Stories from

A motor-vehicle accident is reported at Clinton Street Road and Seven Springs Road, Batavia.

One person may have a minor head injury.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 4:03 p.m.: Town of Batavia back in service. The accident is in Stafford's district. Stafford fire dispatched. The location is updated to 5301 Clinton Street Road.

UPDATE 4:26 p.m.: Patient transported to UMMC.

Jayson M. Connolly, 43, of Le Roy, has been charged with grand larceny, 4th, identity theft, 2nd, unlawful possession of personal identification, 3rd, and a parole violation. Connolly was arrested by State Police in Warsaw following an investigation into the theft and use of a stolen credit card. He allegedly completed three transactions at three different locations with a total value of $987. He was ordered held in the Wyoming County Jail and is scheduled for a felony hearing in Wyoming County tomorrow.

Jeffery Thomas Dutton, 27, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Dutton is accused of trespassing on property on Macomber Road, Oakfield.

Mindy Lee Stanley, 39, of Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with: DWI; driving with a BAC of .08 or greater; aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd; DWAI combined influence of drugs and alcohol; and driving while ability impaired by drugs. Stanley was stopped at 7:23 p.m. Saturday on Lewiston Road, Batavia, by Deputy Mathew Clor.

Steven Michael Carpino, 56, of Thompson Trail Drive, Dexter, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, 3rd, and criminal mischief, 3rd. Carpino is accused of smashing another person's phone with a hammer during an argument at 9 p.m. Saturday on Conlon Road, Le Roy, and then taking that person's vehicle without permission.

Brett J. Beverly, 35, of Bergen, is charged with petit larceny. Beverly was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 2:20 p.m. June 12 in the Town of Batavia. No further details released.

Tajman A. Ball, 19, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Ball was stopped at 8:29 p.m. Wednesday at Route 33 and Route 237 by State Police.

Darik R. Orbaker, 26, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Orbaker was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday in the Town of Batavia. He was ordered held in jail. No further details released.

Press release:

With outrage continuing to grow across the country regarding the treatment of children at the border, it is troubling that Representative Chris Collins remains silent. His opponent for the November 6th election, Nate McMurray, has been outspoken on this issue, demanding a response from Representative Collins for weeks.

McMurray states “On this, and so many issues, Christopher is silent and out of sight. To not have an opinion on a matter of such national debate, when even the First Lady has spoken, is negligent.”

McMurray continued, “This is also a local issue. Whether we care to admit it or not, local farms have used foreign works for years. Christopher has been in office during a period of population collapse in NY27. To help out local agricultural businesses he should have been in the forefront of immigration reform, not waiting for someone else to lead. Instead, he’s done what he always does -- blame the other side and scapegoat the weakest among us.”

McMurray pledges to protect our borders as a U.S. Representative but says he will do it with dignity and goodness.

“I’ll do it in a way that makes us safe, but keeps us proud.”

NOTE: Yesterday, The Batavian published Collins visits Stein Farms to talk about what he's doing for the dairy industry, which discusses, among other things, the congressman's efforts to support immigration reform.

Local dairy farmer Dale Stein said, "What he has done has forced votes on immigration. He's working with other Republicans and working bipartisan with Democrats. Now he's forced votes on immigration so that we can maybe get immigration settled and fix for farmers and everybody else. It's been left in limbo for too long. Congressman Collins, working with others, including the Democrats, is pushing to get this settled. I support him 100 percent on that."

A Darien Center woman has been accused of spearheading a fundraising effort in Attica with the goal of raising money for a toddler bitten by a dog and then keeping the money for herself.

Attica PD is asking the public's assistance in determining how much money was raised so that restitution to the boy can be ordered by a court.

Heather M. Rheinheimer, of Alleghany Road, Darien Center, is charged with scheme to defraud, 2nd, and petit larceny.

According to Attica Police Chief Dean Hendershott, Rheinheimer was employed at Meisner's Deli in Attica when she learned that 8-month-old Maverick Brumsted-Shaw, of Varysburg, had been attacked by a dog, so she started at "Tough Like Mav" fundraiser at the deli. 

The fund drive, Hendershot said, was billed as an attempt to help with medical expenses from the April 1 incident. She was selling candy bars and other candy to customers under the pretense of raising money for Maverick.

Deli owner Nicholas Campanella supported the effort, including providing financial support.

Once the fund drive was over, Rheinheimer moved on to another job.

Then a member of Maverick's family came into the deli and Campanella expressed his support for Maverick, wished him well, and said he hoped the donated funds were helpful.

Campanella was told the family had not received the funds.

At that point, Campanella contacted Attica PD, which opened an investigation.

Hendershott said the police can still use the public's assistance. He's asking anybody who donated money or bought candy with the intention the money go to Maverick's medical expenses to contact him at (585) 591-0881.

The information will help a court, he said, determine how much restitution Rheinheimer must pay. All restitution funds will go to Maverick's family, he said.

Press release:

The Batavia Lions Club recently presented its annual scholarships and awards for the 2017-2018 school year. 

This spring, more than 20 graduating seniors at Batavia High School and Notre Dame High School applied for scholarships, were interviewed by a committee of Lions Club members, with two chosen from each high school to receive $1,000 each toward their college education.

In addition, selected students from both Notre Dame and Batavia High School were awarded the Art Roth Fine Arts Award and the Bill Cook Scholar-Athlete Award. 

The final award is the Batavia Lions Club Award in Communications, which is presented to a Genesee Community College student in memory of two former Batavia Lions and local media legends – Paul Bostwick, the former managing editor of the Batavia Daily News and James H. Gerrity, the former news director of WBTA.

During the high school football soccer seasons each fall, members of the Lions Club man the food stand at Notre Dame Stadium to sell snacks during home games.

The proceeds are used exclusively for the scholarship and awards program at Notre Dame. The BHS Scholarships, Bill Cook, and Art Roth Awards as well as the Bostwick/Gerrity Award are funded with monies earned through various activities of the Batavia Lions Club.

This year’s winners are (from left):

Marty Czekala – Paul Bostwick/James Gerrity Award and is currently attending Genesee Community College; Madisyn Tomaszewski – Batavia High School Scholarship; Nico Zambito – Notre Dame Scholarship and Notre Dame Bill Cook Scholar-Athlete Award; Jessica Cmor – Notre Dame Art Roth Fine Arts Award; Mckenna Payton – Notre Dame Scholarship; Madeline Keenan – Batavia High School Art Roth Fine Arts Award; Madison Hoerbelt – Batavia High School Scholarship; and Claire Zickl, Batavia High School Bill Cook Scholar-Athlete Award.

The Lions Club congratulates all of this year’s winners and wishes them success in all of their future endeavors.

Press release:

On Thursday, June 14th, the New York State Senate passed legislation (S7815), sponsored by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer (R-C-I-REF, Amherst), to expand New York’s Child and Dependent Tax Credit by doubling the current cap on child care expenses across the board. 

“Child care is one of the largest costs facing parents," Ranzenhofer said. "As more households rely on dual incomes to support their family, childcare is an increasingly necessary part of life in today’s economy. This legislation would be a step in the right direction and make childcare more affordable in New York State.

"I urge the Assembly to bring this important legislation to a vote this session. The proposed expanded tax credit is estimated to provide $225 million in new relief for middle-class families. Most families are estimated to receive a new average credit of $750, an increase of $375 from last year."

Under existing law, taxpayers are eligible to claim the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to help offset the costs of caring for a child under the age of 13, a disabled spouse or a disabled dependent. The expense amount allowed toward the credit is limited at various levels depending on the number of children.

Identical legislation in the Assembly, A10265, is currently in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

If enacted, taxpayers would be able to take advantage of the increased limits starting in 2019.

A 37-year-old Basom man was killed in an accident on Skye Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation on Saturday afternoon.

According to State Police, Morey Ground Jr., of Basom, was eastbound on Skye Road when his vehicle left the roadway on a curve. It appears he overcorrected causing the vehicle to cross both lanes of the roadway and exiting on the south shoulder. The vehicle struck a tree.

Ground, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The investigation into the accident is continuing.

(Previously: Rollover accident on Skye Road, Basom, Mercy Flight is called)

This year's delegates to Boys State from Genesee County school gathered in Le Roy on Thursday for a meet-and-greet at the Botts Fiorito American Legion Post #576.

This year's delegates are: Adam Drake, Byron-Bergen; Jared Fregoe, Byron Bergen; Matthew Grover, Batavia; Zakariah Jantzi, Batavia; Erik Maier, Oakfield-Alabama; Roan Mallaber, Le Roy; Maxin McKenzie, Le Roy; Kyle Mott, Oakfield Alabama; David Pillo, Batavia; Reece Tresco, Le Roy; and  Hagan Triftshauser, Notre Dame. 

Boys State is a program of the American Legion nationally and was founded in 1935 to help educate young men on free, democratic government.

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today revealed the details of the newly released Senate Farm Bill. The senators said the bill could benefit key Upstate New York industries, and urged their colleagues in the Senate to pass the bill as quickly as possible.

Senators Schumer and Gillibrand detailed several major areas in which the Farm Bill will be a major boost to Upstate farmers, growers, and producers, as well as other New York businesses, like Hickey Freeman. 

Schumer and Gillibrand said the newly announced bill reflects a variety of different priorities they pushed for on behalf of the New York agricultural community. Schumer said the bill will give New York's agricultural industry a shot in the arm, and vowed to preserve Upstate New York’s priorities as the bill goes through the legislative process.  

“The pending Senate Farm Bill is a major victory for Upstate New York and its large and vital agricultural community. It includes important positive provisions that should push this bill over the finish line,” Senator Schumer said. “Ensuring the passage of a Farm Bill focused on agricultural policy is vital for New York’s agricultural community and our economy as a whole.

"The bill makes further investments to help Upstate New York dairy farmers, boosts the rapidly growing organic sector, builds on New York’s burgeoning industrial hemp industry, and protects important New York jewels like Hickey Freeman from unfair foreign competition.

"While the bill does not contain everything that we fought for, it is ultimately a win for the farmers that are the heart of Upstate New York. Most importantly this bill will also help deliver immediate certainty for our farmers at a time when they need it the most."

“New York State’s farmers and producers are vital to our economy and they work day and night to feed millions of families across our country,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “After hearing from farmers and producers all across our state, I fought hard on the Senate Agriculture Committee from the very beginning to make sure this year’s Senate Farm Bill had New York’s best interests at its core.

"I will always fight to support New York’s agriculture community, and I was very proud to support this legislation in committee.”

New York Business Growth

Schumer fought to extend and fully fund the Wool Trust Fund program, which Rochester icon Hickey Freeman relies on for crucial import tax relief.  The program was created more than a decade ago to compensate the domestic suit industry for the competitive disadvantage that results from an unfair tariff inversion where the duty on the imported finished product is lower than the duty on the inputs used to make the product here at home.

Under the Wool Trust Fund program, U.S. manufacturers of wool clothing and fabric are eligible for a partial refund of duties paid on imports of wool inputs.  The Wool Trust Fund program also provides U.S. wool producers with funding for improvements in wool production methods and development of the wool market.

The conference report restores Wool Trust Fund payment levels for recent years when the program was underfunded and extends its authorization, through 2023. U.S. manufacturers and wool producers -- and their American workers -- would be hard hit by the elimination of the Wool Trust Fund program. Hickey Freeman has saved millions of dollars over the past few years through the program and this provision will ensure they receive the dollars they are owed. 

Conservation:

The Senators said the Senate Farm bill funds key environmental programs that are essential to farmers, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  These programs are voluntary conservation initiatives that farmers can utilize through the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to help them continue to be good stewards of the land.    

Agriculture and Farming/Growing:

Organic Farming:

The newly introduced Senate Farm Bill established mandatory funding of $11.5 million for the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (NOCCSP), which helps support farmers who want to become involved in the organic market by providing reimbursements of some of their annual fees for United States Department of Agriculture USDA organic certification. It includes an increase in critical funding for organic research through the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative from its current level of $20 million to $50 million by FY2022.

Finally, the Senate version of the Farm Bill increases the authorization for the National Organic Program (NOP). Both Senators have been major supporters of this program that helps USDA protect farmers from having to unfairly compete against fraudulent organic imports while also helping to maintain consumer confidence in the USDA certified organic brand. This bill increases the authorization for the NOP to $16.5 million in FY2019, $18 million in FY2020, $20 million in FY2021, $22 million in FY2022, and $24 million in FY2023.

Specialty Crops

The Senate Farm Bill contained a number of provisions beneficial to Upstate farmers, but especially to farmers of specialty crops. New York produces a wide range of specialty crops (fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, herbs and spices, maple syrup, Christmas trees, etc.) that rank highly nationwide in terms of both production and economic value.

The Senate Farm Bill, according to Schumer and Gillibrand, provides vital funding to key programs that aid specialty crop producers, such as the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. These programs help provide support to New York's specialty crop industry in the form of robust research funding. 

Maple:

The Senate Farm Bill reauthorizes Schumer’s original legislation known as The  Maple Tap Act, which Schumer said is now officially called the Acer Access and Development Program. This provision will continue to help maple producers in the Hudson Valley and across Upstate New York boost their production and become more competitive with places like Canada, which produces 85 percent of the world's maple product.

The senators said, specifically, this provision provides an authorization for USDA grants to states that create programs to encourage individual and private landowners to open up their trees to maple tapping. Schumer's legislation would also provide grants to states to support market promotion, maple industry research and development, and education through leading institutions, like Cornell University.

Hemp:

Another important provision Schumer and Gillibrand fought to include was the Hemp Farming Act of 2018. Schumer, a cosponsor of the Hemp Farming Act, said the provision could help unlock Industrial hemp’s full potential as an agricultural commodity across Upstate New York by removing hemp from a federal list of controlled substances.

The senators said the bill will do four important things for farmers nationwide including in New York State:

• Remove industrial hemp from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act;
• Empower states to be the principal regulators of hemp;
• Allow hemp researchers to apply for competitive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture;
• Finally, it would make hemp farmers eligible to apply for crop insurance.

Most importantly, the senator’s said this important provision would allow for New York’s agricultural community to grow industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity if they so choose, allowing New York growers more flexibility. 

Barley:

The bill directs the National Agricultural Statistics Service of USDA to document barley production in New York State. This would ensure that producers have the information they need to decide on future plantings.

The information would be valuable for growers because it would provide sufficient data for crop insurance companies to expand insurance offerings and eventually offer a malting barley endorsement.

Dairy:
The newly introduced Senate Farm Bill also includes major victories for Upstate New York dairy farmers and producers. The newly introduced Farm Bill invests in programs to help give much-needed relief to Upstate New York dairy farmers and producers.

The Senate Version of the Farm Bill includes a variety of helpful reforms including: an investment of $100 million to help improve the Federal dairy insurance program to help make the program work better for small to medium dairy farms; a provision waiving administrative fees for beginning, veteran, and underserved farmers; a provision continuing the vital changes made in the Omnibus Budget bill that allowed for the creation of new dairy insurance tools in the future; legislation introduced by Senator Gillibrand, The Dairy Premium Refund Act, which would return $77.1 million in insurance premiums paid by farmers for insurance coverage that did not work, while also establishing a milk donation program to reimburse eligible dairy organizations costs incurred for donating their milk.

PAWS

The newly introduced Senate farm bill also includes a vital provision called the Pet and Women Safety Act (PAWS) Act, which both Senators are currently cosponsors of.  This bill would help give victims of domestic violence and their pets greater access to safe sheltering options, as well as provide stronger legal protections of pets. According to the Humane Society, up to one-third of domestic violence victims delay leaving a dangerous situation, because they fear for the safety of their pets, and up to one-fourth return to an abuser due to concern for their pets.

Local Food Programs

The Senate Farm Bill creates a new Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) by combining the Value Added Producer Grants Program and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. The value-added producers grant program helps dairy farmers that start producing artisanal cheese or apple growers that enter the hard cider industry.

The grants administered through the new LAMP program will continue to support strengthening our local food systems from rural farmers to urban consumers.

Water, waste disposal, and wastewater facility grants

The Senate Farm bill provides funding to support and strengthen rural water infrastructure. Funding to Rural Development programs like the Water, Waste Disposal, and Wastewater Facility Grant program will help families and businesses across Upstate New York and nationwide continue to have access to clean drinking water.   

Community facility investments

The Senate Farm Bill supports Community Facility investments to continue to help provide resources to construct hospitals, improve schools, while also improving fire and police stations across small towns in New York State. 

Rural Broadband

This year’s Senate Farm Bill includes a provision, based on Senator Gillibrand’s bipartisan Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act (B-CROP Act), which would make grant funding available for rural broadband projects in high-need areas.

Gillibrand worked with her colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee to include this provision in the Senate Farm Bill, which would help encourage more high-speed broadband deployment to high-need areas by awarding grants in combination with the current loan funding available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service.

Federal funds would target the highest-need rural and tribal areas, allowing for grants of up to 50 percent of a project’s cost, and up to 75 percent for remote, high-need areas, to be awarded in combination with the current loan funding available through USDA. The Senate Farm Bill also increases the annual funding level of the USDA broadband program to $150 million.

REAP Zones

The Farm Bill would reauthorize the Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone designation for Sullivan County and the Town of Wawarsing in Ulster County. The REAP Zone program provides specialized technical assistance from USDA to assist in community development efforts, including rehabilitating rural housing, developing local and regional food systems, supporting rural entrepreneurs, small businesses, and infrastructure improvements to community facilities, water, and wastewater systems, and other similar projects that are critical to an area’s economic development. Senator Gillibrand worked with Senator Leahy (D-VT) and the Agriculture Committee to include this amendment in this year’s Farm Bill.

It was a '40s-themed night in a hangar at the Genesee County Airport on Saturday to raise funds to support the WNY Aviation Adventure Camp.

Rep. Chris Collins and dairy farmer Dale Stein.

Americans should be encouraged to buy more milk, Rep. Chris Collins told a group of dairy farmers gathered at Stein Farms in Le Roy yesterday to hear about the congressman's plan to encourage the USDA to promote milk consumption, along with his thoughts on immigration and trade policy.

"Whether it's health or otherwise, just think 'drink milk' because right now our biggest issue in Western New York is a supply-and-demand issue," Collins said. "You know we had some of the yogurt plants shut down. We've all faced issues within the school lunch program and certainly, we'd love to be selling milk up into Canada. Their recent move on ultra-filtered milk and Class 6 milk just made it even worse."

Collins is among a dozen members of Congress who signed a letter to Agriculture Secretary George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III asking the USDA to implement a marketing program similar to the "Got Milk" campaign of the 1990s and 2000s.

“Years ago, messages that resonated with all Americans included ‘Got Milk?’ and ‘Drink Milk, Love Life,’ and we saw some of our favorite celebrities with milk mustaches,” Collins said in a press release the coincided with yesterday's event. “The fact is, this type of marketing works.

"In recent years, we’ve seen an overall decline in milk consumption, which has created tough economic times for our dairy farmers and we are hoping Secretary Perdue can provide some additional help.”

Whether the "Got Milk" campaign was successful is disputed by marketing experts. The campaign, created in 1993 at the behest of California Milk Processor Board, an agency created by the State of California to assist dairy farmers, reportedly increased milk consumption in California during its first year but that data was based on consumer surveys. 

In 1995, Milk Processor Education Program, a dairy-industry-funded nonprofit, licensed the "Got Milk" campaign and rolled it out nationally.

While consumer surveys indicated similar results as reported in California, actual milk consumption data gathered by the USDA tells a different story. Per-capita consumption of fluid milk has declined across the nation from 210 pounds in 1993 to 159 pounds in 2014, when the campaign was discontinued.

Dale Stein said he supports any effort to get more Americans buying more milk or that expands the market for milk.

"I'm hoping that we can increase consumer usage of dairy, and it is increasing, but increase it more so that it brings the supply closer to being in balance," Stein said. "It doesn't have to be in balance with demand. If gets closer, the price comes up."

At the beginning of the year, milk was selling at $14 per hundred pounds. That's not a sustainable price, Stein said. At that price, Stein Farms can't stay in business and pass the multigeneration farm onto the next generation. Right now, the price is $17. That is sustainable.

"If we can get the $17 milk we can do well here," Stein said. "I don't need $20 milk. I'm not asking for high milk prices, I just need the consumer to use a little more dairy and if everybody did that, that would make the difference."

It's not like Americans aren't buying more milk products, as Stein said. When accounting for all milk products, including the categories with the most growth -- cheese and butter (it used to be yogurt, but that has receded a bit) -- then Americans are consuming more milk. Through 2016, per-capita dairy product consumption increased from 613 pounds in 2006 to 646 pounds.

One reason for the current oversupply of milk, Stein said, is that a few years ago, for a few short months, milk did hit $20, and even $25. Dairy farmers across the country thought they struck gold and invested in increased production. Now they're stuck with that production.

Stein said he can't reduce production. Low prices means he has to increase it -- makeup on volume what is being lost per unit -- so he can meet his high fixed costs. He pointed to a couple of giant tractors that he bought used. 

"You're looking at $650,000 standing there," Stein said.

"I have to have cash flow," Stein added.  "If the price isn't there, the only thing I can do to is sell more milk. That means readjust what I'm feeding the cows to make more milk. We do a lot of cost cutting, too, but there's only so far we can cut costs. So you, as an individual farmer -- if everybody agreed to make a cut -- we could do it, but you can't get an agreement across the country."

Collins also said he is looking to help dairy farmers through the new five-year Farm Bill, which is expected to come up for a vote in the coming week.

The Market Protection Program, part of the previous Farm Bill, hasn't worked for dairy farmers, Collins acknowledged. 

"Most dairies have not signed onto the basic insurance program," Collins said. "On the crop side, the insurance program, the margin programs have worked. When we get into a supply and demand where there is oversupply, it just does not work. The formulas don't work. I've been told, and I think some folks here who have looked at it would say, the dairy margin program in the new farm bill will provide an option, an insurance option, that in a day like today could provide economic support on the downside."

Another long-standing problem for dairy farmers is labor and Collins said he understands that in order to address dairy's labor shortage, there needs to be immigration reform.

Collins is a member of a Republican group in the House called the Freedom Caucus. The members refused to vote on the Farm Bill unless they could get a bill on the floor dealing with immigrant labor. He also acknowledged that while the bill would fix many of the problems faced by dairy farmers, it also isn't likely to pass.

"We are putting up a compromise immigration bill," Collins said. "The bad news is, there's no dairy in it."

However, he said the Freedom Caucus has been promised a vote in July that would address the year-round visa issue that has made it so hard for dairy farmers to hire and retain qualified dairy employees.

"We've talked about the undocumented workers having a three-year visa that would be continued and renewable on a two-year basis," Collins said.

This is all good news, said Dale Stein after the event was over. He's grateful to Collins going to bat for dairy farmers. Even if the immigration bill expected to go to the floor for a vote next week doesn't pass, just getting the bill to the floor is an accomplishment after years of a congressional stalemate on immigration.

"What he has done has forced votes on immigration," Stein said. "He's working with other Republicans and working bipartisan with Democrats. Now he's forced votes on immigration so that we can maybe get immigration settled and fix for farmers and everybody else.

"It's been left in limbo for too long. Congressman Collins, working with others, including the Democrats, is pushing to get this settled. I support him 100 percent on that."

The issue making farmers across the nation nervous is the talk of trade wars.

In his remarks to local farmers yesterday, Collins didn't back down on the tough talk and praised Trump for taking on allies and rivals alike on trade policy.

"Trump rightfully has called out Trudeau in Canada for their long-standing, non-free-market protection of their (dairy industry)," Collins said. "We can't get any dairy into Canada where we were selling ultra-filtered milk. They shut down about a year ago, Class Six. Now they're dumping powdered milk around the world. I mean it's just awful. My comment to the press was, 'we caught Canada and we caught Trudeau cheating.' It's not fair trade; it's not free trade."

He said nobody can win a trade war with the United States.

"I'm not sure what Canada will ultimately do, but I think Trudeau should realize he doesn't win a trade war with the United States," Collins said. "China doesn't win a trade war with the United States. Europe does not win a trade war with the United States. Trump is the first president to stand up and say we've been in a trade war 20 years and we're losing.

He said China's plan to retaliate against Trump's planned 25-percent tariff won't work.

"The problem is we don't export that much to China," Collins said. "They're talking about putting tariffs on goods that don't even get sold in China. Well, have a nice day. It's simply rhetoric on their part."

Many of the tariffs China is planning, however, will hit agriculture directly.

U.S. dairy farmers exported $577 million in dairy products to China last year, up 49 percent from the year before. Though Collins said "we can't get any dairy into Canada," but in 2017, Canada imported $636 million in dairy from the United States. And while Trump and his trade representatives continue to threaten to pull out of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), the largest international market for U.S. dairy is Mexico, which imported $1.3 billion in dairy from the United States, up 9 percent from the year before.

As a percentage of U.S. dairy production, the percentage of dairy going overseas has grown from 8 percent in 2010 to more than 14 percent today.

Soybeans, another important crop in Genesee County, is a product targeted for retaliation by China but rather than answer merely with tariffs, China is planning to buy from Brazil, which has the capacity to grow soybean production. Some U.S. trade experts fear the United States won't get that market back even if tariffs are lifted.

The USDA considers China a potentially huge market for U.S. farmers. Last year, China imported $26 billion in U.S. farm products. 

The ultra-filtered milk dispute with Canada is a fairly recent issue. The class of product, called Class Six, was created a couple of years ago, and it's not governed by NAFTA. The price of the product is set by global supply and demand and isn't regulated. This has depressed the price below what Canada considers acceptable for its highly regulated dairy market. It won't allow Class Six imports from the United States. Meanwhile, U.S. dairy farmers are looking to expand the market for its oversupply of milk.

After Collins finished his speech, Collins and the other visitors were invited to a table filled with WNY dairy products, including Perry's Ice Cream. After Shelly Stein finished filling bowls and cones for everyone, Collins talked with Dale and Shelly Stein and other farmers.

Shelly Stein brought up the trade issue. She said she's concerned about commodities being used in a trade war.

"That's us," she said.

At this point, The Batavian jumped in with some questions for Collins about trade.

We asked about his statement that the United States could win a trade war with China when it's a large market for dairy, soybeans, sorghum, beef, and other agriculture products.

We asked, "Is this really the right approach, to get into a trade war with trading partners that agriculture depends on?"

Collins said, "We've been in a trade war 20 years. This isn't new. We've been losing the trade war for 20 years. There's just never been a president to acknowledge it. It's been death by a thousand cuts. Look at the manufacturing that's not done here and here we have been in a war for 20 years. This isn't a new war. But Trump is addressing the war that we've been losing, battle after battle after battle. The rest of the world's been taking advantage of us, all but laughing at us behind our back, as they have taken advantage of us. Trump was elected to say, 'it's done.' They are going to attempt to flex their muscles. The retaliation tends to be on the ag side, unfortunately."

Later in his reply, he said, "Right now it's noisy and there are consequences and others are gonna flex their muscles in hopes of getting Trump to cave in and say, 'No, no, no, it's OK that you cheat.' He's saying, it's not OK that they cheat. But I will tell you, as I said, they depend on us at the end of the day, whether it's Europe, whether it's Mexico, whether it's China, or whether it's Canada, if they don't trade with the U.S., they suffer. We can make any products made in China. We have huge deficits there. We may pay a little more. You know, whether it's your dinnerware or your underwear, you may pay a little more if it's made here."

Trump often Tweets about the state of the economy, how well it is doing. Low unemployment, rising wages, and if you look over the past 20 years, the Gross Domestic Product has increased every year except for 2008 and 2009. In the past 20 years, U.S. goods and services exports have grown from $500 billion to $1.4 trillion.

So if the economy is doing well and growing, we asked Collins for evidence that we're losing a trade war.

"Well, we're losing the trade war because we're not making the products here," Collins said. "We have 6.3 million people that are unemployed that don't have the skills to be a software engineer or a welder or a machinist. The assembly line jobs have disappeared."

(NOTE: Some economists blame manufacturing job loss on automation. A Federal Reserve report says 800,000 jobs were lost to China but were replaced by jobs in other sectors, primarily service, construction, wholesale and retail.)

Collins said, "There's a whole lot of folks who have given up even looking for work." He added, "Our labor participation in the adult workforce is at an all time low."

(NOTE: The Trump Administration says workforce participation has grown during his term.)

For our next question, we pointed out the iPhone recording the conversation includes inputs from U.S. companies, including the glass face, which is made in New York. Some economists estimate a trade war will cost 400,000 Americans their jobs because they make things used in products manufactured overseas or rely on inputs, such as steel, that Trump plans to tax.

The Batavian asked, "We depend greatly on trade with China. China, rightly or wrongly, is part of the WTO (World Trade Organization). Isn't using the rules that have been created a better approach to deal with these trade issues than starting trade wars?"

"No, not when they pay $3 an hour (for labor) in China," Collins said. "If they're paying $3 an hour, we'll never get our manufacturing jobs back. And what you just said is some of the raw materials are made here. Why don't we make the whole phone here?"

Adam Smith and David Ricardo addressed that question 200 years ago. Countries benefit by trade because each can specialize and therefore create the best possible products at the lowest possible costs, raising everybody's standard of living. Ricardo called it "comparative advantage."

That's a little more detail than we provided Collins (we just mentioned Smith and Ricardo in broad terms), but Collins responded, "There's some 40 percent of the world's population, 2.8 billion people, living in China and living in India. We've got 320 million, and they're paying $2 and $3 an hour. If we're going to make something in the United States, we've got to deal with that unfair, untenable differential."

We pointed out, Chinese wages, as happens in all developing countries, have been rising, creating a bigger middle class, creating a bigger market for U.S. products, particularly farm products.

"Yeah, they go from $3 to $4, from $4 to $5," Collins said. "We still lose that piece of it. We've got to level the playing field or there is no future for our children and grandchildren and we need inflation."

At which point, Collins began to discuss why we need inflation to help retire the national debt.

"Inflation is something we desperately need in this country," Collins said. "The $20 trillion of debt against a $20 trillion economy that our children and grandchildren and the 10th generation that is with us here (referring to the Stein family) deserve better. What they deserve is paying off this $20 trillion of debt in cheaper dollars, which means inflation.

"We need 4 percent per-year inflation for the next 18 years. Compound it annually so that the $20 trillion of debt is the equivalent of $10 trillion. In 18 years, and as our economy grows and doubles in 18 years from $20 trillion to $40 trillion, our debt can actually go from $20 trillion to $30 trillion. So we have a green light of 75-percent debt to GDP. We have to have inflation at 4 percent a year or our kids don't have a future."

So we asked, "So you're arguing for a hidden tax on consumers instead of reducing spending?"

"We can't ever reduce spending to cut our debt," Collins said. "Anyone who thinks so is living in la-la land. We have to grow our way to success. We have to grow our economy and inflation is part of it.

"Anyone who thinks that with our deficits today that we can pay down our $20 trillion of debt is in la-la land," Collins added. "It can never happen. We have to grow to success, grow for our kids to have a future.

"Part of that growth is inflation, and what you saw under eight years of Obama with a fake economy of no inflation, the $20 trillion of debt is truly troubling. It's $20 trillion and it's growing and without inflation, our kids are going to be living in cardboard boxes under the bridge."

Submitted by the Muckdogs:

The Muckdogs look to bounce back from a game-one loss in Auburn by a score of 5-1. Batavia squares off against the Doubledays for a three-game set before kicking off the home portion of the season at Dwyer Stadium for a six-game homestand against West Virginia and Williamsport. 

That was last night -- Batavia was 0-10 with RISP in their 5-1 loss last night to Auburn. The Muckdogs had bases loaded with no outs in the top of the seventh inning, but after a Nunez strikeout and a Sims lineout into a double play, the Muckdogs came out scoreless. 

This year’s team -- The Muckdogs Opening Day roster consists of 14 returning players from last year’s roster. Four players have made it up to full season-A (Boyd, Cespedes, Martin, and Torres). The roster currently consists of 14 pitchers, four catchers, six infielders, and six outfielders. 

Same Skipper -- Calling the shots this season will be second-year manager Mike Jacobs. Jacobs spent seven years in the bigs with Mets, Marlins, Royals, and the Diamondbacks. He clubbed 100 HRs in his MLB career, 32 of which came in 2008 with the Florida Marlins. He also tacked on 93 RBIs that year. His first year as a manager in Batavia saw the team go 30-45.

Some Superlatives -- This year’s players come in all shapes and sizes. The tallest being Sean Reynolds who towers at 6’7”. The shortest five check in at 5’11”. The youngest Muckdog is Dakota Bennett who is currently 18, and the oldest on the roster is Logan Boyd who is 24. 

Familiar Foes -- The Muckdogs and Doubledays will square off 13 more times this season, more than they will see any other opponent this season. 

Recent Roster Action -- C Jared Barnes was assigned to the GCL Marlins on June 16th. 

Marlins Update -- The Fish shut out the Orioles 2-0 last night in Camden Yards thanks to a dominant performance from Jose Urena. Urena went eight innings deep into the game only surrendering three hits and one walk.

A one-vehicle rollover accident with possibly one person ejected and unconscious is reported in the eastbound lane of the Thruway in the area of mile marker 387.9.

Serious injuries are reported.

Mercy Flight is on a ground standby.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

The location is next to the Genesee Community College Batavia Campus.

UPDATE(S) 3:31 (By Billie): A vehicle is on its roof, off the roadway. A second and third ambulance are dispatched.

UPDATE 3:34 p.m.: "Be advised traffic is backed up to west of Bank Street."

UPDATE 4:06 p.m.: Mercy Flight was cancelled. At least two of the ambulances transported patients to Strong Memorial Hospital. The accident site is about a quarter mile west of GCC.

A rollover accident involving a pickup truck is reported at 2148 Chick Road, Darien.

No word on injuries.

Darien fire and ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 10:33 p.m.: The caller who found the vehicle did not see anybody in or around the vehicle. A K-9 is being dispatched to track the driver.

UPDATE 10:38 p.m.: Law enforcement is now communicating on a secure channel.

UPDATE 10:48 p.m.: All Darien units back in service.

Billie and I will be out of town for the rest of the afternoon ... hopefully, all is quiet and we don't miss anything.

Press release:

On Friday, June 15, at or about 12:42 a.m., the Batavia Police Department and City of Batavia Fire Department responded to the report of an active house fire at 35 Maple St.

A female located on scene believed her children were still in the residence. Officers from the Batavia Police Department and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office attempted to make entry into the residence but were unsuccessful. City of Batavia Fire Fighters made entry and attempted to locate the children.

By approximately 12:56 a.m. all children from the residence were located safely and accounted for at a neighbor’s residence. The Genesee County Department of Social Services was contacted to aid with the children.

During the fire investigation it was learned that the fire stemmed from a domestic incident between the female that lived in the lower apartment and her boyfriend. The male, identified as Plush Dozier (DOB: 11/21/1995), had become upset with his girlfriend and an argument ensued.

Dozier set her and the apartment on fire. During the initial stages of the incident all of the children were able to leave the apartment. The female was transported to an area hospital, where she is listed in stable condition. We will not be releasing the female’s name or location for the safety of her and her family.

Dozier was located at the scene and taken into custody without incident. Dozier was arrested for two Class A felonies: arson in the first degree (PL 150.20-01), and attempted murder in the second degree (PL 125.25-01).

Dozier was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in Genesee County Jail without bail. Dozier is scheduled to appear in Genesee County Court at a later date.

During the course of the active house fire, and subsequent investigation a City of Batavia police officer, and a City of Batavia firefighter were both injured. The officer and the firefighter were treated and released from UMMC with non-life-threatening injuries.

Previously:

• Arrest made in midnight fire on Maple Street
• House fire reported on Maple Street in City of Batavia

A car-bicyclist accident with minor injuries is reported at 3 W. Main St., Le Roy.

Le Roy fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

City of Batavia firefighters, IAFF Local 896, are downtown this morning with fire boots they're hoping passing motorists will help fill with cash.

The donations benefit MDA.This is their annual "Fill the Boot" fundraiser. They will be in the area of Ellicott, Court, and Main until 1 p.m.