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Press release:

Genesee Community College's BEST Center (Business Employee Skills Training) has been awarded the New York College Apprenticeship Network (NYCAN) grant. The award is perfectly timed with the celebration of the U.S. Department of Labor's sixth annual National Apprenticeship Week which runs November 8 to 14, 2020.

The NYCAN grant which totals $15,000 is a result of a partnership between The State University of New York (SUNY) and the New York State Department of Labor and is designed to focus on advanced manufacturing.

"As the BEST Center's primary focus is employee development and skills training, we are highly attuned to the workforce needs of our communities," said Director of the BEST Center John McGowan, Ph.D. "The programs we offer are specifically designed to grow highly skilled and employable personnel to ensure the economic health of our region."

Genesee Community College's BEST Center has begun to engage small, medium, and large employers to secure paid apprenticeships in high demand, competitive wage occupations throughout Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties, and -- through online capabilities -- far beyond!

"The NYCAN grant allows us to support employers with Registered Apprenticeship programs, as well as assist current and future Registered Apprentices," McGowan said.

New York State has provided $9 million of funding for SUNY community colleges, to create one of the largest statewide public/private partnership apprenticeship programs in the country.

At Genesee Community College, the BEST Center's programs house the expertise and support that identify workforce needs, determine skills gaps, and engage employer sponsors to expand apprenticeships throughout the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties, and far beyond.

The SUNY Apprenticeship Program will assist in developing 2,000 pre-apprentices and Registered Apprentices over four to six-years in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology/cybersecurity/ artificial intelligence and more.

Press release: 

Press release:

Dear Batavia Blue Devils Community:

I am writing to provide you an important update regarding COVID-19 and Batavia Middle School.  

I have been notified and in contact with the Genesee County Health Department and the District’s Medical Director that there have been two new positive COVID-19 cases of Batavia Middle School staff members.  The employees were NOT in school with any symptoms and were considered asymptomatic prior to getting tested.

As a result of contact tracing, which focuses on a 48-hour window of time this has caused one additional staff member and 50 students who were deemed as “close contact” to quarantine for 14 days.  Any student and staff member that was identified as a “close contact” has already been contacted by the Batavia Middle School administration. The Genesee County Health Department will also follow up with identified students and staff. 

These cases do not impact our ability to continue to operate Batavia Middle School and the school will remain open for our in-person hybrid learning model. 

New York State has launched the “School COVID Report Card” site, where you can view COVID-19 data associated with all schools in New York.  To protect the privacy of students and staff, we will never release personally identifiable information. 

Please continue to be vigilant in your efforts and help us prevent the spread of COVID-19. For additional reliable information on preventing the spread of COVID-19, please go to www.cdc.gov or www.health.ny.gov

Please also don’t hesitate to contact Batavia High School or the District if you have any questions or concerns. 

Better Together… WE are Batavia!

Anibal Soler Jr.
Superintendent of Schools
Batavia City Schools

Submitted photo and press release:

Oakfield --- Families will have the opportunity to visit a local dairy farm without ever leaving the couch. Genesee County’s Oakfield Corners Dairy is the next stop on American Dairy Association North East’s “Fun on the Farm” series, which can be seen on Facebook at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14.

This week, dairy farm team members Adam Dresser and Jamie Black will discuss how Oakfield Corners uses genetics when breeding their cows, leading to healthy animals who produce a lot of high-quality milk.

“We’re excited for the opportunity for families to visit our farm virtually and learn about the great work farmers do every day,” Dresser said. “Our session focuses on the work we do with genetics and breeding, which is a great way to bring science class to life.”

This is the second season for the popular “Fun on the Farm” series, which launched in March. More than a dozen dairy farms throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland have hosted these virtual tours, with topics ranging from sustainabilitypractices and technology on the farm to animal care, among others. 

Past New York dairy farms featured have included Mapleview Dairy in Madrid, Barbland Dairy in Fabius and Ivy Lakes Dairy in Stanley.

Press release:

New positives since Tuesday, Nov. 10 as of 2 p.m. today (Nov. 12*):

• Genesee County received 40 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Due to the volume of positives, further data will be updated tomorrow.
  • Staff are working on contact tracing.
  • The Health Department has been notified of a positive staff at Batavia High School. The individual is on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual. The school will remain open for learning unless otherwise announced.
  • The Health Department has been notified of a positive student at Byron Bergen Jr. /Sr. High School. The individual is on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual. The school will remain open for learning unless otherwise announced. 
  •  
• Orleans County received 30 new positive cases of COVID-19.
•  
• The new positive cases reside in Albion, Shelby, Clarendon, Barre, Gaines, Yates, Murray and Ridgeway.
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.
• Ten of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Five of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• The Health Department has been notified of a positive student at Holley High School, Albion High School and Lyndonville High School.  All of the students were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. Albion also has one staff member who tested positive and was not on quarantine prior to testing positive. The individuals are on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual.
• One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.

*No data was released yesterday -- Wednesday, Nov. 11 -- because of Veterans Day; so the latest data is a two-day total.

Press release:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the availability of $11 million to build out the state's network of fast charging stations to support wider adoption of electric vehicles.

The Direct Current Fast Charger program will be administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to scale up electric vehicle infrastructure in areas of the state where access to fast charging stations is limited. It will also prioritize improving the availability of charging infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.

Increased use of clean transportation supports Governor Cuomo's goal for an 85-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 under the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

New York continues to serve as a national model for reducing greenhouse emissions. As part of our efforts, we must ensure all New Yorkers, no matter where they live or their economic status, have access to the infrastructure required for using electric vehicles," Governor Cuomo said. "This investment will build the infrastructure necessary for empowering more consumers to choose clean, electric transportation options, while making electric vehicles an accessible option for all New Yorkers."

"We are continuing to reimagine New York's future fueled by clean, renewable energy," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "This settlement with Volkswagen will allow us to further expand electric vehicle fast charging stations across the state.

"This helps to advance our commitment to reduce carbon emissions and achieve significant savings in fuel cost. We encourage New Yorkers to buy electric vehicles as we establish more charging stations across the state. We want to ensure New York State continues to lead in building back better, cleaner and greener now and in the future."

As part of the State's $127.7 million allocation of the federal Volkswagen Settlement funds, this initiative builds upon Governor Cuomo's landmark "Make Ready" announcement in July, which included a suite of major clean transportation initiatives to accelerate New York's transition to cleaner mobility.

It will also address the need to build out a strong network of easily accessible and visible charging stations for consumers in Upstate  Regional Economic Development Councils as part of the State's comprehensive clean transportation strategy.

The Direct Current Fast Charger program will provide up to 80 percent of the cost to build publicly available charging stations for electric vehicles. Funding will be made available in specific REDC regions through two initial rounds, through which charging station developers will be selected to install at least four DCFC stations per site, at four or more site locations.

Only one proposal per developer will be awarded for each eligible REDC region under each round, and if funding remains after these two rounds are complete, the program will continue to a third round. 

The program requires that at least 25 percent of the stations be located within half a mile of a disadvantaged community in support of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal of increasing access to clean energy and sustainable infrastructure to all end-users.

In addition, developers installing charging stations in rural areas may be eligible to submit proposals under this program that include two different sites, which would support simultaneous charging for two vehicles at each site. 

Applicants are encouraged to co-locate Level 2 EV charging stations and distributed energy resources, such as energy storage and solar, with the DCFC chargers. Although not required, proposals with these elements will garner additional points from the review committee. Funding for Level 2 charging stations is available through the Charge NY program while funding for distributed energy resources is available through NYSERDA's energy storage and solar programs. 

Applications for the first round are being accepted through Feb. 18. The first round focuses on the following Regional Economic Development Councils regions: Central New York, North Country, Finger Lakes, and Western New York.

The second round of funding will launch in July and includes the eligible Round 1 REDCs plus Mohawk Valley and Southern Tier. If needed, a third round is expected to encompass all areas that were included in the first two rounds.

The transportation sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New York, representing approximately 36 percent of the state's total emissions. Today's announcement builds upon New York State's $1 billion investment in electrifying New York's transportation sector, which is vital to Governor Cuomo's sweeping climate and clean energy plan.

Growing access and availability to electric vehicles and scaling the necessary infrastructure benefits all New Yorkers, including those in low-income or disadvantaged areas, by reducing carbon emissions to create cleaner air and healthier communities.

Under a range of initiatives, including EV Make Ready, EVolve NY, and Charge NY, the State is rapidly multiplying the number of charging ports to have at least 10,000 across New York by the end of next year. More than 29,000 Drive Clean Rebates have helped state residents purchase electric vehicles contributing to more than 65,000 sold statewide since 2010.

Funds secured through the federal settlement with Volkswagen are strategically invested in New York State under the Clean Transportation NY plan. The plan, executed by a collaboration of State agencies, directs Volkswagen settlement resources to maximize benefits that build on New York's national leadership on clean energy and climate change.

The State's strategically leveraged investment of settlement funds is anticipated to result in at least $300 million of clean vehicles and infrastructure on New York's roadways.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

Governor Cuomo's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieving its mandated goal of a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality.

It builds on New York's unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy including a $3.9 billion investment in 67 large-scale renewable projects across the state, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector, a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011.

Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while meeting a goal to deliver 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities, and advancing progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 TBtus.

Press release:

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee in Batavia is holding a free coat giveaway on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of our office at 5073 Clinton Street Road in Batavia.

New and like new coats will be available for children and adults of all sizes. 

We are also accepting new and like new coats for donation with no broken buttons or zippers. To donate or if you have questions please contact Lisa or David at Community Action at (585) 343-7798. 

COVID-19 mask wearing, and social distancing guidelines will be strictly adhered to at this event. Currently, we are unable to reserve coats for individuals prior to the event. 

The mission of Community Action is to provide services, with dignity and respect that help people become self-sufficient.

Press release:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced new COVID-19 restrictions on bars, restaurants, gyms and residential gatherings in New York State.

Effective Friday at 10 p.m., bars, restaurants and gyms or fitness centers, as well as any State Liquor Authority-licensed establishment, will be required to close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.

Restaurants will still be allowed to provide curbside, food-only pick up or delivery after 10 p.m., but will not be permitted to serve alcohol to go. The State Liquor Authority will issue further guidance for licensees as to what sales are continued to be permitted.

The Governor also announced that indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people. The limit will be implemented due to the recent prevalence of COVID spread resulting from small indoor gatherings including Halloween parties.

These gatherings have become a major cause of cluster activity across the state. Further, this public health measure brings New York State in line with neighboring states including Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This new rule is also effective Friday at 10 p.m.

"If you look at where the cases are coming from, if you do the contact tracing, you'll see they're coming from three main areas: establishments where alcohol is served, gyms, and indoor gatherings at private homes," Governor Cuomo said. "The reason we have been successful in reducing the spread in New York is we have been a step ahead of COVID.

"You know where it's going; stop it before it gets there. And you know where it's going by following the science. This is the calibration that we've talked about: increase economic activity, watch the positivity rate -- if the positivity rate starts to go up, back off on the economic activity. It was never binary -- economic activity or public health -- it was always both."

Governor Cuomo continued: "The rules are only as good as the enforcement. Local governments are in charge of enforcement. There are only two fundamental truths in this situation: it's individual discipline and it's government enforcement. Period. End of sentence. I need the local governments to enforce this."

The Governor took these actions amid a widespread increase in cases throughout the nation and an increase in New York, which was expected moving into the fall and winter seasons.

New York Restaurant Association responded:

The statement below can be attributed to Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA).

“Today’s news is a huge blow to the restaurant industry that is desperately trying to stay afloat. Our members have put in place procedures and protocols to mitigate the spread, and we’ll continue to do so to ensure the safety of our employees and patrons. We understand the logic behind micro-cluster restrictions, but at this time we have concerns about blanket statewide restrictions like this.”

Press release:

Catholic Charities needs volunteers for its COVID-19 phone visitation program.

An adaptation of its home visitation program for seniors (age 60+) in Genesee and Orleans counties, this safe social connection is an opportunity for homebound seniors to maintain contact with the outside world they otherwise would not have due to their shrinking social circles as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Interested volunteers would call weekly, from their own homes and on their own schedules, to check in on the homebound seniors. Training and a background check are required.

For more information on becoming a volunteer, please call Peg at (585) 343-0614, ext. 18.

“This unique opportunity allows volunteers from surrounding communities and counties to be matched with waiting seniors,” said Linda Chadderdon, program manager for home visitation program in Genesee and Orleans counties, Catholic Charities.

“In addition to brightening our seniors’ days, volunteers often find a rich sense of fulfillment with the knowledge they are reaching out to someone in friendship.”

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March, Catholic Charities has continued to provide services to WNY individuals and families in need through many programs, including counseling, basic emergency assistance and food pantries. Additional information about Catholic Charities’ services can be found at ccwny.org/services.

Press release:

“The Batavia Muckdogs Baseball Club will be issuing refund checks to purchasers of 2020 game tickets at the Dwyer Stadium office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14.

"To expedite the refund process, please bring a government-issued identification and proof of purchase (e.g., receipt, cancelled check, or credit card statement).”

Ben J. Hayes, President

BATAVIA MUCKDOGS INC.

Press release:

Due to the Veterans’ Day holiday tomorrow, both Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments will be closed. We will not be updating numbers or the map until Thursday afternoon. A very special thank you to those who have served in any of the Armed Forces. We appreciate your service and the sacrifices you and your families have endured to keep our country safe.

New Cases – As of 2 p.m.

• Genesee County received seven new positive cases of COVID-19.
• The data below includes the 43 reported cases since Friday, Nov. 6.
  • The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Darien, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield, Pavilion, and Stafford.  
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s.
  • Fourteen of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Seventee of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Two of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
  •  
• Orleans County received 13 new positives case of COVID-19.
• The new positive cases reside in Albion, Shelby, Carlton, Murray, Kendall and Ridgeway.
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 70s.
• Two of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Three of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• The Health Department has been notified of a positive student at Holley High School. The student was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. The individual is on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual.

One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.

The 11th month, November, on the 11^th day is dedicated to commemorating the men and women who have served in the U.S. military.

As a country, we strive to honor and protect these individuals after returning to civilian life. While there are many mental health and addiction resources available throughout the nation, one issue usually remains hidden -- problem gambling.

It's a problem any time gambling causes financial, vocational, mental or interpersonal problems in one’s life, and it's an issue that affects roughly two million Americans. However, Veterans have elevated rates of problem gambling — at least twice the rate as the general adult population (Westermeyer et al., 2013).

Additionally, the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) estimates that as many as 56,000 active duty members of the Armed Forces meet the criteria for gambling disorder.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 5, a diagnosis of gambling disorder requires at least four of the following during the past year:

1. Need to gamble with increasing amount of money to achieve the desired excitement.
2. Restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling.
3. Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back on or stop gambling.
4. Frequent thoughts about gambling (such as reliving past gambling experiences, planning the next gambling venture, thinking of ways to get money to gamble).
5. Often gambling when feeling distressed.
6. After losing money gambling, often returning to get even (referred to as “chasing” one’s losses).
7. Lying to conceal gambling activity.
8. Jeopardizing or losing a significant relationship, job or educational/career opportunity because of gambling.
9. Relying on others to help with money problems caused by gambling.

Compared to the national population, problem gambling may not seem like a priority. However, problem gambling can impact up to 55 percent of the population. It is estimated that each individual struggling with problem gambling can impact up to 10 additional people.

On top of that, problem gambling has the highest suicide rate among all addictions.

“About 50 percent of those with disordered gambling have had suicidal thoughts. Over 17 percent of these individuals have attempted suicide,” (Moghaddam et al., 2015).

Problem gambling is also extremely underreported and low screening rates, especially in the military, remain a barrier. Some initial screening tools that are available include the “Lie Bet” and the “Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen,” which provide basic questions on gambling habits.

What can we do to better assist veterans and active duty members who might have a gambling problem?

•       Increase Screenings for Problem Gambling during routine visits and follow up.

•       Complete screenings after deployment and before reenlisting.

•       Offer education and information about gambling related harms. 

•       Provide a safe space to discuss need for support. 

•       Recommend alternatives to gambling on base and at program sites.

If you or a loved one is struggling with problem gambling, contact the Western Problem Gambling Resource Center at (716) 833-4274 or email us directly

Press release:

Genesee County Legislature Chair Shelley Stein and Genesee County Public Health Director Paul Pettit are urging county residents and businesses to step up in taking precautions to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Their call is the result of an increase of infections in Genesee County and the GLOW region and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement earlier today about parts of Erie and Monroe counties being placed in Yellow zones.  

The Governor and his health experts have created three zones to manage the spread of the virus: 

• Yellow Zone designates an area as being in a precautionary phase;
• Orange Zone designation denotes a community is in a warning phase;
• Red Zone means the community is in a cluster zone which imposes the strictest rules and regulations.

You can learn more about the zoning designation by clicking here. 

“We don’t want restrictions that will negatively impact businesses and the local economy, but if we continue to see increases and spikes, New York State is going to come in and create the zones that were announced today in Erie and Monroe counties,” Stein said. “Unfortunately, that is where we are trending if we don’t take action fast and become more vigilant to fight the spread of the virus.”

Among the restrictions in a Yellow Zone includes that:

• Houses of worship can have no more than 50-percent capacity.
• The maximum number of people at nonessential indoor or outdoor gatherings is limited to 25 people maximum.
• Businesses can remain open but for restaurants there is a maximum of four people per table for both an indoor and outdoor dining.
• Schools can remain open but there must be mandatory weekly testing of students and teachers/staff for in-person settings.

Stein said that Genesee County will be reaching out to various government agencies and business partners to urge the community to step up their vigilance in wearing masks, maintaining appropriate social distancing, hand washing and other common sense things to prevent further spread of the virus. The County is asking these partners to spread the message through email and social media channels.

“The key thing at the moment is similar to what we experience with the cold and flu season and that is people feeling compelled to go out if they are not feeling well,” Pettit said. “If you feel ill in the slightest, then please do not go out or to work and contact your physician immediately in order to schedule a test.”

With the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays right around the corner, the temptation of larger gatherings particularly of family and friends who travel from outside the region poses another way of how the infection rate can spread.

“Cold and flu season is here, and eventually bad weather will force people to gather inside which is a recipe for the spread of the virus and this becomes even more concerning with the holidays right around the corner,” Stein said. 

Testing locations in Genesee County can be found here.

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m.

• Genesee County received 43 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Due to the volume of positives, further information will be updated tomorrow.
  • Staff are working on contact tracing.
  • The Genesee County Health Department was notified of two positive teachers at Jackson Primary School. The individuals have been placed under mandatory isolation where they will remain until they have recovered. Contact tracing is in process to identify close contacts. Out of an abundance of caution, Jackson Primary School will be 100-percent remote virtual learning until Monday, Nov. 30.
• Orleans County received 18 new positives case of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Albion, Yates, Shelby, Barre, Gaines, Clarendon, Murray, Kendall and Ridgeway.
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.
  • Three of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Six of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been removed from the isolation list.
  • The Health Department has been notified of a positive student at Lyndonville High School and a positive student at Medina High School. The students were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. The individuals are on mandatory isolation until they recover. Contact tracing is in process for those who are considered close contacts and will be placed on mandatory quarantine for 14 days from the last contact with the positive individual.
  • We are deeply saddened to report we have had an Orleans County community member pass away due to COVID-19. The individual was over 65 years old. Out of respect for the family, we will not release any further details about this individual. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this person and encourage our community members to be respectful of the family’s time of grieving.

Today’s map will not be updated due to limited data.

Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans County online map of confirmed cases.

A reminder the numbers listed as positive/active are current community cases. The recovered numbers are only for community cases and do not include non-county regulated facilities. The total positive cases includes community active/positive, community recovered and all those from non-county regulated facilities.

Press release:

Effective today, Monday Nov. 9, all City facilities and meeting rooms will be closed to the public in light of increased in COVID-19 positive cases in Genesee County.  

Facilities that will remain open for public business include the following:

• City Clerk’s Office
• DPW Administration/ Inspection Bureau 
• Yard Waste Station

At this time, City Council meetings, Planning & Development Committee meetings and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings will remain as in-person meetings held in the Council Chamber with minimal City staff attending. The meeting will remain open to the media and public.

Anyone attending the meeting will be subject to enhanced screening protocol.

• The City Fire Department will screen all persons entering the facility.  
• Screening will be conducted on the second floor of City Hall in the Community Room.
• Anyone who does not pass the temperature and symptom screening, or refuses to screen will not be allowed to enter the Council Chamber. 
• All members of the public, and the media, need to remain masked at all times. 
• Enhanced cleaning will continue to take place. 

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation as we all work together to keep Batavia safe.

Press release:

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is now accepting applications for the 2021 Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Funds competitive grant process.

The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation established endowment funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to provide annual support for programs and initiatives that reflect the personal passions of Wilson. Grants will support the following areas of interest:

Caregivers

Support caregivers –whether paid, voluntary or family – of persons who are unable to fully care for themselves and are part of an underserved community. Preference will be given to organizations or projects that provide support to caregivers of older adults. 

Requests must address at least one of the following objectives:

• Increase opportunities for caregivers to take advantage of resources.
• Support operating expense of the applicant organization. 

Community Assets

Support significant cultural and historic assets and/or increase access to long-term arts instruction for youth. 

Requests must address one of the following objectives: 

• Increase access to long term arts instruction for children and youth living in under-resourced communities. 
• Restore and leverage significant historic buildings and architectural landmarks, with a preference for sites that promote cultural tourism.
• Support operating expenses of the applicant organization. 

Design and Access

Support enhancement of community access to spaces and programs that support healthy living. Requests must address one of the following objectives: 

• Support for preplanning, development and/or construction. This may include projects related to increasing the walkability and bikeability of local communities, and improving waterways, greenways and recreation corridors. 
• Support operating expenses of the applicant organization. 

It is a preference but not a requirement that these projects: 

• Incorporate green design to be environmentally sustainable.
• Incorporate universal access design to serve people of all abilities.
• Please note: Large sports facilities are not of interest.

Youth Sports

• Provide opportunities for all children to be active through sport. Requests to build collaborations among organizations are encouraged. Requests for projects should include the following objectives from the State of Play WNY Report:

1. Ask kids what they want.

2. Reintroduce free play.

3. Encourage sport sampling.

4. Revitalize in-town leagues.

5. Think small.

6. Design for development.

7. Train all coaches.

8. Emphasize prevention. 

Grant requests should range between $10,000 and $25,000 for Caregivers, Community Assets and Youth Sports. Design and Access requests should range between $10,000 and $50,000.

Funds will be released after grant requirements and obligations have been signed and returned. 

For Caregivers, Design and Access, and Youth Sports, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that meet the guidelines described above and reside in Western New York may apply for a grant. Western New York is defined as Allegany, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. For Caregivers, Design and Access and Youth Sports, government agencies also may apply. For Community Assets, only 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that reside in Erie County may apply.

Applications are due Dec. 4, at 4 p.m. Decisions will be made in May.

A virtual information session for all areas of interest will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Additionally, there will be an evening virtual session for Youth Sports first-time applicants from 7 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.

To register for information sessions, learn more about deadlines and eligibility, and to apply, please click here.

Photo: Aaron Leone, right, practices his welding skills on the Miller LiveArc machine, as welding instructor Andrew Geyer, guides him.

Submitted photo and press release:

When Graham Corporation and the Genesee County Economic Development Center approached the executive principal of the Genesee Valley BOCES Batavia Campus about donating a welding simulator, Jon Sanfratello knew that this was a huge bonus for the Metal Trades Program.

“When businesses invest in our programs, our students are the true benefactors," Sanfratello said. "This welding simulator, that Graham Corporation has so generously donated,will provide our students with an additional training tool to test their skills.

"One of our top priorities here at GV BOCES is the integration of both applied and practical skills into curriculumso our students are college and career-ready. This training tool is another means of achieving our goal. We are so very appreciative of Graham’s investment in our program and students.”

At the end of the 2019-2020 school year, Graham Corp. provided them a Miller LiveArc Welding System. It provides a simulation scenario for a student to practice welds in a live-arc training mode.

Andrew Geyer is the welding instructor at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center.

“The Miller LiveArc has cameras and infrared sensors that will read students’ welds and grade them accordingly based upon the parameters that are set,” Geyer said. “It is our hope that representatives from Graham can spend some time with us and program the machine with industry-based welds, so students can get a better understanding of what is expected in industry.” 

Geyer and Metal Trades students recently met with Graham Corp. representatives and Chris Suozzi, GCEDC vice president of Business & Workforce Development, via Zoom. During this online meeting, students asked many questions about employment opportunities at Graham Corporation.

Graham Corp. is well known for being a major employer in the region as well as a big supporter of schools especially, Genesee Valley BOCES. Graham has gifted other materials used in the Metal Trades Program at the GV BOCES Batavia Campus, too.

“The Welding Program at the Batavia CTE Center is very important to Graham Corporation and to our community," said Alan Smith, general manager of Graham Corp. "As Graham continues to grow, access to skilled welders is vital. Welders make up approximately 50 percent of Graham's skilled workforce.

"Graham has a long history of supporting the welding program at the Batavia CTE Center with donations of plate steel and weld wire. Graham's latest donation of the weld simulator will enable students to learn proper welding techniques by providing immediate feedback while saving the expensive cost of weld wire.”

Graham Corporation also has a track record of hiring welding students from the Batavia CTE Center and from other BOCES around New York State. Don Fonda, superintendent at Graham Corp., says this partnership goes back decades.

“We have close to 75 employees who went to a BOCES program, and add in some recent new hires, the total is over 80 employees," Fonda said. "We have 53 employees who came to Graham from the Batavia GV BOCES program.

“From what I could find out the Graham/Batavia GV BOCES connection goes back to the 1970s when GV BOCES was next to the industrial center. Bob Torrey was one of the first co-op students at Graham. He started at Graham working three days and Saturdays in January of 1974 while he was in school. He was hired full time in June 1974, 46 years ago.”

Suozzi says partnerships like this benefit the community.

"The Genesee County Economic Development Center applauds Graham Corporation for investing in equipment and experiences that will benefit every 11th- and 12th-grade student learning in GV BOCES' welding lab," Suozzi said. "This partnership strengthens the skills of our students for the great careers at Graham Corporation.”

Press release:

Get the first leg up on your career ladder with a summer 2021 internship at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As part of the federal Pathways Program, USDA offers paid federal internships at USDA agencies and offices around the country.

USDA is hiring interns from high school to graduate level for a broad range of occupational fields, from veterinary science, to engineering, to natural resources management, and finance.

This developmental program gives students experience to enhance their educational goals and shape their career choices. USDA internships involve on-the-job experience, mentorship, and training tailored to the student’s education, experience and interests.

The program is available to students who are currently enrolled in qualifying educational programs or institutions from high school to graduate level.

In 2020, USDA hosted thousands of in-person and virtual internships around the country, many of which were through the federal Pathways Program.

Next summer, USDA will hire Pathways interns in hundreds of locations in nearly every state in the country for the following occupational fields:

• Administration and Office Support
• Biological Science
• Business and Industry
• Engineering and Architecture
• Financial Management
• Information Technology
• Veterinary Science

It’s easy to apply for a OneUSDA Pathways internship. Visit www.usda.gov/internships, choose your area of interest and the link will send you to a USAJobs posting where you can apply and choose your preferred location.

The deadline for summer 2021 internship applications is Monday, Nov. 16. Application review will begin immediately. For more information on the program and eligibility, visit www.usda.gov/internships or email internship@usda.gov.

Educators, youth-serving organizations, and students can find more USDA resources to foster the next generation of agricultural professionals at www.usda.gov/youth.

Press release:

The successful GLOW With Your Hands career exploration project hit a major milestone Nov. 2 with the launch of a new virtual platform to benefit all students in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming County (GLOW) Region.

A year after engaging with more than 800 students in hands-on experiences, GLOW With Your Hands Virtual (glowwithyourhandsvirtual.com) expands the experience with innovative, on-demand exploration of 34 careers across four growing sections of the regional economy.

“After seeing the direct impact GLOW With Your Hands produced in a single-day event in 2019, we are excited to bring careers in agriculture, food processing, advanced manufacturing and skilled trades directly to even more students,” said Karyn Winters, director of the Genesee County BEA, who led the project with Angela Grouse, director of Education to Employment Initiatives at the Livingston County Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Students who swung a hammer, laid a concrete walkway, practiced welding and dozens of other activities at GLOW With Your Hands 2019 can now have an even deeper connection to explore these careers,” Grouse said. “GLOW With Your Hands Virtual takes those experiences into the production facilities, job sites and farms, with meaningful results.”

Schools received early access to the GLOW With Your Hands Virtual website a week ago. The full website encourages the public, students, parents and educators to immerse themselves in the platform.

Careers highlighted include assembly and fabrication, welding, concrete and masonry, project manager, food packaging, veterinary technician, animal nutritionist, and drivers with commercial driver's licenses (CDL).

“Each career page includes an extensive ‘day in the life’ profile of professionals at great companies in the GLOW region, and an outline of the general duties, earnings and educational requirements,” Grouse said.

“Most importantly, students are shown a pathway of classes, clubs, volunteer opportunities and local training programs that they can pursue during middle and high school and beyond with training programs and post-secondary opportunities.”

In addition to the Genesee County BEA and Livingston County Area Chamber of Commerce, volunteers from all participated in generating career information, filming and editing of videos with companies across all four counties, and preparing the website.

“We are already planning how to grow GLOW With Your Hands for the future,” Winters said. “In addition to continuing to expand the Virtual platform, all of our organizations are ready to assist our students, educators and businesses.”

GLOW With Your Hands Virtual was made possible by generous 2020 sponsors, led by Platinum Sponsor Genesee Construction; Gold Sponsors Clark Patterson Lee, O-AT-KA Milk Products, National Grid and Livingston Associates; Silver Sponsor USG Oakfield; Bronze Sponsors Batavia Rotary, Cargill, CY Farms, Koike Aronson, Pfisterer Lapp, Torrey Farms and the Workforce Development Institute; and General Sponsors Ed Hulme General Contracting and Stein Farms.

“The support that our volunteers, businesses, schools and sponsors all brought to our inaugural event continued throughout the past year and throughout the development of the GLOW With Your Hands Virtual project under Karyn and Angela’s leadership,” said Jay Lazarony and Chris Suozzi, GLOW With Your Hands cochairs, in a statement.

“The entire GLOW With Your Hands team invites you to explore glowwithyourhandsvirtual.com, and we look forward to seeing everyone in person very soon for the next hands-on event.”

Here are a few links to explore:

• Machine Technician (LINK)
• Project Manager (LINK)
• Machine Operator (LINK)
• Green House Labor Director (LINK)