate degree in Business Administration from Genesee Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance from SUNY Brockport.

Ferringer resides in the Town of Batavia and is the proud parent of her two children, Jacelyn, 20, and Caleb, 13.

Press release:

At 8:05 p.m. on July 26, the City of Batavia Fire Department was dispatched to a reported residential basement fire located at 438 Ellicott St. First arriving fire units were on scene at 8:08 p.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a working fire with heavy smoke and flames visible. Responding crews made an aggressive interior attack of the basement and were able to confine and contain the fire and the situation was called under control by command at 8:42 p.m.

While the fire was contained to the basement of the structure, there was smoke and heat damage to the first and second floor due to the intensity and balloon frame construction that allowed for additional diffusion.

All occupants were able to self-extricate along with a cat from the residence. One adult and two teenagers are receiving lodging assistance from the Red Cross.

Additionally, a City firefighter was injured while fighting the fire. He was sent to United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) for evaluation, and has been released and is seeking follow-up medical treatment.

At this time the City of Batavia’s Fire Investigation team is investigating the fire to determine the origin and cause. Pending further investigation, the fire has been label undetermined. A final determination will be made upon completion of the investigation.

City fire was assisted at the scene by the City of Batavia Police, Mercy EMS, and the Genesee County Sheriff and Emergency Management Departments with additional support provided by the Town of Batavia Fire Department and Genesee County Emergency Dispatch.

Photos by Frank Capuano.

Press release:

• Genesee County received four new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 253 positive cases.
  • The positive individuals reside in Batavia and Le Roy.
  • Two of the positive individuals are in their 30s, one is in their 40s, and one is in their 80s.
  • The positive individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Five of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Six new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 274 positive cases.
  • The positive individual resides in Ridgeway.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Two of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Sixteen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.

A car slammed into a tree in the front yard at 5446 Main Road in Stafford. The male operator is unresponsive, according to a first responder. The person appears to have a head injury. Stafford Fire Department is called and Mercy Flight in Batavia is on a ground standby.

The location is between Batavia Stafford Townline Road and Fargo Road.

UPDATE 4:40 p.m. "Pick it up; the subject is not responsive; still breathing," says a first responder. The Mercy rig is two to three minutes out.

UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: The driver will need to be extricated; the vehicle door cannot be opened.

UPDATE 4:43 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to the scene. The door is being removed from the damaged vehicle.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Town of Batavia Fire Department is called to provide mutual aid on this call.

UPDATE 4:46 p.m.: The landing zone will be right on the property where the accident occurred.

UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed, just west of the house. Town of Batavia's engine has arrived.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, en route to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

UPDATE 5:43 p.m. (by Howard): The driver apparently suffered a medical condition. His work truck appears to have been westbound on Route 5 when it crossed the two eastbound lanes and over a ditch and a driveway on the east side of Extreme Sportswear before striking the rear of a parked car. Either that car or the truck glanced off a tree before the truck came to rest right-side up in a position parallel to the car. The driver was extricated and transported to Strong hospital by Mercy Flight. Sgt. Andrew Hale said the driver was breathing and talking with medics but did not seem coherent. We'll have video from the scene later this evening.

Angela Schlaggel spotted this white pigeon in the parking lot of The Salvation Army in Batavia and noticed it was wearing a bracelet. 

The pigeon had been at the location for the last two hours at the time Schlaggel sent us the picture this morning.

"It has a bracelet and isn't bothered by my presence at all so I think it may be someone's escaped pet," she said. 

Anna Fenton shared these photos of a butterfly she found in her back yard.

Can any readers identify it?

From Genesee Community College:

An outdoor ceremony for graduates of the Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing at Genesee Community College was held Friday afternoon.

As the next line of first responders, the nurses were honored with a tribute from others on the front line. A Mercy Flight helicopter flew above the campus, tipping its wings at the newly minted nurses. Town of Batavia firefighters on Ladder Truck #22 were there, with lights flashing, siren and horn blaring.

Ingenuity, kindness, tradition and hard work converged to nudge aside the COVID-19 pandemic for just an hour so for the annual Recognition Ceremony, organized this year as a drive-in event in keeping with New York State's social distancing guidelines.

Graduates and their families parked their cars facing the lectern that was set up outside on the berm by the Student Success Center, and all guests could listen to the program on WGCC 90.7FM from their car radios, or watch it remotely through the livestream access.

"It certainly was an evening to remember," said Laurel Sanger, director of the Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing. "With the help and support of numerous people and departments across GCC's campus and our wonderful community, I think we gave the Class of 2020 a memorable event. It really is a testament to how proud we are of these graduates."

This class of nurses were not officially "pinned," however. Rather they were handed the emblem and certificate representing their accomplishments, and all were wearing masks and standing safe distances apart.

Pinning ceremonies are a time-honored nursing school tradition that signifies official initiation into the brotherhood and sisterhood of nurses. In a typical year, this event happens the same day or weekend of GCC's annual Commencement. But the nursing staff and College administrators decided to plan something special and a little different this year.

Approximately 18 graduates from a total class of 54 were able to attend Friday's event. Another 49 watched the program via livestream.

"For the easiest access of parking lots, late Friday afternoons in the summer are best for the campus community," Sanger said. "Yet we were worried that families would not be able to hear the ceremony from their cars. That's when WGCC stepped in, and then Media Services provided the remote live streaming access.

"And of course, it was wonderful that our Campus Safety team was able to network with local authorities for the parade. We are grateful to all for a special twenty-first century plan of action during a pandemic for this centuries-old tradition."

Pinning ceremonies are rich with symbolism and history and date all the way back to the Crusades of the 12th century. During this time, the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist tended to the injured and infirmed Crusaders with new monks vowing to serve sick soldiers in a ceremony where each monk was given a Maltese cross, the first badges given to those who nurse.

In more modern dates, Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in recognition for her tireless service to the injured during the Crimean War in the 1850s. To share the honor, she in turn presented a medal of excellence to her brightest graduates. By World War I, the practice of pinning new graduates and also awarding them caps, became a standard practice throughout the United States.

Genesee Community College continues its own tradition of teaching the next class of nurses and welcomes potential new students to sign up for one of the upcoming online Nursing Information Sessions scheduled at the following times:

Non-LPNs Only:

Monday, Aug.10, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 17, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Advanced Placement (LPN-RN) Only:

Tuesday, Aug. 18, 9 - 11 a.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 4 - 6 p.m.

To register online go to: https://www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/health/nursing/

Photos courtesy of Genesee Community College.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.18, which is down two cents from a week ago. One year ago, the price was $2.74. The New York State average is $2.26 – down 1 cent from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.88.

AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.23 (no change since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.21 (no change since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.19 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.24 (up one cent since last week)
• Rome -- $2.30 (no change since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.20 (no change since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.28 (no change cent since last week)

Gas prices are mixed to start the week. The national average is down slightly as travel remains limited in some areas. While road trips are the main source of travel, travel levels are down significantly compared to last year. The Energy Information Administration (EIA), says gas demand is down in the U.S. Decreasing demand for gasoline has helped pump prices to decrease in the last week, and if demand continues to drop, we could see cheaper pump prices in the coming week.

From GasBuddy:

"We remain stuck in neutral when it comes to gasoline prices. While Pay with GasBuddy data showed a small rebound in gasoline demand, oil prices have again failed to break out, leading to yet another week of little change at the pump," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"It's a bit too early to tell if the small rise in gasoline demand last week will continue into this week, but it does seem the most likely situation. The V-shaped recovery in gasoline demand has been put on hold for nearly all of July as coronavirus cases surged, but once we recover from that and we see demand show several weeks of recovery, we'll likely see gas prices begin to tick higher. For now, however, that gives motorists more time to fill up without having to worry about big jumps in prices."

A trio of goats in a tiny pen in the hot sun in a field off Route 63 has a caller to the Genesee County Animal Shelter concerned, and the animal control officer asked to speak to the caller, according to a dispatcher.

Earlier today, The Batavian received an email from a passerby who does not live locally. She wrote:

"I was traveling through yesterday on Route 63 between Batavia and Oakfield and noticed three goats in a VERY small fenced enclosure with no shade available. There was a small plastic 'house' but I'm not sure they would all fit inside and I'm sure it would be horribly hot if they could have. The enclosure was in the middle of a field not far from the road.

"I went by before noon and back again around 5:30. They were all still there. ... I felt so bad for them. What they need is definitely a larger fenced area and some thing to provide shade -- even a tarp over part of the fence would be OK."

A two-car accident with injuries -- an arm injury and concussion -- is reported at Drake Street Road and Fisher Road in Oakfield. Oakfield Fire Department, Sheriff's deputies and Mercy medics are on scene. A first responder reports the injuries appear to be minor.

UPDATE 4:04 p.m.: Scene command reports that National Grid should be notified that a guy wire is snapped in half and that Town of Oakfield should be notified that the Drake/Fisher road sign is knocked down. Two tow trucks are en route.

UPDATe 4:33 p.m.: The Oakfield assignment is back in service.

A caller reports three kids are hanging on the new Walnut Street Bridge, part of the new Ellicott Trail, and jumping into the Tonawanda Creek. City police are responding.

A woman who lives in the 9200 block of Shepard Road in Batavia is "extremely upset" because a bat flew into her kitchen and she does not know what to do. She tried enlisting neighbors' help but it wasn't too helpful. A sheriff's deputy just arrived "in the kitchen." He'll know what to do.

Press release:

The 74th season of live harness racing at Batavia Downs kicks off on Wednesday and opening night features some of the best horses on the grounds, including the Open filly and mare pacers and the Open class trotters. Post time for the first race is 5 p.m.

The Downs will conduct a 43-day meet, with racing on Wednesday and Friday this week, before switching to a Wednesday/Saturday schedule for the remainder of the meet that runs through Dec. 12. Post time for Wednesday is 5 p.m. and Saturday is 6 p.m. Post time for Friday (July 31) is 5 p.m.

Two special Sunday matinee cards are scheduled for Aug. 2 and Aug. 9 when the New York Sire Stakes come to town. Those cards will feature all-stake races that will see the 2- and 3-year old trotting fillies compete on Aug. 2 and the 2- and 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings go to the gate on Aug. 9. Post time for both of these dates is 1:15 p.m.  

The New York Sire Stakes will be the only stake races at the Downs this year as the track's signature race, the $50,000 Robert J. Kane Pace, will not be contested in 2020.

“We look forward to another exciting race meet,” said Henry Wojtaszek, president and chief executive officer of Western Regional Off-Track Betting, the owner of Batavia Downs. "During these difficult times, we’ve made a series of adjustments that we hope will lead to a successful season."

Fans will not be allowed to attend the races at this point due to ongoing concerns and New York State regulations surrounding the coronavirus. However, listed owners of horses in to go will be allowed on the track apron starting opening night as per New York State Gaming Commission regulations.

Listed owners must make a reservation to attend in advance and be put on a list that will allow them to enter. Reservations must be made 24-hours before race time by calling Mary Bucceri at (585) 344-6144 or by e-mailing your request to mbucceri@westernotb.com. Listed owners who register will receive an email confirmation. Security will only let in those who are on the list.

There will be no food or beverage service available, however, owners may bring food, water or soft drinks in until the gaming floor opens. 

Upon arriving at the Downs, a temperature check and health status questionnaire must be completed by each listed owner in the lobby. Once that process is complete, the owner must then proceed through the Park Place Event Center hallway to the apron. No one is allowed to walk through the gaming floor to the apron. Also, only hotel guests will have access to the second floor.

Anyone coming to the track as a visiting owner on the apron or as a trainer, driver or groom in the barn area or paddock must wear a mask at all times and practice social distancing. This will be strictly enforced.

Listed owners only will be allowed in the winner’s circle for pictures if their horse wins while wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.

Also please be aware that any horsemen or owners coming from states that are on the New York State Coronavirus Quarantine List are not allowed to Batavia Downs attend at anytime. 

Wagering will be available at all WROTB branch or EZ Bet locations, WROTB Dial-a-Bet System for account holders and online at bataviabets.com. The Downs signal is also simulcast to a vast number of brick and mortar and ADW betting sites and may also be wagered on through them. Replays of the Downs races can be viewed the following day at bataviadownsgaming.com, where all Downs racing information can also be found.

On the track, all the local horsemen will be back including 2019 driving champion Billy Davis Jr., Jim Morrill Jr., Dave McNeight III, Drew Monti, Shawn McDonough and Ray Fisher Jr. On the training side, last year’s conditioning champ Jim Clouser Jr. brings his stable back along with Maria Rice, Gerry Sarama, Mike Ohol and Ryan Swift.

“This is definitely going to be a different year for us,” said Todd Haight, director/general lmanager of Live Racing at Batavia Downs. “Without fans allowed in the stands, we won’t have any promotions this year like our traditional dollar hot dog and draft days, Family Fun days including the wiener dog races, nightly giveaways and our Labor Day driver’s bike race that goes back to 1978.

"Right now we are happy that the horsemen can continue to work and hope that with constantly improving Covid test numbers in the state, we may welcome back our guests at some point before the meet ends.”

A caller to dispatch reports a small white car with a small yellow dog barking inside is parked near the pharmacy entrance at Walmart. An animal control officer is responding. It's about 82 degrees outside.

UPDATE 1:26 p.m.: "Can I get someone to get me into this car please?" an officer asks a dispatcher. A deputy is responding.

UPDATE 1:41 p.m.: The deputy gained access to the vehicle and the animal control officer is taking the pooch to the Genesee County Animal Shelter. She asked what the initial time of call was -- 1:08 p.m. -- and noted that no one had come out to vehicle while they were there.

UPDATE 1:45 p.m.: The animal control officer asks what the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center is showing for the local temperature and the reply is 84 degrees.

UPDATE 2:55 p.m.: A deputy is out with the registered owner of the vehicle at the Genesee County Animal Shelter.

From the Town of Alexander Board:

Genesee County has shared sales tax revenue for many years with its towns and villages. Due to increased capital needs to fund building a new jail and the repair and or replacement of large culverts and bridges throughout the County, a new revenue sharing agreement was proposed where the level of funding for towns and villages would be capped at the amount shared in 2018.

The County would use any increase in sales tax to Fund Capital Projects and if there was a decrease in sales tax the decrease would be shared equally by all parties. The County passed a resolution in 2018 and another in 2019 committing the legislature to sharing sales tax revenue at the 2018 level for years 2020 and 2021 so that the towns and villages could incorporate those revenues when creating their budgets.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic started there were projections of decreased sales tax revenue and the County legislature passed a resolution to rescind the previous resolutions, which committed them to sharing sales tax revenue with the towns and villages for years 2020 and 2021. They had already made the first quarter payment for 2020.

At the same time New York State was short on cash so they decided to not fund CHIPS. CHIPS is money that the state and federal governments provide to reimburse municipalities for road repair and building. We do the road work and then submit the bills for reimbursement; 80 percent is funded by the federal government and 20 percent has been in the past been funded by New York State.

What does this mean for the Town of Alexander 2020 budget?

We have a budget of $1,770,000 for 2020. Of that, $519,000 comes from your taxes; $582,000 from sales tax revenue;, $126,000 from CHIPS; $190,000 from services to other governments, which is plowing and mowing state and county roads in our town; $172,000 from other services and $181,000 from Fund Balance.

We anticipate that the CHIPS reimbursement will be down 20 percent (-$25,200). The sales tax revenue will be down $309,000 if no more money is shared by the County. Also other state aid may be reduced.

We had a highway truck ordered to be delivered in 2020 and on advice from our highway superintendent we cancelled the order, which reduced our expenditures by $221,500, but it also reduced our potential revenue by $15,000 as we no longer have a used truck to sell.

We are looking at ways to reduce expenditures to bridge our current budget gap and if necessary will use more Fund Balance to get us through this year.

As you can see the Water District #5 in the southwest corner of the Town is progressing. The funding for this project is through a federal loan and grant which are guaranteed once we commit to the project and are not part of our Town budget.