Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced, following his major effort, the successful inclusion of $2 million in the soon-to-pass bipartisan omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year 2020 for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue research, market surveillance, and appropriate regulatory activities for products containing the increasingly popular cannabidiol (CBD).

Even though CBD products have gained popularity since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the farming, manufacturing, and selling of industrial hemp, Schumer explained that the FDA has yet to set regulations or safety requirements for CBD derived from hemp.

According to Schumer, the lack of federal guidance and clarity is sowing chaos for both consumers and in the rapidly emerging Upstate New York industrial hemp industry, which saw sales of CBD products surpass $200 million nationally in 2018.

Therefore, in the upcoming, bipartisan appropriations package, Schumer fought for a provision setting aside $2 million for regulatory activities, research, and policy evaluation of CBD products.

The legislation also includes a requirement that the FDA issue a report to Congress within 60 days on its progress determining a regulatory framework for CBD products. Additionally, the provision requires the FDA to study a sample of CBD products currently on the market, to better understand which products are mislabeled or otherwise misrepresented.

“CBD is brimming with potential to be a billion-dollar industry across New York State, bringing along countless jobs and truly meaningful economic development with it. But before that can happen, we need to be 100-percent sure we understand the ABCs of CBD—its impact on human health, and how best to regulate it at the federal level,” Senator Schumer said.

“That’s why during the negotiations for the bipartisan spending package, which is set to pass in the next few days, I fought tooth and nail to secure a provision setting aside $2 million for the FDA to, at long last, begin developing a regulatory framework for CBD—and demanding the agency update Congress on its progress.

Once these necessary rules and restrictions are set, the industry will seed and grow from one corner of the state to the other, many good-paying jobs will be created in the industrial hemp space, farmers will be able to safely cash in on this cash crop, and consumers will be protected.”

CBD is one of the two main chemical compounds that can be found in the cannabis plant. However, CBD is not psychoactive, meaning that it cannot get a person high—unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the other chemical compound found in many types of cannabis plants, primarily marijuana.

CBD products have become exceptionally popular in the marketplace, with estimated sales of CBD-containing products, such as oils, gummies, balms, lotions, and capsules, surpassing $200 million in 2018.

According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, there are currently just under 500 people, businesses, and organizations spread across New York State licensed to grow and process industrial hemp.

According to news reports, roughly three-quarters of those licenses were approved for the purposes of cultivating and extracting CBD. Currently, there are 18,000 acres of land licensed for industrial hemp growing in New York State, with 14,000 designated for CBD cultivation and extraction.

Furthermore, of New York’s 62 counties, 56 are home to industrial hemp farms and related growing operations. Schumer explained that these figures show just how much potential CBD products have to boost the economy across New York State, should clear guidance on CBD be issued by the FDA.

Industrial hemp is a type of cannabis plant that is grown largely for industrial uses, but it can also be utilized for food, oil, and cosmetic products. Hemp contains a very small amount of THC, typically between 0.2 and 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis, and while from the same species of plant as marijuana, the two plants have varied widely in use.

However, due to the existence of THC in hemp, Schumer explained, both plants were considered “controlled substances” under federal law, meaning the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was the primary regulator for hemp production.

Schumer argued that this narrow view has undermined the crop’s agricultural and economic potential. With the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 passed by Congress and signed into law last year, this unnecessary roadblock has been lifted, and industrial hemp’s significant potential to become a cash crop in Upstate New York will be unleashed.

Genesee County is on the northern perimeter of a long storm path that is moving from the Midwest to the Northeast over tonight and into tomorrow evening.

If we see snow, which is predicted, the range is expected to be from one to three inches.

Graphic: Accuweather.

Each month at Jackson Primary School, students learn about a different character trait and this month they learned about kindness.

The community member who helped them with their kindness lessons this month was Capt. Greg Ireland, Batavia Fire Department. Ireland made a video where he read a book about kindness and gave the children a tour of the fire hall.

Today, he had lunch with several of the students and talked with the children about kindness, especially how firefighters are kind. They all ate pizza. One student from each class was selected to attend the lunch based on a teacher recommendation for exemplifying kindness at school.

All of the students at the lunch received a certificate recognizing their kindness.

On Dec. 8, Resurrection Parish Faith Formation celebrated a Sacrament of Confirmation Commitment Mass. Then families prepared greeting cards and children colored pictures and they prepared to distribute cookies to homebound parishioners.

Lunch for students and families was donated by Sodality of Resurrection Parish.

A 44-year-old State Street man admitted in court to stealing $344.50 from the Days Inn in Batavia in October, but as part of a plea deal may with have an opportunity to enter a judicial diversion program.

It will be up to Judge Charles Zambito to decide whether Thomas P. Moynihan can enter a substance abuse program following a report by probation officials to determine his potential eligibility for the program.

Moynihan is due back in court Jan. 3 to hear Zambito's decision.

If Moynihan successful completes the program, his felony charge could be reduced and he would be eligible for probation with no jail time.

If he doesn't successfully complete the program, he would be looking at a prison term of two to seven years.

Moynihan has no prior prison record.

He was arrested by Batavia PD after he went into an area designated for employees at the Days Inn, confronted an employee, demanded money, and then fought with the employee before fleeing.

The employee was not hurt in the incident.

Today he entered a guilty plea to robbery in the third degree.

A change in the law, called the "Green Light Law," that would allow people in the United States without legal permission to be here to obtain a driver's licenses is getting push back in Genesee County from local residents and the County Clerk.

A small group of residents staged a protest outside County Building #1 this morning. Also this morning, County Clerk Michael Cianfrini announced a moratorium on new driver's permits because he is concerned about the lack of training his staff has received about the new law.

"We're out here because we disagree with Gov. Cuomo about the law," said Carl Hyde, or organized the protest. "We're American citizens and we have a right to freedom of speech and to say the law is wrong and we disagree with it."

He expressed concern about DMV staff locally not receiving adequate training to inspect documents from other nations and decide if documents that are presented to determine identity are legitimate documents.

That's also the worry of Cianfrini, who has been hoping the governor would delay implementation of the law or a court would intervene to at least slow down its implementation.

"As it became obvious that none of these were going to happen, I consulted with county management and our county attorney and decided that this was the best course of action in the very short term," Cianfrini said. "As the state has changed many of the policies and procedures that we use to process new applications while providing minimal training and information on exactly how to handle various situations, we were uncomfortable with completing the transactions."

He said that if clerks were presented with documents they could not verify or authenticate, or if the clerks suspected fraud, they would be prohibited from contacting law enforcement and from keeping copies of the docuemnts. At the same time, he said the county DMV has been told to handle suspicious documents "as we always have."

"I am afraid that we will either take a copy of something or report something that we shouldn’t, and find ourselves in violation of the law, or accept and process something that we shouldn’t and likewise run afoul of the law," Cianfrini said. "As we do not discriminate against anyone based upon a suspicion of country of origin or suspected legal status, we felt it necessary to implement this blanket moratorium on new permits to protect ourselves and to be in a position to handle the transactions properly when we start issuing them again.  It is my sincere hope that we will be able to begin processing new permit transactions again within the next few days."

A 37-year-old transient with roots in Batavia will spend 12 and a half years in prison for his first-degree robbery of the Speedway at 204 W. Main St. in September.

Dustin Wayne Bogue was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of stolen property.

He entered the Speedway at 1:51 p.m. Sept. 14 and Batavia PD responded to a report of a robbery. He was later arrested following an investigation. 

Under terms of a previous plea agreement, the maximum sentence Bogue faced was 15 years. He could have gotten a minimum of 10 years. District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said Judge Charles Zambito decided to split in half the maximum statutory time of 25 years, which is how he arrived at 12 and a half years.

Bogue has previously served prison terms for unauthorized use of a vehicle, second-degree assault, and criminal contempt.

His father, Lewis W. Bogue Jr., was convicted in Genesee County Court in 1995 of rape and sodomy (Dustin Bogue was not the victim). Zambito, according to Friedman, said he realized Bogue had a rough childhood but he said that was no excuse before imposing the prison term.

Video submitted by the Joan Elizabeth Seamans campaign.

Press release from AAA: 

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.55, down 2 cents since last week. One year ago, the price was $2.38. The New York State average is $2.67 – down 1 cent from last week.

A year ago, the NYS average was $2.71. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $2.65 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Buffalo - $2.61 (no change since last week)
• Ithaca - $2.66 (no change since last week)
• Rochester - $2.65 (no change since last week)
• Rome - $2.61 (no change since last week)
• Syracuse - $2.58 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Watertown - $2.66 (no change since last week)

Total domestic gasoline stocks continue to increase, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Stocks increased by 5.4 million barrels in the most recent report, bringing the total to 234.8 million barrels. Additionally, gas demand decreased.

As stocks continue to grow, while demand decreases, pump prices across the nation are likely to continue seeing downward pressure this week before holiday travel begins.

Gas prices are higher this year than one year ago. The year-over-year difference is due to higher crude prices this winter compared to last year.

From Gas Buddy:

"Gasoline prices have now slid to their lowest level since March thanks to rising U.S. gasoline inventories and sluggish demand, certainly bringing some Christmas cheer to motorists," said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "The jump in gasoline inventories has been so large it has offset oil prices which touched $60 per barrel last week, as well as the U.S. and China suggesting they've reached a trade deal.

"Pending more significant proven trade ties between the two major countries, we may have seen the rally in oil stall for now, as refined product inventories post notable jumps going into the end of the year. It may take more inspiration for oil's recent run to translate over into lackluster gasoline, with motorists the clear beneficiaries -- they'll be able to spend a bit more on shopping for those last-minute Christmas gifts."

Submitted photos and press release:

Besides the traditional ribbon-and-bow-wrapped gifts, there are gifts of shared experiences -- such as tickets to events. With the latter in mind, the Genesee Center for the Arts located at Genesee Community College announces its spring season lineup in time for the holidays.

Spring 2020 brings a playbill fit to entertain everyone.

Excited to begin the season, GCC's student performers, the Forum Players, will perform "Doubt: A Parable," written by John Patrick Shanley, which won both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award in 2005.

This performance is a brilliant and powerful drama which tells the story of Bronx school principal Sister Aloysius, who takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with a male student. Shanley not only wrote the play, but he also wrote the screenplay and directed it as a film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

GCC's talented Forum Players will also bring this parable to life with four live performances, directed by Maryanne Arena and Jaime Arena, which are intended for mature audiences.

• Thursday, Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, both at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.

He draws inspiration from the giants of blues guitar, such as Freddie King, Earl Hooker, Magic Sam and Albert Collins, among many others.

As a special addition to the evening, fellow Rochester guitarist Joe Beard (inset photo below right), originally from Ashland, Miss., will join the Roadmasters as an opening act.

Beard has played many major festivals in the United States and Europe and was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2017. He has released four albums to great critical acclaim.

Then, in May, the Forum Players return with a Children's Theatre production of "Jack," written by Mike Kenny. Kenny's version of "Jack and the Beanstalk," directed by Norm Gayford and Rob Reiss, adds a wonderfully creative and contemporary twist to the classic storyline.

The production will open with Jack in a dinner pot awaiting his fate as the main course for the hungry giant. As Jack recounts how he found himself on the giant's dinner menu, he talks his way out of the soup pot with a fun, humorous outburst that keeps audiences laughing and begging for more. 

Take a magical journey up a beanstalk into an unknown world above the clouds and back again. This is perfect family fun for all generations.

• Friday, May 1 at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for shows at GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre are $8 for adults, $6 for alumni (with ID) and $5 for seniors (55+), students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID and children under 16 are $3. To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

Submitted photo and press release:

This week offers a cultural opportunity to support local artists, and in this case also local filmmakers, screenwriters and actors.

From 5:30 till 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 18, 19 and 20 the College is hosting the fourth annual Western New York Film, Art and Music Event (FAME), organized by Beaver Alley Studios Inc. and cosponsored by the CineMagic, a GCC student organization. The event will be held in the central Forum of the Batavia Campus.

Over the three nights, the FAME Festival will be showing an array of different films including documentaries on the first night. On Friday evening, awards will be given in a variety of different categories including:

• Film --- Best No-Budget Film (under $15,000), Best Director, Best WNY Film, Best Short Script and more;
• Music Video-- Best Cinematography, FAME Audience Choice, Most Unique Concept Song/ Video;
• Photography-- Landscape, People, Events, Nature, Best Body of Work.

Admission to each night is completely FREE. Mature content is scheduled for screening after 9 p.m., but the bulk of the work to be viewed is intended for all-age audiences. Nearly 50 screenplays, photo films and music videos were entered into the contest.

For additional more information on the festival, click here.

Parker established Beaver Alley Studios Inc. to facilitate the production, promotion, distribution, exhibition and celebration of independent art in all forms, especially art from a female perspective. The organization offers services such as screenwriting and script consultation, cinematography, editing, film reviews, film school, and packages for events, commercial use, music videos and short films.

A resident of Albion, Parker is an active filmmaker and produced several full length movies, including her first, "Friends Don't Let Friends - Date Friends" in 2014. She has also written and produced the feature films "Lonely Bananas," "Message in a Bottle," a number of short films, and early in her film career she appeared as a "Walmart mom" in a television commercial.

For more event details, contact Beaver Alley Studios Inc. President Rhonda Parker at (585) 798-2815 or via email atrhonda@beaveralleystudios.com or Genesee Community College Assistant Professor of English and Film Shawn Adamson at (585) 343-0055, ext.6156, or via email at spadamson@genesee.edu.

Batavia police officers received delivery of cookies and milk, donated by Batavia's Original, yesterday afternoon from the local GORUCK club.  

Rucking combines strength and cardio training. It is walking with weighted ruck backpacks.

Photo: Officer Wes Rissinger, Officer Miah Stevens, and the Dentino family, Gabrial, 2, with his father Colin, Ryan, 7, and Maria. Colin and Maria participate in GORUCK events.

Robbie Hanks continued his hot streak in Genesee Region USBC league play this week by rolling a 300 game and 801 series at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

The right-hander, who works at the lanes owned by his father, Randy, posted games of 300, 256 and 245 in the Thursday Triples League.

It is the second 300 game in a month for Hanks.

At Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, Brandon Marshall set the pace in the G&W Vending League on Tuesday nightwith a 279 game and 761 sereis.

For a list of scores from around the Genesee Region last week, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

The Oatkan Knights fell for the second time in the season, moving to 3-2, with a 57 to 46 loss to York at Le Roy.

Andrew Loftus scored 15 points for the Knights. Cody Lyle scored 10 and Gia Caccamise scored 9.

A caller to dispatch reports a male in front of Genesee Dental on Main Street in Downtown Batavia was observed drinking a half pint of alcohol and he is now "checking the doors, air boxing and doing pushups on the sidewalk." City police are responding.

Photo: Roger Bohn, of Batavia Lions Club, Lions Club President Joe Teresi and T.F. Brown's Restaurant owner Rick Mancuso.

Submitted photo and information:

You and your family are cordially invited to the annual Christmas Day Community Dinner, sponsored by the Batavia Lions Club and T.F. Brown's Restaurant, where it is held. The dinner is an opportunity for those who maybe alone for the day, the less fortunate, or simply those who would like to share dinner with fellow community members.

For more than 20 years, this partnership has provided a free, traditional buffet-style Christmas meal to people in the community and a special gift for each child who attends. (The restaurant is not officially open and the full menu is not available. The bar is closed.)

Two seatings are available at the restaurant, located at 214 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia: at noon, and at 1 p.m. Dec. 25.

Please RSVP no later than Dec. 20.

To attend, click on the PDF invitation here, fill it out and return it. Or call 345-1000 -- the office at T.F. Brown's -- and let Barb know how many will be attending, which seating time you prefer; most importantly, let her know the age/gender and first names of children attending so they can receive a special gift.

Completed invitations can be faxed to 345-1003, or emailed to Barb at:   barb@mancusoproperties.com

As in the past, your hosts promise all a great meal, a special gift for the younger family members and plenty of Holiday Joy.

In the past, they have served dinners to more than 300 individuals and presented Christmas presents to all of the younger family members in attendance.

Press release:

The Saturday night (Dec. 14) live card of racing at Batavia Downs has been cancelled due to heavy snow and inclement weather. This ends the 2019 racing season in Western New York as this was the last day of the meet. 

Live harness racing will return to the oldest lighted harness track in America in July.

Western Regional Off Track Betting would like to thank all the horsemen, horsewomen, fans and staff for the record season Batavia Downs had this year and wishes everyone a very Happy Holiday Season.

Above, Vicki McKeirnan, Gail Montgomery, Sandy Tabone, and Joe Zaso and the cache ready to distribute for the annual Washington Towers Christmas Door Decorating Contest: 

On Dec. 10^th, Washington Towers held its Christmas Door Decorating Contest, a longstanding tradition.

Fifty residents participated in 2018 and received a prize. This year even more tenants signed up.

It should not have to be said, but fairness in these matters is of utmost importance.

"Several years ago we decided we needed 'outside' judges so it would be fair," says Washington Towers property manager Valerie Tidwell, who was not forthcoming about the backstory or how the tipping point was reached in determining the "need."

Yet, paradoxically, without any whiff of concern over whispers of nepotism, Tidwell took it upon herself to enlist her three aunts, "The Sisters," and one of their friends and they've been at the annual task ever since -- for more than 12 years now.

With the contest reins firmly in hand, Vicki McKeirnan, Gail Montgomery and Sandy Tabone, along with Sandy’s friend Joe Zaso, all "fun and funny" people with "huge laughs" set their hearts and minds to make the holidays special inside Washington Towers.

The Sisters donate all of the gift bags, each filled with a pleasing array of items including: slippers, socks, hats and gloves, kitchen and bath towels, stationary, candies, holiday items and more. And the cache is brought in in advance and organized.

For their mission, which they volunteered to accept, they don't dillydally. They take their judging duties very seriously although their attire suggests otherwise.

They painstakingly go to each contestant's entrance and critique the door decor by means of an intricate scoring system. Ask the details though you may, they will not be shared. (The Batavian, though tempted, dared not broach the subject.)

The judges pick the mise-en-scène winners and deliver the prizes of gift bags.

Despite the purportedly elaborate scoring calculus, all participants receive a prize, definitely a case of “Everyone Gets a Trophy.”

Regardless, competition for one of the top spots is consistently fierce. After all, bragging rights last an entire year!

The denizens of Washington Towers are so grateful to The Sisters -- and The Friend -- for their time, the gifts and most of all, the holiday cheer they bring.

"They brighten the season for our residents and our staff," Tidwell said. "The residents love it and I love it, but I also know that they love it!"

Photo and information courtesy of Valerie Tidwell, property manager, Washington Towers.