Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received five more COVID-19 cases. Orleans has four new cases from The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehab and Genesee has one. Contact tracing has been initiated for all of the positive cases.

Contact tracing has been initiated and all who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff.

“We are also saddened to report that Orleans County has lost two more individuals to COVID-19," said Paul Pettit, director of Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. Both individuals were residents at The Villages of Orleans with one person under the age of 65 and one person over 65. Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of these two individuals.”

There is currently no further information to release on ages and location. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Monday afternoon.

It's a beautiful spring day so Tiffany Martin helps Owen Elmore learn how to ride his electric scooter on Morton Avenue, Batavia.

A reader tipped us to a trio of dinosaurs marauding through Downtown Batavia. We hunted them down and shot them (with a camera) while they were passing by St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church.

Addison Kerble displays her completed clothespin trivet from the kit.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Genesee County Family & Consumer Sciences 4-H Club organized an outreach program for the other members in the Genesee County 4-H Program. Thanks to a donation of cans and bottles, the club had funding to put together “quarantine kits,” for interested members.

The kits contained supplies for eight craft projects and information on other engaging activities the county is offering at this time.

One hundred kits were assembled and distributed on Wednesday afternoon, April 22nd, in the parking lot of the Cornell Cooperattive Extension Office on East Main Street in Batavia.

Members were enthusiastic about getting the craft kits.

“This was an exciting opportunity for my club to share the fun we have each month during our FCS meetings," leader Julie Keller said. "The families that helped assemble and I had fun doing so, and it was rewarding to see members take home the kits.”

For more information on Genesee County 4-H contact genesee4h@cornell.edu.

Below, Catherine and Tegan, of Bergen, (inside the vehicle) receive a sheet of instructions from Julie and Melissa Keller, of Corfu.

Below, Julie and Melissa Keller, of Corfu, (outside the vehicle) greet Catherine and Tegan, of Bergen, and hand them some instructions.

Below, the FCS leaders greet a 4-H Family with kit materials and supplies during the 2020 FCS Spring Drive Thru. 

Below, Evan and Maggie Winspear, of Oakfield, waiting for families to arrive. 

James Anthony Colantonio, 50, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and failure to stop at a stop sign. At 9:30 a.m. on April 20, Colantonio was arrested on the charges on West Main Street Road in the Town of Batavia after he allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign. He was released with appearance tickets and is due in Town of Batavia Court on June 11. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Dimmig, assisted by Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Justin O. Porter, 28, of Bennington Street, Rochester, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree; unlawful possession of marijuana in the second degree; unlicensed operator; and speeding. According to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, Porter was stopped in the area of Swan and Ellicott streets in the city at 5:27 p.m. March 23 following the alleged observation of a vehicle and traffic violation. After an investigation by members of the Genesee County Drug Task Force, it is alleged that Porter possessed some marijuana and was driving while his privilege to do so was suspended in New York State. He was issued appearance tickets for June 2 in Batavia City Court.

The City of Batavia is getting its ducks in a row in anticipation of a $2 million rehabilitation of Richmond Avenue and Harvester Avenue in the summer of 2022.

Memos from Public Works Director Matt Worth to City Manager Martin Moore provide backup to a pair of draft resolutions:

-- The first one authorizing an agreement with the state Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to appropriate $358,000 up front to cover 100 percent of the federal and non-federal share of preliminary engineering, design and right of way incidentals;

-- The second one approving the selection of an engineering firm to oversee the preventive maintenance project.

Both resolutions are earmarked for discussion at City Council’s Conference Meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday via the Zoom videoconferencing service.

In a memo dated April 17, Worth wrote that the City was awarded federal highway funding through the Genesee Transportation Council for the renovation of Richmond Avenue from State Street to Oak Street and for the entire length of Harvester Avenue (from East Main Street to Ellicott Street).

The project is expected to cost $2,040,900, with the City’s share at 20 percent of the total expense.

Worth went on to explain that the City’s final share will drop to around $102,000 (5 percent) due to the utilization of two funding streams -- CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program) and Marchiselli, the primary state aid match to Federal Highway Administration-funded projects.

The proposed schedule shows the awarding of an engineering contract this spring, preliminary design completion by the fall, advanced design completion in 2021, solicitation of construction bids in the winter of 2021 (into 2022) and the actual work in the summer of 2022.

Work will include a 3-inch mill and overlay treatment with fibers and milling and resurfacing with a hot mix asphalt course. Additional work includes miscellaneous spot pavement repairs, curb repairs, curb ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and shared bicycle lane pavement markings.

In a memo dated April 20, Worth wrote that the City solicited NYSDOT-approved engineering firms last month and accepted proposals through April 21.

A team of City employees, headed by Worth, is prepared to make a recommendation to Council at Monday’s meeting, with the expectation that it will be approved by the board at its May 11^th Business Meeting.

A one-car accident is reported just west of the intersection of East Bethany-Le Roy Road and Roanoke Road in Stafford. The vehicle struck a pole and it is down. Wires are possibly in the roadway.

The operator was out of the vehicle and "walking toward Le Roy," says the dispatcher, and is now with a first responder. It is unknown if the driver is injured. Stafford Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 8:26 a.m.: A deputy at the scene reports heavy front-end damage and calls for a flatbed tow truck. The vehicle is about 15 feet off the roadway.

UPDATE 8:28 a.m.: The pole is snapped in half and a heavy wire is hanging low over the roadway.

Elba resident Lucine Kauffman reads "Leisure" by W.H. Davies.

Written briefing:

• As of 2 p.m.
  • Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19 for a total of 142 positive cases.
    • The positive case resides in Elba.
    • The positive case is in their 50s.
    • The newly positive individual was not on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • Five of the previous positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
    • One of the total active positive cases is hospitalized.
  • Orleans County received 10 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 75 positive cases.
    • One positive case resides in Barre, and one resides in Kendall.
    • Eight of the positive cases were from The Villages of Orleans Health & Rehab Facility.
    • One individual is in their 30s, one individual is in their 40s, two individuals are in their 60s and one individual is in their 70s, three individuals are in their 80s and two individuals are in their 90s or older.
    • One of the newly positive individuals was on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
    • Eight of the total active positive cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County has been made aware of two more deaths from The Villages of Orleans Health & Rehab, both of the individuals were over 65. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of these individuals, our neighbors, during this very sad time.

Genesee County school district officials are contending with reductions in state aid – some that may occur due to the economic situation created by COVID-19 – and increased expenditures as they work to balance their budgets for 2020-21.

Toward that end, The Batavian reached out to superintendents of the seven districts, asking them to respond to three questions:

• Is your district facing a deficit for the 2020-21 school year and, if so, how much?
• Is the school board intending to seek a property tax increase?
• Is the school board considering asking teachers/administrators to take a pay cut or a pay freeze?

(Note: On April 21st, The Batavian was the first to report the situation facing the Batavia City School District).

Here are the responses from the seven superintendents::

Catherine Huber, Alexander

We are not. We are certainly impacted by the anticipated budget cuts but we are able to manage our budget through the strategic use of reserves and other adjustments.

Our budget to budget (from 2019-20 to 2020-21) increase is 1.7 percent due to contractual and other required increases. We are going out with a zero percent tax increase.

We do not anticipate cutting positions, although our business official, our administrative unit and I will take salary freezes for 2020-21.

Mickey Edwards, Byron-Bergen:

Byron-Bergen will face a deficit, but the amount is unknown at this time.

An increase is a possibility, but that won't be determined until our first Board meeting in May.

This has not been discussed with our Teacher's Association.

Ned Dale, Elba:

Yes, the district is facing a shortfall. The exact amount is unknown based on the three lookback periods that the state will assess their own revenue and then determine how much each district will lose. I have estimated for the Board that it could be $300,000 or more for our approximately $10 million budget.

In March, we initially adopted a budget with a 2 percent tax increase. In April, we rescinded the budget proposition. We are looking to reduce that tax increase based on the loss of revenues and impact on our community from this pandemic.

The Elba Faculty Association and Board of Education are currently working collaboratively on a new agreement for next year. The EFA has been responsive and understands the financial impact that the district is under based on the loss of state aid. Their efforts are appreciated and will allow us to preserve some positions.

Merritt Holly, Le Roy:

We are waiting for the "first lookback" coming from Governor Cuomo and the State at the end of April. Our understanding is that picture should be clearer by May 4th and we will wait to see what those implications are for Le Roy CSD.

Furthermore, we are following the conversation if any additional federal funding is coming back to New York State and then to schools.

John Fisgus, Oakfield-Alabama:

The Oakfield-Alabama Central School District is closely monitoring the Governor's Executive Orders and announcements with respect to the ever-changing financial positions under the COVID-19 hardships that New York State is enduring.

At this time, our District is facing a roughly $200,000 budget shortfall with the current State Aid run calculations.

We are experiencing some cuts in equipment, supplies, and operational costs that are manageable at this point. We are projecting a zero percent property tax increase and we do not foresee any wage freeze propositions.

Unfortunately, it is anticipated that additional cuts in State Aid are imminent. Any further lack of educational funding could be detrimental to our District. We will adjust our budget accordingly if this is the case.

Kenneth Ellison, Pavilion:

Yes, we will face a deficit; amount is unknown at this time.

To be determined at our first meeting in May. A (property tax) increase is unlikely due to the economic situation.

This (wage cut/freeze) has not been discussed.

Matthew Calderon, Pembroke:

Based on the most recent state aid information we received, Pembroke is facing a deficit of $1.1 million, and that does not include additional state aid cuts that the Governor can enact each quarter moving forward.

The $1.1 million deficit assumes a zero percent tax levy increase.

I am not recommending a pay cut or a pay freeze for any employee group, and the Board has not made that request.

My recommendations to the Board include four (4) Levels of cost saving measures:

Level 1 includes cutting at least half of the requests made to purchase additional supplies and equipment.

Level 2 includes cost savings due to attrition (for instance, we will not replace half of the teachers who already gave notice they are retiring).

Level 3 includes using the Employee Benefit Accrued Liability Reserve (EBALR) to develop a retirement incentive for additional teachers and support staff members to consider. If our deficit remains at the $1.1 million, these three levels of cost saving measures will get us very close to closing that gap. However, if the Governor enacts additional cuts, then we may need to consider.

Level 4 measures, which unfortunately would include personnel cuts. Unfortunately, as a small rural school district in Genesee County, we already offer a relative lean educational program compared to the suburban schools in Erie and Monroe counties, and we can only cut positions so far before it has a significant negative effect on the quality of education we provide.

The Governor recently referenced an additional state aid cut up to 20 percent and an additional 20 percent cut in our state aid would be $1.8 million for Pembroke. If that happened, the number of personnel cuts required to close that gap would put us well below the level to enable us to provide a "sound basic education," which is a right afforded to all students in the New York State Constitution.

From the Genesee County Board of Elections:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidential Primary Election and NY-27 Special Election, which were scheduled to take place on Tuesday April 28^th at your regular polling locations, have been postponed.

There will be NO voting this coming Tuesday (April 28) and NO Early Voting!

The April 28^th Presidential Primary and NY-27 Special Election have been moved to the June 23^rd Primary date. 

You can vote absentee instead of going to the polls on June 23rd by going to our website, going to departments and elections where you can print an absentee application. Fill it out checking the box that says temporary illness in the first block of questions and in the second block of questions check Primary Election only.

You can also call our office at (585) 815-7804 to request an absentee application. After filling out your absentee application you can either mail it in to the Genesee County Board of Elections, or scan and email your application back into our office for processing.

Our email address is:   election@co.genesee.ny.us

Visit our Facebook Page for updates at Genesee Co. NY Board of Elections.                                                                               

Lorie J. Longhany, Democratic Commissioner

Richard E. Seibert, Republican Commissioner

Board of Elections

**********

County Building One, 15 Main St., Batavia

Phone: (585) 815-7804

FAX: (585) 344-8562

www.co.genesee.ny.us

Press release:

Earlier this semester officials at Genesee Community College were notified by the State University of New York (SUNY) that two of its students will receive the 2020 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence and Leadership. Specifically, Anna Adams, an international student from Germany and Mackenzie O'Brien of Akron, New York are the two GCC students to be honored with this recognition. 

The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 and is among the highest honor a SUNY student can receive. The Chancellor's Awards recognize students who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement, and/ or career achievement.

In addition, Neil Gillotti, of Middleport, and Adams were also named Phi Theta Kappa All-New York Academic Award recipients for 2020. Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in community college higher education, serving nearly 1,300 colleges in all 50 states and nine sovereign nations. Members of the All-New York Academic Team are recognized for the academic achievements, leadership accomplishments and engagement in community service.

All three of these outstanding students were to be recognized at SUNY's annual ceremony in Albany this semester, but the event was unfortunately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The award ceremony is always a powerful experience for both students and staff," Dr. Shelitha Williams, GCC's Vice President of Student and Enrollment Services said. "These students have worked hard for these honors and nothing can take that away. This has certainly been a unique semester and we continue to recognize and honor these students for their outstanding achievements."

Adams, O'Brien and Gillotti worked hard for these honors, which have earned them places in GCC's Recognition Matters series highlighting the accomplishments of the College's faculty, staff and students.

As a Digital Arts major, Anna Adams (inset photo right) has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average earning her President's List recognition. She participated in the College's Honors Program, which encourages superior academic work, originality, and independent, creative, interdisciplinary study.

She is bilingual and served in various capacities as a college intern within GCC's International Student and Admissions Offices, as well as a work-study student in GCC's Mac Lab within the Digital Arts Program.

In addition, Adams was president of the International Student Organization, a graphic assistant in the New Courier student newspaper, a member of the International Communications Club and a participant in the Scholar's Symposium. One of Adams' many projects was creating a series of "vlogs" or video blogs.

Adams hopes to transfer to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and continue her work as a visual artist to one day work for Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif.

Outside her Criminal Justice classrooms and labs where she earned President's List recognition, Mackenzie O'Brien (inset photo left) was a three-sport student-athlete and also captain of GCC's Women's Soccer and Lacrosse teams.

She is a two-time All-Conference and an All-Region soccer player who was one of only three freshmen starters to lead the team to a Regional Title and National appearance in the Elite Eight.

In addition, O'Brien served as the president of GCC's Leaders in Education, Athletics and Development of Student (LEADS) program that provides insight, support and leadership to promote and advance the College's broad-based athletic program. She was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa.

After graduation, O'Brien plans to transfer to Alfred University to earn her bachelor's degree with long-term plans to become a criminal investigator specializing in forensics for New York State Police or the FBI.

About Neil Gillotti

Neil Gillotti (inset photo right) is currently serving as the student representative on GCC's Board of Trustees for the 2019-2020 academic year.

He is a Computer and Information Sciences major with plans to transfer to Rochester Institute of Technology for a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, working toward a doctorate and a lifelong career in aerospace.

He was a president of GCC's PTK Chapter, working on various fundraising activities and also advancing the GCC Chapter to Five Star status.

Outside his academic commitments, Gillotti was instrumental in founding a new church, God's Voice Ministries, which provides extensive outreach services to many diverse groups.

Press release:

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Inc. Child Care Resource and Referral Program is pleased to announce that the Cuomo Administration has developed a plan to provide child care to eligible essential workers at no cost.

This allocation of funding for child care for essential workers comes to the state from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act(the “CARES Act”), which has provided New York with $163.6 million in emergency relief to the child care system.

New York State is using a portion of this funding to provide free child care for income eligible essential workers.

Essential workers using a regulated child care provider may receive a scholarship for the cost of care as long as the funds to support it are available. All licensed and regulated providers who are caring for essential workers are able to participate in this new program.

Access to affordable and safe child care is a barrier for working parents during the best of times, and even more so during a crisis.

New York State’s plan will ensure that the workforce that is needed to protect and care for the public during this pandemic have the child care that allows them to continue to serve us all. CCR&Rs are the child care experts and the conduit to accessing child care in New York State.

If you meet the definition of an essential employee and have child care needs, please apply here. You will be contacted by Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Child Care Resource and Referral staff within one business day.

We will follow up on next steps to gather information about your household and help you identify a participating child care provider or work with your current registered or licensed child care provider. If you have questions, you may contact Taryn Moyle, CCR&R Manager at: tmoyle@caoginc.org

Briefing.

From the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departmenta:

Deer ticks live in shady, moist areas at ground level. They will cling to tall grass, brush and shrubs, usually no more than 18-24 inches off the ground. They also live in lawns and gardens, especially at the edges of woods and around old stone walls.

Deer ticks cannot jump or fly, and do not drop onto passing people or animals. They get on humans and animals only by direct contact. Once a tick gets on the skin, it generally climbs upward until it reaches a protected area.

“It’s important for you and your family to learn how to prevent a bite, how to remove a tick, and what to do if you think you could have a tick-borne disease,” said Sarah Balduf, Environmental director for the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments.

In tick-infested areas, your best protection is to avoid contact with soil, leaf litter and vegetation.

“As we continue to balance the implications of COVID-19 and working to enjoy outdoor activities, remember to follow Governor Cuomo’s 10-point New York State on PAUSE Plan, including that individuals should limit outdoor recreational activities to non-contact and avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people,” said Paul Pettit, director for the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments.

For more information about the New York State on PAUSE Plan click here.

However, if you garden, hike, camp, hunt, work, or otherwise spend time in the outdoors and maintain appropriate social distancing, you can still protect yourself:

• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
• Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
• Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors.
• Consider using insect repellent.
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.
• Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
• Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
• Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.

What About Insect Repellent?

Consider using insect repellents registered with the Environmental Protection Agency:

• DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied to exposed skin. Products that contain 20 percent or more DEET can provide protection that lasts up to several hours. Use the lowest concentration of DEET that you will need for the length of time you will be outdoors.
• Picaridin is a colorless, nearly odorless ingredient that can be applied to exposed skin in a range of 5 to 20 percent of the active ingredient.
• Permethrin: Clothes, shoes and camping gear can be treated or purchased pretreated with permethrin. Its protection can last through many washes.Neverapply permethrin to skin. The New York State Health Department recommends taking these precautions when using repellents that contain these active ingredients:
• Store out of the reach of children and read all instructions on the label before applying.
• Do NOT allow children to apply repellents themselves.

What Can I Do To Reduce Ticks In My Yard?

• Keep lawns mowed and edges trimmed.
• Clear brush, leaf litter and tall grass around the house, and at the edges of gardens and stone walls.
• Stack woodpiles neatly away from the house and preferably off the ground.
• In the fall, clear all leaf and garden litter, where ticks can live in the winter, out of your yard.
• Keep the ground under bird feeders clean so as not to attract small animals that can carry ticks into your yard.
• Locate children’s swing sets and other play equipment in sunny, dry areas of the yard, away from the woods where ticks can be abundant. For more information on Lyme disease, contact your local health department or refer to the NYS Department of Health website.

Also Consider These Important Facts:

• If you tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants, be aware that ticks will climb upward to hidden areas of the head and neck, so spot-check clothes frequently.
• Clothes can be sprayed with DEET or treated with permethrin. Follow label instructions carefully.
• Upon returning home, clothes can be put in a high temperature dryer for 20 minutes to kill any unseen ticks.
• Any contact with vegetation, even playing in the yard, can result in exposure to ticks. Frequent tick checks should be followed by a whole-body examination and tick removal each night. This is the single most effective method for prevention of Lyme disease.

How Can I Safely Remove a Tick?

If you DO find a tick attached to your skin, do not panic. Not all ticks are infected, and your risk of Lyme disease is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first 36 hours. To remove a tick:

• Use a pair of pointed tweezers to grasp the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. DO NOT grasp the tick by the body.
• Pull firmly and steadily outward. DO NOT jerk or twist the tick.
• Place the tick in a small container of rubbing alcohol to kill it.
• Clean the bite wound with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
• Monitor the site of the bite for the next 30 days for the appearance of a rash. If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately. Although not routinely recommended, taking antibiotics within three days after a tick bite may be beneficial for some persons. This would apply to deer tick bites that occurred in areas where Lyme disease is common and there is evidence that the tick fed for more than one day. In cases like this you should discuss the possibilities with your doctor or health care provider.

For information on Health Department services in Genesee County contact:

• Genesee County Health Department at: 344-2580, ext. 5555, or visit their website.

Press release:

Today, Nate McMurray, candidate for U.S. Congress in the June 23 special election in NY-27, condemned U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for holding hostage critically needed aid for New Yorkers, and called on opponent Chris Jacobs to do the same.

“Even the idea of the federal government turning their back on states during the biggest healthcare crisis in U.S. history is unfathomable and should infuriate all of us, regardless of party affiliation," McMurray said. "This is not ‘free money’, it exists to serve the American people and to ensure they are able to receive everyday critical services like those provided by our First Responders and school districts here in Western New York.”

The U.S. Senate, under McConnell’s leadership, rejected essential funding for state and local governments in the latest emergency relief bill this week. McConnell said he’d favor states’ declaring bankruptcy over providing additional federal aid to states facing catastrophic budget gaps during the COVID-19 crisis.

“New York invests $116 billion dollars into the federal government, and the people of the 27th deserve their fair share as they struggle to make ends meet, now more than ever," McMurray said.

"As a sitting NYS Senator, Chris Jacobs should know this better than most, but I’m not holding my breath for him to buck his party line and stand up for what’s right after he recently voted against providing New Yorkers paid sick leave during the pandemic. The people of NY-27 have gone years without real, independent leadership; they cannot afford to be abandoned by the government in their darkest hour."