Stories from

Press release:

Genesee County is working hard to provide timely, accurate information about the ongoing coronavirus emergency and its impact on our local community.

In an effort to expand the availability of resources to residents and the agencies of Genesee County the County’s website has been enhanced to include: information on the virus; avenues of giving and receiving assistance; tools for businesses; and direct links to the County’s informational series, “Genesee Connects” and more.

Here's the link. Or visit www.co.genesee.ny.us and click on “Coronavirus Information.”

Press release:

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Batavia will hold off on the 2020 reappraisal project that was set to change more than 2,000 assessed values.

To keep the City residents and employees safe, the City will not move forward with the project as the process to review and challenge an assessment requires considerable community interaction with the Assessment Office and city employees.  

“When properties are reassessed owners have the right to review the changes with the assessor, attend informal reviews, and ultimately attend Grievance Day with the Board of Assessment Review (BAR).  With the City’s offices closed, and our concern for citizen’s health and economic wellbeing at the forefront of our decision making, we will not change assessed values in 2020,” said Rachael Tabelski, Assistant City Manager. 

There are approximately 5,700 properties in the City of Batavia that support the City operations and make up one third of the City’s total budget. The only assessment changes that will move forward this year are 58 properties that had new construction or major physical changes. Of the 58 change notices approximately 20 of these owners are utility companies. 

The tentative roll will be posted on the City of Batavia website on May 1^st for review.

The details of grievance and informal review will be posted on the City website. Per the New York State Executive Order 202.22, the City will hold Grievance Day via a web conference video/phone call, and the instructions will be provided on the website.

Please call or contact the City of Batavia Assessors Office with any questions. Call- 585-345-6301 or use the contact form located on our website.  

Press release:

Little Hands Preschool in Bergen is accepting applications for fall enrollment.

There are openings in the 2-year-old Playgroup as well as the 3- and 4-year-old Preschool classes for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Little Hands Preschool is located at 27 S. Lake Ave. (Route 19) and is a ministry of Bergen United Methodist Church.

It offers a Christian environment that teaches children that they are loved by God while equipping them with the academic and social skills necessary for kindergarten.

People can visit the Facebook page for Little Hands Preschool at Bergen UMC or its website for pricing and more information. Phone is (585) 494-1312.

From the Rotary Club of Le Roy:

It is the Rotary International vision statement that perhaps says it best “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”

Rotarians are a collection of people of action, and we share a strong sense of purpose. In troubled times such as these, Rotarians will rise and meet the needs of their community and the world. It is with that sense of purpose that the Rotary Club of Le Roy has begun the “Rotary Community Reinvestment Fund.”

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are being felt across the globe, but signs of the effects can be seen in our community. In the interest of public safety, nonessential local businesses have been forced to close.

The impact of these closures may not be evident to the naked eye, but the ramifications are impacting our friends and neighbors who own these businesses. As both state and national levels begin to restart the economy, those same businesses that have supported Le Royans in the past will need our support more than ever.

The Community Reinvestment Fund will take donations made by local individuals and families, and direct them to the Le Roy businesses most in need. The Rotary Club of Le Roy, which has served the community for more than 75 years, will oversee the collection and distribution of funds.

There will be a short application for businesses to complete, and a committee of Rotarians will review the applications and submit approved applications to the Board of Directors. The form is available on our website. Fellow Rotarians and their families are not eligible to receive funds through this process.

Individuals or businesses interested in supporting our community can make contributions by mailing a check to: Rotary Club of Le Roy, Attn.: Community Reinvestment Fund, P.O. Box 141, Le Roy, NY 14482.

Any questions can be directed to Jim Ellison (717) 503-5749, or:   jdellison@gmail.com 

Submitted photo and press release:

Head Start, a preschool program of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, is taking applications for the 2020-21 academic year.

Head Start has centers in Albion, Batavia, Kendall and Medina, with an enrollment of 189 children.

Since 1965, Head Start has provided quality comprehensive services in Education & Child Development, Health & Nutrition and Family & Community Engagement at no cost to parents.

At Head Start, every staff member knows each child and family has unique talents and interests of their own.  By partnering with families, providing individualized learning experiences and support, children and families learn, grow and get ready for school.

Children are eligible for the Head Start preschool program if they are 3 years old on or before Sept. 15 or 4 years old on or before Dec. 1, and if they reside in Orleans or Genesee counties.

Priority for enrollment is given to foster children, homeless, families on public assistance or those whose income is below the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and children with diagnosed disabilities.

Families may begin the application process by calling the Head Start Administrative Offices at (585) 589-5683. Give your child a “Head Start” that will last a lifetime!

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that out of an abundance of caution surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the first two “Rockin the Downs” concerts scheduled for this June have been rescheduled to late August.

The Vince Neil concert scheduled for Friday, June 19^th, 2020 will take place on Friday, Aug. 21^st.

The Steve Augeri concert scheduled for Friday, June 26^th, 2020 will take place on Friday, Aug. 28^th.

So now the 2020 “Rockin the Downs” concert series will kick off with the regularly scheduled July 10^th performance by Molly Hatchet.

Please note that all tickets already sold for these concerts will be honored on the new dates.

“We felt it was necessary to reschedule the start of the series,” said Henry Wojtaszek, CEO/president of Batavia Downs Gaming. “We are still looking forward to seeing everyone this summer, at time when local and state officials have determined it is safe to do so.”

Tickets to all concerts are available at BataviaConcerts.com

From Senator Charles E. Schumer:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today revealed that as part of his negotiation priorities for the interim emergency bill that passed the Senate yesterday, he has ensured that agricultural enterprises will be added as an eligible recipient for grants of up to $10,000 and low-interest loans through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

This assistance can help cover business expenses, including payroll and other operating expenses.

Schumer has relentlessly advocated for New York’s farms during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, securing more than $9.5 billion in emergency funding in last month’s CARES ACT for the agricultural sector suffering massive financial losses due to reduced demands and supply chain disruptions, and calling on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately release aid to hardest-hit agricultural businesses, 

“Making our hardworking Upstate farmers eligible for this vital federal emergency grant-and-aid program was a huge priority for me and I am proud to have secured them this much-needed and well-deserved access to a program that could be a lifeline in these very difficult times,” Senator Schumer said. “I fought hard because just like any other small business in New York, access to this funding could be a vital lifeline for our farmers during this time of crisis.

"In good times, New York farmers are some of the best in the world and work long hours on tight margins, but in the midst of a global pandemic, they are losing revenue streams, suffering huge financial losses and being forced to discard their products. They need all the help we can offer – and they need it now.”

About 23 percent of New York State’s land area, or almost 7 million acres, is farmland, and with more than 33,000 farms across the state and nearly 700 farmer’s markets, New York’s agricultural sector is one of the hardest-hit industries in the nation. Additionally, 96 percent of farms in the state are family-owned.

Since the March passage of the CARES Act, there has been demand from the agricultural community for the SBA to include agricultural enterprises to the EIDL program. With this fix to the EIDL program, farms and other agricultural enterprises under 500 employees will be eligible to apply for SBA grant and loan disaster assistance.

Schumer added, “the bill originally pushed by Senate Republicans had absolutely no fix for our farmers, nor did it have any money for the entire Emergency Injury Disaster Grant and Loan Program. But we stopped that bill so we could make vital improvements, like making sure our farmers had full access to all key forms of federal aid to get through the tough times.”

Here are the facts:

• Farmers and other agricultural enterprises are now eligible for the EIDL program.

o   The bill passed in the Senate yesterday adds agricultural enterprises under 500 employees as an eligible recipient for grants of up to $10,000 and low-interest loans through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.

o   There has been a demand from the agricultural community for SBA to change its rules so agricultural enterprises would be eligible for the SBA’s EIDL loans and the new EILD grant program, but no such rule change has happened.

o   The interim emergency bill proposed by Democrats called for this key fix to support the nation’s farmers, which would not have happened under the original proposal that would have solely increased in funding for PPP. 

Here's a breakdown of the number of farms in each region of New York:

Region

# of Farms (2017)

Western NY

3,814

Finger Lakes

5,945

Southern Tier

7,028

Central NY

7,537

Capital Region

6,240

Hudson Valley

2,246

NYC

36

Long Island

592

Total

33,438

From USDA:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced emergency benefit increases have reached $2 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states and three territories to increase food security during the coronavirus national emergency.

These emergency benefits represent a 40-percent increase in overall monthly SNAP benefits, significantly increasing food purchasing power for American families. 

“These are unprecedented times for American families who are facing joblessness and hunger," Secretary Perdue said. "USDA is providing a 40-percent increase in SNAP benefits to ensure that low-income individuals have enough food to feed themselves and their families during this national emergency."

Background:

Currently, a household with two adults, three children, and no income can receive the maximum benefit of $768. However, due to reportable income and other factors, the average five-person household receives significantly less, $528.

These emergency benefits would provide the average five-person household an additional $240 monthly in food purchasing power, bringing the average household up to the same benefit level as households already receiving the maximum. 

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), signed into law by President Trump, provided for the issuance of emergency allotments in response to COVID-19. Across the United States, emergency allotments total nearly $2 billion per month, which is in addition to approximately $4.5 billion in benefits already provided to SNAP households each month. 

All SNAP households that are eligible to receive less than the maximum benefit will receive the emergency allotment supplement to bring them up to the maximum. By law, SNAP households are not permitted to receive more than the maximum allotment.

SNAP emergency allotments allow states to raise benefits to the maximum amount for the household’s size for up to two months, and USDA is providing additional guidance today to states that want to further extend these emergency allotments month by month as prescribed by the law.

Hawaii -- approved last Friday -- was the final state agency authorized to provide the emergency allotments, which are now authorized in all 50 states, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

States could request to provide an emergency allotment for current SNAP households beginning in March. USDA is continuing to work closely with states so that supplements are provided in subsequent months as this public health emergency warrants, as outlined in FFCRA. 

Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of actions that USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has taken to uphold the USDA’s commitment to “Do Right and Feed Everyone” during this national emergency. Other actions include:

• Providing more than 227 million pounds of food – valued at $243 million through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), with another $850 million available from the FFCRA and Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Stimulus (CARES) Act.
• Launching Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) to provide the value of school breakfast and lunch to families eligible for free and reduce-price lunch;
• Issuing Disaster Household Distributions, food targeted to meet specific needs when traditional channels of food are unavailable, to 16 States and territories, and 29 tribes;
• Providing more than one million meals a week to rural children through public-private partnership Meals to You;
• Allowing states to serve free meals to children in all areas across more than 35,000 feeding sites nation-wide;
• Maximizing flexibilities, such as parent-pickup and meal times requirements, for the free meals provided through schools and other providers; 
• Increasing access to online purchasing by expanding the online purchasing pilot to cover half of all SNAP households;
• Debuting “Meals for Kids” interactive site finder – to help families find meals for children while schools are closed; and
• Providing administrative flexibilities in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to allow for social distancing and for State to more quickly process new applications.

FNS administers 15 nutrition assistance programs that leverage American’s agricultural abundance to ensure children and low-income individuals and families have nutritious food to eat. FNS also co-develops the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provide science-based nutrition recommendations and serve as the cornerstone of federal nutrition policy.

Photo of DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia taken by Mel Robinson in July 2014.

From the The Batavia Area Jaycees:

The Batavia Area Jaycees have gotten creative to not let the COVID-19 Pandemic ruin all of their plans. To celebrate Earth Day, The Batavia Area Jaycees are asking the community to vote for their favorite nature photo in their online contest album that can be found here.

The photo with the most likes and reactions will win, and the Jaycee member who submitted the winning photo will pick a local charity for the service group to donate money to.

Voting will remain open until Monday April 27^th at noon. All photos are taken locally to celebrate Earth’s beauty in our community. 

The group was originally supposed to participate in a litter cleanup event to celebrate Earth Day. With the state being on pause, that event was unfortunately canceled. The group brainstormed new ways to act out their mission while practicing social distancing. 

The Batavia Area Jaycees is a group of young, active citizens ages 18-41 who work together to provide development opportunities that empower people to create positive change within themselves and our community. They strive to grow personally and professionally so that they can make an impact in our community and beyond.

The Jaycees are always accepting new members. The group will resume monthly meetings after the pandemic, so follow them on Facebook or email them at bataviajaycees@gmail.com to learn more information on how to become a member.

The group currently has members from all over Genesee County as well as Orleans County.

Press release:

Consistent with the news last week that Governor Andrew Cuomo extended his New York State on PAUSE executive order through May 15, Regional Transit Service (RTS) announced today that the temporary waiving of fares will also be extended through May 15.

RTS initially waved fares on March 19 to help protect RTS Bus Operators and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. RTS encourages customers to follow the guidance of elected leaders and health experts by staying home whenever possible and limiting travel to essential rides only. This includes trips to destinations such as the grocery store, pharmacy and medical facilities.

When taking these trips, RTS also encourages customers to follow Governor Cuomo’s executive order to wear a mask on the bus and while in public, and to maintain a distance of six feet between each other on the bus, at the RTS Transit Center and at bus stops.

For all other information, visit www.myRTS.com.

Press release:

Next Level Fitness, located at 59 Main St. in Batavia, is auctioning off all their equipment from the three-story facility. 

Hundreds of items will be auctioned, including gym equipment such as weights, workout machines, treadmills to mats, exercise balls and more. 

The auction also features general items including some furniture, shelving and multiple televisions.

For interested entrepreneurs, the building will be available for lease in the upcoming months as well.

What: Next Level Fitness Liquidation 

When: now thru April 27

Where: online

How: Interested buyers can bid and register online here

Press release:

St. Paul Lutheran School in the City of Batavia is accepting registrations for the 2020 - 2021 school year.

St. Paul offers a Christ-centered education with small class sizes, individual attention for your child, and a child friendly environment with a committed and dedicated staff.

We offer 3- and 4-year-old preschool through fifth grade. 

We are located at 31 Washington Ave. in Batavia. Contact us at (585)-343-0488 or at:   stpaulbataviaprincipal@gmail.com

Check us out on Facebook.

Press release:

Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 BCSD Foundation Inc. Scholarship.

This scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior from Batavia High School.

The nominee has been successful in his/her educational program and has sought out skills to further his/her career. In addition, he or she has exemplified our Batavia school culture and climate of “Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, Be Connected and Be Ambitious.”

Any member of the local community may nominate a Batavia HS senior who meets the above criteria.

Nomination forms are available on the Batavia City School District website here.

You may complete the Google Form or the PDF document to nominate a deserving senior.

All nominations need to be received by May 11.

Submitted photos and press release:

Registered Nurse Natasha Smith (photo above) joined the United Memorial Medical Center nursing team as a traveling nurse in the Emergency Department, but quickly became part of the family. Smith has been busy making special headbands for her colleagues to alleviate some of the discomforts of regularly wearing masks.

“I came up with the headbands one night when I noticed I was getting raw behind my ears from the surgical masks. I am an avid headband wearer and thought adding buttons might help. I didn’t have anything like buttons that night, so I decided to poke holes in medicine caps and suture them to my headbands. It worked and the idea was born.”

Simply adding buttons to the headbands keeps surgical mask straps from continually rubbing health care worker's tender ears during long shifts.

A coworker posted a photo of her new headband to the "COVID-19: Real talk from Health Care Workers around the Globe" Facebook page and the idea was well received with 150 comments, 3.5K likes, and more than 30,000 shares.

This simple, yet genius, design will also be beneficial to health care workers required to mask during flu season – not just during the pandemic.

The headbands and Smith’s opportunity to help others have been a bright spot for her as a nurse in this coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been a rough time for me. I haven’t seen my own children since the pandemic began and it makes me happy to know my silly little idea has helped others."

Press release:

Last fall, when the fashion students at Genesee Community College selected "Ebullition" as the theme of the College's annual Fashion Show they had no idea how ironically appropriate the term would become as they planned and developed the 39th annual show.

Defined as eruption of emotion, an overflowing or outburst of passion or feeling, the student producers of "Ebullition" started with excitement, intrigue and an eagerness to express the theme in their fashion designs.

Then many became angry, sad and disappointed, and now their frustrations and creative vision are tempered by hard work as they learn and adopt new tools -- for the show must go on -- virtually.

GCC's Fashion Program students will present Ebullition 39th Annual Fashion Show in a freshly designed "show" debuting online as a comprehensive website GCCFashionShow.com featuring photos, music, scene narratives developed by each coordinator, and a description of their creative journey during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

There will also be biographical sketches of each scene coordinator, professional portraits, and highlights of their future aspirations. The website will go live on May 2, 2020 at exactly 6 p.m. marking what would have been the beginning of the live, professionally produced show had not the Coronavirus Pandemic and social distancing caused its cancellation.

One clear advantage of the new web-based "Ebullition" is that viewing the show is FREE and will be available worldwide to anyone, on any electronic device that has internet access.

Earlier in the semester, Japanese student Yuuka Sano proposed "Ebullition!" to her classmates and through a democratic process, her creative vision was selected as this year's theme. Yuuka suggested each scene connect to authentic emotions consistent with Japanese "ki do ai raku," which translates in English to happiness, anger, sadness and joy.

These four emotions were to be reflected in garment selections using specific color palettes, textures, style, accessories, music, and even places in the world or the obvious mood and motion of the models.

Students are now attempting to shift much of their vision off the runway to a digital platform, and while they continue to have weekly classes online with Laura Taylor, GCC's instructor of Fashion Merchandising Management, many no longer have sewing machines and are now working from their homes from as faraway as Tokyo.

They are using family members as their models, cell phones for photography and video, and finding items from their own closets and bedrooms to complement their creative vision.

"The past two months have been an incredible roller coaster for them, making the "Ebullition" theme so very appropriate," Taylor said. "This is their capstone project and their final grades depend on their efforts to successfully continue on with the show.

"While we have needed to change many aspects of the program and make some obvious compromises, creativity is still flowing, hard work is still happening, and there is a new sense of camaraderie and 'we are in this together.' The positive mindset and grit the students are exhibiting while in this unique circumstance demonstrate they are ready to overcome the many sourcing and design obstacles in the fashion industry."

Under each major "ki do ai raku" emotion, the following scenes will be presented:

Representing HAPPINESS (ki) will be:

• "Enthusiasm" -- Showing enthusiasm, by Manami Horikawa
• "Gaiety" -- Depicting the state or quality of being lighthearted or cheerful, by Chie Kai
• "Delight" -- Representing great pleasure, by Gaoquan Cui, aka "GQ"

Representing ANGER (do) will be:

• "Rebellion" -- The action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention, by Alexis Remington
• "Indignation" -- Illuminates anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment, by Nicole Ortiz

Representing SADNESS (ai) will be:

• "Sonder" -- The profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passed in the street, have a life as complex as one's own, which they are constantly living despite one's personal lack of awareness of it, by Kim Truesdell
• "Dejection" -- Shows a sad and depressed state, by Yuuka Sano
• "Sorrow" -- Portrays a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by one's self or others, by Olivia Kohorst

The final piece of "ki do ai raku" will represent JOY (raku) through:

• "Elation" -- Eliciting a feeling or state of great joy or pride, by Marissa Conte
• "Entranced" -- Filling one with wonder and delight, holding their entire attention, by Rebecca Siglin
• "Euphoria" -- Shows a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness, by Jessica Piper

"This year's students are rising to the challenge of preparing some truly fantastic designs under a unique theme," Taylor said. "They have had to rethink their vision and retrofit their work for a computer website instead of a live stage. I really hope the worldwide community will visit our 'Ebullition' site, read the student experiences, and share feedback and words of encouragement."

The Fashion Program students at GCC wish to thank everyone who had purchased tickets to attend "Ebullition." All ticket purchases have been refunded. Questions regarding this process should be directed to Laura Taylor at:   ljtaylor@genesee.edu

Links from GCC's website, www.genesee.edu will provide easy access to "Ebullition" website with additional access points from the College's Facebook page @sunygcc.

The GCC fashion students are among many who have transitioned to remote, online learning to continue their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the #SUNYTogether mantra and hashtag, faculty, tutors and many other support staff are helping students embrace online learning technology, and climb an additional learning curve that features a panoply of Zoom lectures, remote labs and assignments -- a decidedly modern twist to the adage, "The show must go on!"