Stories from

Press release:

In response to the recent school shooting in Parkland, Fla., on Valentine’s Day, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) has written a letter to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) requesting an additional $50,000 be included in this year’s state budget for every school in the state to hire armed school resource officers.

“I hereby request that you provide an additional $50,000 a year toward the cost per armed school resource officer for every New York State school in this year’s budget,” Hawley wrote.

Hawley is also requesting that the salary cap for retired police officer serving as school resource officers be raised from $30,000 to $50,000 per year. This is in addition to his proposal to recruit veterans and retired law enforcement to bolster security at schools.

“A mother in my district actually purchased a bulletproof vest for her 16-year-old son subsequent to a shooter threat in his high school. How incredibly heartbreaking it has come to this!” said Hawley in the letter.

”I vehemently urge that you seriously consider these measures and any other that you feel will create an environment that is safe and secure for our most cherished and vulnerable constituents, our children.”

Press release:

“The growth mindset of this district was what really attracted me to Byron-Bergen,” said Byron-Bergen Elementary School’s new Assistant Principal Betsy Brown. “The approach to education is innovative and forward-thinking. I’m so impressed with the opportunities our students have here.”

“We’re fortunate to have an administrator with Betsy’s depth and experience,” said Elementary School Principal Brian Meister. “She is a great addition to our team, and I think she will bring a wonderful combination of commitment, caring, innovation, and humor to her role.”

Brown has 15 years of experience in elementary education. She came to the district from Avon Central Schools, where she supported students and staff as a literacy coach for three years. Prior to that, she taught third and fourth grade, and kindergarten.

Brown holds a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and a Master of Education degree in literacy, earned at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Her administrative coursework was completed at the University of Rochester.

Getting to know the students has been Brown’s first priority. She has been meeting them all, one classroom at a time.

“I don’t want them to be nervous around me,” she said. “It’s important that students know that I am always here to help them.”

“I’m particularly excited about the Character Education program here,” she said "I love the enthusiasm our students have for supporting one another and keeping their school safe. From classroom visits, I can see that the teachers do an amazing job of teaching students in ways that are fun and engaging."

“I really am passionate about English Language Arts (ELA),” she said, “and Byron-Bergen has a great Reading Recovery program for early intervention. I’m looking forward to supporting our teachers with that and helping them continue to build a strong ELA program that incorporates the latest standards."

Brown was an active member of the video coaching professional development team at Avon, and will continue her activity as a coach at Byron-Bergen.

“Byron-Bergen has been the regional leader in offering video coaching as a way for teachers to grow and to improve their teaching methods,” she said. “Teachers here have embraced the technology, and students are benefitting from the results.”

Open communication, Brown believes, is an essential part of any school. She is looking forward to meeting families and parents and working with them to ensure an exceptional school experience for their students. She encourages parents to call or stop in.

“We have an active social media presence on Twitter and Facebook, too,” she said. “They provide a window into all the activities students are doing in the classroom.”

The community can follow the assistant principal on Twitter @MrsBetsyMBrown.

Joseph J. Cavico is indicted on counts of assault in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, and menacing in the second degree. Cavico is accused of causing serious physical injury to another person by means of the use of a deadly weapon in the Town of Le Roy on Dec. 15. Cavico is accused of possessing a .357 magnum handgun with the serial number obliterated. He is accused of placing another person in reasonable fear of death or serious physical injury by displaying a deadly weapon in a menacing manner.

Joshua J. Bush is indicted on a count of rape in the first degree and two counts of rape in the third degree. Bush is accused of compelling a person to have sex Oct. 4 at a location in the Town of Bergen. He is accused of sex and oral sex with a person without that person's consent. 

Cindy M. Auberger is indicted on a count of felony DWI. Auberger is accused of driving drunk Oct. 29 in the Town of Bergen. Auberger has a prior DWI conviction in 2009.

Keith E. Legge, 46, of South Main Street, Warsaw, aggravated harassment, 2nd. Legge is accused of sending numerous threats to multiple individuals via Facebook Messenger. He was arrested by deputies in Wyoming County on an arrest warrant and turned over to Batavia PD following an investigation. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed on bail.

Cynthia Lynne Wiseley, 55, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Wiseley was charged after allegedly pushing a coworker at their place of employment on Barrville Road, Elba.

Scott David Beswick, 44, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to stop at stop sign. Beswick was stopped at 4:33 a.m. Sunday on Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, by Deputy James Stack.

Maurice Darnell Powell Jr., 22, of Roslyn Street, Buffalo, is charged with burglary, 2nd. Powell allegedly entered a residence at College Village and stole property.

Mary Susan Bryant, 54, of Letchworth Avenue, Greece, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding, and failure to notify DMV of address change. Bryant was stopped at 1:25 a.m. Sunday on Route 33, Stafford, by Deputy Mathew Clor.

Richard Dean McKague Jr., 27, of Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. McKague is accused of violating a court order by being the presence of the protected party.

Katty L. Jackson, 21, of Summer Street, Buffalo, is charged with harassment, 2nd, and obstructing governmental administration. Jackson is accused of striking a person during a disturbance on Central Avenue, Batavia, at 11:38 p.m. Thursday and then striking a police officer.

Abdikadir U. Sabtow, 28, of Buffalo, is charged with rape, 3rd. Sabtow is accused of raping a person who was unable to consent. The alleged crime was reported at 11:01 p.m. Tuesday in the Town of Batavia and was investigated by State Police. No further details released.

We weren't able to cover Friday's annual meeting for Genesee County Economic Development Center, but we did cover CEO Steve Hyde's department review for the Legislature, which would cover much of the same annual review as Friday's meeting.

GCEDC released this promotional video on Friday for the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in Alabama.

Press release:

Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers announced today that Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of Le Roy Police Department will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on March 16th and will end on March 18th. New York State Police, County Sheriffs and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of impaired related injuries and deaths.

You can help to make a difference by "Having a Sober Plan"! Download our mobile app – “Have a Plan” and you will always be able to find a safe ride home www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp

Impaired driving is completely preventable. All it takes is a little planning. If you’re headed out for St. Patrick’s Day, designate a responsible and sober driver! Remember, “Don’t Drive, Get a Sober Ride.”

The STOP-DWI St. Patrick’s Day Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from the STOP-DWI Foundation courtesy of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

The Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign also targets Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day Weekend, Halloween, the national Holiday Season in December and the Super Bowl weekend.

Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.

A jury of 12 has found 26-year-old Anthony Spencer Jr. of Batavia guilty on all counts.

Spencer who goes by the nickname “Trouble” was on trial for the July 18th assault on East Main Street in Batavia that left the victim clinging to life, bleeding uncontrollably from his arm.

The jury reached their verdict at around 9:30 this morning after beginning deliberations at approximately 3 o’clock yesterday. Spencer was found guilty on count #1 of gang assault in the first degree and on count # 2 of assault in the first degree.

Co-defendant JW Hardy III, also known as “Dub” or “Dubs,” accepted a plea deal in December regarding the incident. He was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Spencer’s trial began at the beginning of this week with jury deliberations extending to this morning.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman called an 18-year-old witness to testify as a witness of the assault who identified Spencer as one of the attackers.

She testified that the suspects were getting into a verbal altercation with the victim, threatening him to make a payment or something would happen to him or his friend.

She said the victim went inside his residence and came out wielding a knife, then threatened other people in the area including her briefly.

A group of around 15 people gathered in the area.

Somehow co-defendant JW “Dubs” Hardy allegedly obtained the knife from the victim and soon the group turned the tables on the victim and began chasing and beating him up and down the street.

The witness said that Spencer hit the victim in the head with a cooking pot with full force several times.

A dented cooking pot with a broken handle was submitted as evidence that the item was used with great force. The cooking pot was located at the scene and the handle was found on Swan Street in between the scene and where Spencer was picked up at 218 Ellicott St.

There was black and white surveillance video submitted into evidence in which Spencer is identified by the witness.

Defense Attorney Frederick Rarick argued that the testimony of the witness was suspect because she had only just met the suspect earlier that evening and that she was protecting other members of her group that he alleged were involved in the assault.

He questioned her ability to accurately recall the event because she admitted to drinking and smoking pot the night of the assault.

Rarick also noted in cross-examination of both Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Forsyth and Batavia Police Detective Thaddeus Mart that they observed no blood on Spencer’s clothing when he was taken into custody the night of the assault.

DA Friedman argued the lack of blood on Spencer’s clothing proved nothing.

Spencer is scheduled for sentencing on April 6th at 9:15 a.m. and following a request by the DA, was ordered to be held without bail pending sentencing.

The investigation into the incident still continues as there were other alleged suspects involved who fled the scene.

Via our news partner, WBTA

Our apologies to Sgt. Eric Seppala and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office for not publishing this when it was sent over on March 1. That was a very busy few-day period and I had a hard time keeping up and this got lost in my inbox.

Press release:

Sergeant Eric K. Seppala, a 21-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, retired at the end of his shift today. Seppala started his career with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 17, 1996, as a Correction Officer in the Genesee County Jail. On May 15, 1999, he was appointed a Deputy Sheriff and then promoted to Sergeant on Jan. 18, 2014.

During his tenure, Eric earned six Commendations; was assigned to the Crash Management Team; was a Field Training Officer; and was instrumental in the research of acquiring rifles for the patrol vehicles.

“Sergeant Seppala has always been a very dedicated, professional officer,” stated Sheriff William Sheron. "Everyone here at the Sheriff’s Office will truly miss Eric and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Press release:

Renowned ballerina Aesha Ash encourages Byron-Bergen students to dream bigger.

Ballet star Aesha Ash told the hundreds of students at Byron-Bergen Elementary School that when she was growing up in Rochester, “there were no princesses or fairies that looked like me. There were no magical creatures, unicorns or swans that looked like me.”

When she dreamed of being a ballerina, she was told that there were no black ballerinas and that she would never succeed. She dreamed anyway, and she did succeed. She was accepted to the legendary School of American Ballet where she was chosen to join the New York City Ballet when she was 18 — one of the first black dancers in the corps.

How did this world-famous dancer and winner of the National Women’s History Museum's 2016 Women Making History Award, come to be in Byron-Bergen? Fourth-grade teacher Alyson Tardy heard about Ash’s Swan Dreams Project, which was founded in 2011. This project uses powerful imagery to counter negative stereotypes of race and socio-economic background and inspire children to dream bigger.

Tardy thought that Ash’s message would be a great tie-in to the school’s character education program. She invited Ash and coordinated the special visit. Students surprised their visitor with a hallway lined with artwork featuring swans of many shapes and colors.

“The art is so beautiful,” Ash said. “I’m honored that the kids welcomed me this way.”

At the crowded assembly, Ash shared her story with attentive students, beginning with her passion for dance and her determination to become a ballerina.

She explained how she was part of Rochester’s Urban Suburban program, and constantly faced questions and misunderstanding from peers about her background and city neighborhood. Her family was not rich; she told the story of borrowing toe shoes for her first tryout. Even when Ash became a professional ballet dancer, she felt a sense of not belonging, of being different.

“All my life, I’ve fought to change perceptions and dispel myths — for myself, my family and my Rochester community,” she said. “The more that people told me that I couldn’t do something, the more I wanted to do it.”

Ash’s professional dance career lasted 13 years. It included eight years with the NYC Ballet along with performing in the Bejart Ballet in Switzerland and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, and with many other companies as a freelance artist.

She and her family currently live in California where she is working to make the Swan Dreams Project an afterschool program. She hopes to open a studio where she can teach ballet to children who are not able to afford lessons.

The Swan Dreams Project video she shared with Byron-Bergen students can be found here.

Press release:

Yesterday, Sen. John Bonacic (R-Mount Hope), the head of the New York Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee introduced legislation that would pave the way for sports betting, should the Supreme Court knock down the federal prohibition. 

Western Regional Off Track Betting and Batavia Downs Gaming are perfectly positioned with existing infrastructure to deliver a sports betting platform to our customers in our 15 counties including the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.

As the only municipally owned gaming facility in the state, Batavia Downs Gaming is not only a strong economic driver for Central and Western New York, but it provides critical funding for community development which creates jobs, keeps families safe and helps to offset tax increases for residents.

Since its inception, Batavia Downs Gaming has generated more than $226 million to 17 municipalities and bringing sports betting to our locations will significantly increase these important contributions.

“If we are able to offer sports betting to our customers, we would see more resources flowing directly to our bosses – the millions of New Yorkers who live in the Western Region Off Track Betting counties,” said Henry F. Wojtaszek, president/CEO of Batavia Downs Gaming WROTB. “We’d be able to deliver critical funds to help local law enforcement, first-responders, and help in the fight to keep property tax hikes at bay.

"We want to thank Sen. John Bonacic for his leadership on this important issue. Our delegation in Albany and Governor Cuomo has always stood by our side to get our fair share out of Albany, and we hope it’s no different with sports betting."

Michael Nolan Chief Operating Officer Batavia Downs Gaming/WROTB said: “Operationally with our brick and mortar locations, Batavia Downs Gaming and WROTBC is a natural affiliate to deliver sports wagering to residents of Western and Central New York as we have delivered parimutuel wagering since 1974."

A 16-year-old Le Roy HS student has been charged with making terroristic threats following an incident at the school yesterday where the student threatened to shoot people.

The youth was jailed on $10,000 bail

The Sheriff's Office received a call at 3:15 p.m. yesterday after school officials reported a student had made the threats.

An investigation revealed the male student who was charged was involved in a confrontation with several other students in a hallway and allegedly made the threat during the confrontation.

No weapons were displayed and no weapons were located.

There were no injuries.

The charge is a Class D felony.

From the press release:

The Sheriff's Office commends the school's administration and staff for their quick notification and assistance during the investigation and reminds citizens that we have a 'no tolerance policy' for any violence or threats of violence directed at anyone in or about school.

Le Roy High School presents three performances of "The Little Mermaid" starting tonight.

The current goes up at 6 o'clock and tickets are $10 at the door or available online (click here).

There are also performances at 6 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday.

Yesterday, the cast and crew of 115 students performed twice for students in grades 7 through 12, and grades 1 through 6.

"We hope you will join us in celebrating our amazing hometown talent and enjoy a night of great laughs and fun," said Le Roy Principal Tim McArdle. "This show is going to be so spectacular and, as always, the Pat Patton backdrops take this show to the next level."

Photos by Don Dessert, except bottom photo, by Tim McArdle.

Amy M. Page, 32, of North Road, Scottsville, is charged with felony DWI and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Page was stopped by Le Roy PD on March 4 after a caller, who followed a vehicle on Route 5 from Stafford, reported a vehicle almost hit two vehicles, drove in the wrong lane and went off the road numerous times. Page is accused of driving with a BAC of .18 or greater with three children in the vehicle. She was jailed on $2,500 bail and issued a full stay away order of protection for the children.

Jeffrey Ellinwood, 58, of East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and other traffic offenses. Ellinwood was stopped Feb. 26 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD. He is accused of driving with BAC of .18 or greater.

Danielle Derenzo, 53, of Hartshorn Road, Corfu, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, suspended registration, and driving without insurance. Derenzo was stopped Feb. 27 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Chad Giesler, 34, of Barks Road, Caledonia, is charged with DWI, and other traffic offenses. Giesler was stopped March 1 in the Village of Le Roy by Le Roy PD.

Phoenix Webb, 18, of County Route 37, Central Square, is charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of marijuana, 4th. During a traffic stop in the the Village of Le Roy on March 3 a police officer smelled the odor of burnt marijuana. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, Webb was found in possession of more than two ounces of marijuana. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Felix Cabreralopez, 65, of Emerson Street, Rochester, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, and uninspected vehicle. Cabreralopez was stopped at 8:51 p.m. Tuesday on South Lake Avenue, Bergen, by Deputy James Stack. He allegedly had his privileges revoked or suspended 10 times on 10 different dates. He was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Danielle Renee Tooley, 33, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with bail jumping, 3rd. Tooley is accused of missing a scheduled court appearance.

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. hosted a meeting last week with Genesee County school superintendents, local police officials, local government representatives, along with state representatives Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, to discuss school safety concerns and the viability of having School Resource officers within each school district.

"School Resource officers can play an important role in our school districts, from helping to resolve conflict to preventing tragedies," said Senator Ranzenhofer.

"I fully support placing these officers in our local school districts, and I have been working to secure state funding to expand School Resource officers in Genesee County and across New York State. I commend Sheriff Sheron for his leadership on this issue, and I will continue to work with him to keep our children safe."

While it was the consensus of most of those in attendance that there should be a School Resource Officer in each school within the county, concerns were expressed of how to fund the position and identifying the source of this funding.

The attendees discussed a variety of possible federal, state and local options and agreed to explore funding sources to offset the cost of the potential School Resource officers.

“I was pleased to meet with Sheriff Sheron, local educators and community stakeholders to discuss how we can increase school safety," said Assemblyman Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia). "The state needs to take action to help our schools become the most secure and comfortable environments they can be.

"We need to look at working with retired law enforcement and veterans in our schools because our children’s safety should be our number one priority.”

Currently, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office has School Resource officers at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s (BOCES) Batavia Campus (for the past 15 years) and in the Byron-Bergen Central School District (for the past three years).

Additionally, the Village of Le Roy Police Department provides a School Resource Officer to the Le Roy School District, and the Batavia City School District has security aides within its facilities.

During the meeting, representatives from Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s (BOCES) Batavia Campus and the Byron-Bergen School District spoke highly about the advantages of having a School Resource Officer.

They explained that it not only provides a safe environment for the students and faculty but also provides for direct interaction and guidance with the students.

Both officials agreed that the benefits of having a School Resource Officer far outweigh the expense associated with the position.

“When we started our SRO Program 15 years ago, the prevailing question was, 'Why?' " said Christopher Hayward, Le Roy Police Chief. “With everything that has happened in the last 15 years, and sadly will continue to happen, the question has to be, ‘Why not?' "

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch stated, “the City Police Department remains dedicated to the safety and security of all schools within its district. The time has come for the lawmakers in this state to step up and allow school districts to utilize their aid in establishing programs that make sense on a local level.

"This type of flexibility would go a long way to allowing each district in Genesee County to partner with local law enforcement to provide a School Resource Officer.”

Sheriff Sheron stated that it his goal to establish a School Resource Officer in all county schools to ensure the safety and protection of the students and faculty.

“Although the cost associated with placing a School Resource Officer in the schools is significant, I believe the safety and security of our children should be of the utmost precedence,” the sheriff said.

Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputies will be visiting schools on a regular basis and assist during school safety drills. This will aid in familiarizing Deputies with the school’s faculty and students along with the layout and procedures of each school.

Submitted photos. Top photo, Deputy Matt Butler, resource officer for Byron-Bergen, discusses his job with officials.

Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, left, Sheriff William Sheron, right.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley

One Genesee County girls basketball team is advancing to the regional playoffs and for another, its season is over following a pair of Section V consolidation games played Tuesday.

Elba beat Wheatland, 47-38. The Lady Lancers will play for the Far West Region Class D championship Saturday at Rush-Henrietta High School at 3 p.m. against Franklinville of Section VI.

For the Lady Irish of Notre Dame, their season is over after losing the Class C consolidation game (where Class C1's sectional champion plays Class C2's sectional champion for the right to play in the Class C Far West Regional game) to South Seneca, 61-41. For Notre Dame, Margaret Sutherland scored 18 points and Callie McCulley scored 16 points.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins today released the following statement announcing this year’s Congressional Art Competition and encouraging local high school students in New York’s 27th District to participate.

“Each year I am impressed by the talent of the hardworking students across the 27th District as I review their submissions to the Congressional Art Competition,” Congressman Collins said. “This is a unique opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and an exciting chance to have a piece of artwork hanging in the United States Capitol. One of the events I look forward to the most each spring is the reception celebrating the artists and their work.”

Now in its 36th year, the Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students who reside in New York’s 27th Congressional District. Last year there were more than 70 submissions. The winning artist will receive a round trip flight to Washington, D.C., to see their artwork in the U.S. Capitol, where it will be on display for one year.

Submissions are due to either of Congressman Collins’ two district offices no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11. A reception and award ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 14th, at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery, located on the Genesee Community College campus in Batavia. Local high schools have been notified regarding contest rules and submission guidelines.   

Interested students should see their art teacher for details or contact Patrick McKinney from Congressman Collins’ office at (585) 519-4002.

Press release:

While Batavia and Genesee County have long been recognized as one of the top micropolitan regions in the United States, the area received its highest ranking ever as it climbed all the way to number 2 among 575 micropolitans across the country.  The annual rankings are compiled by Site Selection magazine.

Batavia was the only town in New York State to be ranked in the top 40 of micropolitans. It is the 15th consecutive year Batavia and Genesee County have been recognized. The ranking of “Top Micropolitans” is based on cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment and it once again demonstrates the commitment and collaboration among the public and private sectors to bring new investment and jobs to the region and just as important assisting companies that are already here in expanding and retaining jobs,” said Steve Hyde, president, and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

The GCEDC achieved 16 project “wins” in 2017 that generated approximately $240 million in investment.

Since 2003, the GCEDC has provided similar assistance and incentives for 449 projects which have generated $1.3 billion in capital investment and the creation and/or retention of approximately 4,528 jobs.

Full the full list of rankings, including some commentary about the region’s rise to second place, click here.

This afternoon Billie and I will board a plane headed to Los Angeles.

This is not a pleasant trip.

On Feb. 22, Charles Raymond Sutherland, Billie's youngest son, age 35, died following a heroin overdose in Ventura.

We will hold a memorial service for him in Ventura on Thursday.

In all, Billie and I will spend four days in Ventura before driving over to Bakersfield to visit my dad.

While we're away, we will receive help with the site from Mike Pettinella, Jim Burns, Steve Ognibene, Maria Pericozzi, Alecia Kaus, and our news partner WBTA. We will do our usual work that we can do remotely; however, honestly, we might not be as focused at times on this trip as we have been on previous trips.

There have been 520 confirmed flu cases in Genesee County, up from an average of 150 to 200 per season, Health Director Paul Petitt told the Human Services Committee at a meeting on Monday.

The good news is, the number of cases is starting to slow but there is also typically a second peak during flu season.

Even though this year's flu shot has proven to be only about 40 percent effective, it's still the best measure to prevent the flu or to lessen its severity, Petitt said.

Flu is just one of many issues on the Health Department's plate, Petitt said.

There was also a rabies case in January involving 12 people who needed post-exposure treatment after a family took in a stray kitten.  The family members, as well as some friends, required treatment.

Petitt said people need to remember to be wary of unknown animals, whether domestic or wild.

The opiate crisis continues to hit Genesee County hard.  The number of deaths in the county for 2017 is not yet available but officials are aware of the continued high call volume for emergency responders and the reports of deaths locally.

The tri-county task force continues to work on the issue and will be supplement by an intra-agency effort funded by a $578,000 grant from the Greater Rochester Foundation to GCASA.

The health department is also tasked with ensuring any local buildings with cooling towers are complying with new regulations to help prevent the spread of Legionnaires Disease.

Finally, even though mosquitos carrying the Zika virus aren't likely to make to Western New York, it is a concern to the south of us, so the health department is also monitoring for reports of infections locally -- there have been none so far -- for people who travel.

Petitt also shared that in the five years since Orleans and Genesee counties entered into a shared services agreement for health department services, the two counties have saved about $1 million in costs.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra rehearsed Monday night at Batavia High School for its concert this Sunday featuring the music of Tchaikovsky and a solo performance by David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The program includes Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, David Kim solo violin, Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, and The Sleeping Beauty: Polonaise.

The concert is at 4 p.m. in the auditorium at Elba Central School.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students, $10 for seniors, and $35 for families.

Photos by Chris Choate.