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Press release:

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) announces online permits for the youth waterfowl hunt and COVID-19 waterfowl blind draw procedures. Additionally, the Refuge announces the 2020 Final Hunting Plan for Iroquois NWR has been approved and awaits publication in the Federal Register.

The Iroquois NWR Youth Waterfowl Hunt remains the same except permitting will now be done online. Permits are available first-come, first-serve from Aug. 15 until Sept. 15. The permit is free, but space is limited to 15 participants this year.

You will receive your permit letter and Parental Consent Form upon checking out on RecAccess. 

The preseason waterfowl lottery draws will once again be on RecAccess. However, morning blind draws for the entire regular season will now be held at the Refuge Shop at 1101 Casey Road in Basom to ensure the safety of staff and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details of how we will safely proceed will be disseminated through our website, Facebook, and RecAccess as opening day approaches.

The 2020 Final Hunting Plan has been approved and posted on our website. This plan includes changes to the 2020-2021 hunt seasons on Iroquois NWR, including other migratory birds, small game, fall turkey, and the second session of the waterfowl season.

Once these changes are published in the Federal Register, we will be able to implement them. This will be reflected on our website and fact sheets as appropriate. Please continue to check our website periodically for updates. 

For further information please see our website or email Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge or phone Visitor Services specialist Eric Schaertl at (585) 948-5445, ext. 7036. Iroquois NWR is located midway between Buffalo and Rochester and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center Department of Cardiology in Batavia has been granted an additional three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in echocardiography in the area(s) of adult transthoracic, adult stress.

This latest accreditation awarded to United Memorial Medical Center Department of Cardiology demonstrates the facility’s ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care in echocardiography. 

Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious conditions. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, followed closely by stroke as the fourth highest cause of death.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 2,150 Americans die each day from cardiovascular disease, which amounts to about one every 40 seconds. 

There are many factors that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on echocardiography. The training and experience of the sonographer performing the procedure, the type of equipment used and the quality assessment metrics each facility is required to measure, all contribute to a positive patient outcome.

IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indicator of consistent quality care and a dedication to continuous improvement. 

Accreditation by IAC indicates that United Memorial Medical Center Department of Cardiology has undergone an intensive application and review process and is found to be in compliance with the published Standards.

Comprised of a detailed self-evaluation followed by a thorough review by a panel of medical experts, the IAC accreditation process enables both the critical operational and technical components of the applicant facility to be assessed, including representative case studies and their corresponding final reports.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is releasing the following statement in response to the Peace Agreement announced today between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

“Today’s announcement of an agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates represents a major step toward stabilization of the Middle East and showcases American leadership on the international stage. President Trump has consistently worked toward combatting Iranian aggression in the region, and this agreement moves us closer to unifying more Middle Eastern countries against one of the largest threats to regional stability, major allies, and American troops.”

Press release:

Democratic candidate Nate McMurray released the following statement as reports circulated that Wednesday, Aug. 12th, Conservative candidate Beth Parlato would vacate her ballot line in NY-27. Under significant pressure from GOP party bosses, Parlato is reportedly willing to accept a nomination for a State Supreme Court judgeship using an often abused loophole in New York election law.

“I do not agree with Beth on much, but I admire her strength and tenacity. The same party bosses that attacked her and pressured her to bow to Jacobs in the primary want a unified political machine because they’re nervous about Jacobs in November. She told them ‘No’ before, and I hope she’ll do it again.”

McMurray hopes that Parlato stays true to her principles regarding party corruption.

“I talked with Beth a few times, and she was as disgusted by these party insiders as I was. These are the same men who made excuses for Chris Lee, still defend Chris Collins, teamed up against David Bellavia, and traded their principles for Jacobs’ deep pockets — a guy who up until a couple of months ago didn’t have a conservative bone in his body.

"She knows Jacobs is a fake. She knows that his allegiance isn’t to conservative morals or Republican ideals, his only loyalty is to the pursuit of money and power. I hope today she won’t do what Jacobs has done so many times, changing herself and her positions on a dime for political expediency.”

The Batavian attempted to give Parlato a chance to respond. We sent an email to her campaign email address and the email bounced. We sent a direct message through Facebook to her campaign more than 24 hours ago and the message doesn't appear to have even been read. 

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Le Roy.
  • One of the positive individuals is under age 20 and one of the individuals is in their 20s.
  • The individual were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • One of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Fourteen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • Two of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
• Eight new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department is looking for anyone with information about a reported car / bicycle accident which occurred at East Main Street and Vine Street in the City of Batavia between approximately 8 and 8:30 a.m. today.

The bicyclist was struck by a pickup truck at that intersection and is being treated at UMMC.

Anyone who was in the area at that time and observed the accident is asked to contact Officer Peter Post at (585) 345-6350, the confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370, or online here.

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department would like to remind citizens of its Batavia SafeCam Registration Program. The program allows citizens / businesses to register their camera systems with the police department to aid in crime prevention strategies and investigations which may occur in the proximity of their cameras.

The registration process is very easy and free. Simply go to http://www.batavianewyork.com/police-department/webforms/batavia-safecam-program and fill out the form. 

Surveillance cameras have been an integral part of fighting crime in Batavia. Privately owned camera footage has helped solve a variety of serious offenses in Batavia over the years, including various burglaries, a fatal hit-and-run accident, and even a homicide. Working together, we can keep Batavia a safe place to live and work.

Please note that the police department will not have the ability to freely or remotely access your cameras, claim ownership, or dictate the camera systems functions. This program is simply a database that will allow the Batavia Police Department to see who might have captured footage related to a particular crime.

Thank you for signing up and joining us in the fight to keep our city safe!

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department has been made aware of a scam in which suspects will contact immigrants claiming to be government agents.

The suspects will inform the individuals that their accounts have been flagged for sending money to terrorist organizations and demand that the individuals send them gift cards to correct the issue. The suspects will threaten to have the individuals deported if they do not comply.

The United States Government will never require the purchasing of gift cards to clear any issues. Citizens who receive these calls should never comply and not provide any personal information to the suspects.

Follows these tips from the Federal Trade Commission to help avoid fraud:

1. Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company you do business with. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.
2. Do online searches. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
3. Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

Don’t pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job.

1. They might even say you’ve won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.
2. Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods don’t. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. That’s also true for reloadable cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) and gift cards (like iTunes or Google Play). Government offices and honest companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.
3. Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert — or just tell a friend.
4. Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.
5. Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. And always review your monthly statements for charges you don’t recognize.
6. Don’t deposit a check and wire money back. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you’re responsible for repaying the bank.
7. Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at ftc.gov/scams. Get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.

If you spot a scam, report it at ftc.gov/complaint. Your reports help the FTC and other law enforcement investigate scams and bring crooks to justice.

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The new positive case resides in Batavia.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The individual was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Zero of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • Two of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
• Five new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Press release:

• Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Batavia.
  • One of the positive individuals is in their 50s and one of the positive individuals is in their 80s.
  • Both of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Zero of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Fifteen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • Two of the positive individuals are hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Eight new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Submitted image and press release:

As part of National Health Center Week (Aug. 9 – 15), Tuesday highlights the importance of agricultural workers in our community and our commitment to providing them with the best of health care. 

“Agricultural workers in the U.S. have been called the ‘invisible population’ as they are socially and geographically isolated from the rest of society," said Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO, Oak Orchard Heath. "We want to recognize this population with gift bags of useful supplies and a cool drink to ease their otherwise extremely busy day.” 

Agricultural workers are also dealing with COVID-19 and we want to remind them of our commitment to help them with the Tuesday distribution of hygiene kits – a gesture of support.

Each kit contains hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, soap, masks, digital thermometers, and a water bottle.

Originally founded in 1966, Oak Orchard has grown from a migrant health project into an integrated health center with multiple locations providing health care services for everyone located in the communities we serve.

Oak Orchard Health

Oak Orchard Health is currently serving approximately 23,000 patients at 10 locations. Oak Orchard Health is a recognized patient-centered medical home and 501(c) nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in the towns of Albion, Alexander, Batavia, Brockport, Corfu, Lyndonville, Hornell and Warsaw.                                                                

Press release:

Rochester Regional Health is proud to announce five-star ratings for vaginal delivery at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, United Memorial Medical Center and Unity Hospital a five-star rating for C-sections at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital and United Memorial Medical Center as recognized by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.

UMMC has received a five-star rating for vaginal delivery for the last six years and Newark-Wayne and Unity have received it for two consecutive years.

The five-star rating indicates the hospitals’ clinical outcomes for vaginal delivery and C-sections are statistically significantly better than expected.

“The five-star ratings reflect our teams’ commitment to providing the highest quality of care to all patients during some of the most profound moments in their lives,” said Meghan Aldrich, VP of Operations for Women’s Health. “We appreciate the trust our community puts in us to take care of their families, and we are proud to relentlessly pursue ever more extraordinary care for our patients.”

“Hospital quality should be top of mind for consumers when they evaluate and compare hospital performance,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades. “Women who select a hospital with a five-star rating can feel confident in their choice knowing that these organizations are committed to providing exceptional women’s care to their patients.”

Healthgrades analyzed all-payer state data for 16 states for years 2016 through 2018. Healthgrades found that there is a significant variation in hospital quality between those that have received five-stars and those that have not. For example, from 2016 through 2018, women having a vaginal delivery in hospitals rated five-stars have, on average, a 43.6-percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated by hospitals rated one-star.

View Healthgrades hospital quality awards and methodologies.

Learn more about how hospitals partner with Healthgrades.

Press release:

The United States Postal Service, even before the current strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has endured years of attacks by President Trump. These attacks have ramped up as more states expand access to vote-by-mail in response to the still-raging pandemic.

Democratic candidate for Congress Nate McMurray is calling for NY-27 to be a national bellwether, for absentee and vote-by-mail systems to be quickly safeguarded, and for Trump’s attacks on America’s favorite Federal agency to be rebuked.

In his attacks on the Postal Service, Trump has continued to baselessly claim "fraud" regarding mail-in votes, but in addition to this smear campaign has fractured its inner foundations: withholding funding; appointing unqualified Republican donor Louis DeJoy to be postmaster general; and slowing delivery times, delaying delivery of medications, Social Security checks, and soon millions of votes in the November elections.

“The Postal Service is a vital, publicly held resource," said McMurray, who has twice been endorsed by the National Association of Letter Carriers. "The connection it provides, especially in rural areas, is more important than ever because of the pandemic.

"Mail-in votes, which have been around since the Civil War, are necessary to keep our nation safe as we prepare for this November election. The USPS is an institution that binds our country together, rain or shine, one stamp at a time. It predates the nation’s independence and is recognized by the Constitution.” 

In the NY-27 June Special Election, nearly half of all votes cast were cast by mail. After an unprecedented resurgence in the absentee count — capturing nearly 70 percent of all mail-in ballots — McMurray closed his election night gap to just 5.2 percent.

This result was nationally recognized as a harbinger for November, when the results of many elections, including the Presidential Election, are unlikely to be known on election night.

After a landmark ruling handed down last week in New York State to protect votes previously removed from official counts in the NY-12 primary, the McMurray campaign estimates that several hundred additional ballots will be counted in NY-27.

The ruling, in this case, argued by Arthur Schwartz, counsel to the McMurray campaign, ordered the NYS Board of Elections to direct all local boards to count all ballots received by June 24th, regardless of postmark, and all ballots received by June 25th with a timely postmark. 

“I applaud this ruling and continue this campaign’s fight to count every single vote. Even as Jacobs votes to gut healthcare protections for pre-existing conditions and continues to stand by Trump in Washington, more votes against him by the people of NY-27 continue to be counted,” McMurray added.

McMurray has previously called for New York State to take direct action to bolster the absentee voting process in November, including a simplified application, clearer ballot instructions, for ballots to be sent sooner, and for the realities of rural postal service to be recognized in setting postmark deadlines.

McMurray is now joining leaders across the country in calling for the Inspector General to investigate the recent actions of the Trump administration and Postmaster DeJoy, full funding of the USPS, and a legislative review of Bush-era law that has detrimentally constrained Post Service finances, growth, and innovation. 

McMurray concluded: “We know that the President himself votes by mail. We know that his attacks on mail-in voting are a sham, just partisan lies while he attempts to destabilize the electoral process and put party over country. Does Chris Jacobs stand with Trump on this as he does with the President on every other issue?

Extreme Republicans like Jacobs and Trump know that if every American has the chance to vote, they will lose. I will continue to defend our democracy, demand that every vote be counted now and in November, and defy any politician that calls for anything less.”

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is announcing a $1,000,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded to the Genesee Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA).

“I am pleased to announce that this great local organization is receiving a grant to further combat alcohol and drug addiction, and the opioid crisis in our community," Jacobs said. "While our nation has focused on fighting another public health battle, substance abuse has continued to hurt our communities.

"That is why the work the Genesee Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse is critical to our region. I am proud to see this funding go to an organization working to make our communities safer for all members, and I am committed to continuing our efforts to end the substance abuse and opioid epidemic."

“This grant will allow GCASA to continue a multi-fold aim of removing barriers to recovery and improved quality of life for people suffering from alcohol and other drug problems," said GCASA Executive Director John Bennett. “Far too long, we have treated addiction only as an acute disease when, in fact, it is a chronic long-term health condition.

While treatment is a guiding force to assist individuals in establishing abstinence and getting them on the path to recovery, it does not address how to sustain individuals and families in recovery over long periods. Grants like this will help build the recovery supports and address the social determinants of health to overcome the long-term effects of addiction.

"It is designed to break down the barriers to long term recovery so people can manage their own conditions over time and build on the resources needed for sustained recovery.”

The grant was awarded through a $101 million grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services to combat substance abuse disorders (SUD) and opioid use disorders (OUD). This grant program supports 116 organizations in more than 42 states – the grant is intended to expand and enhance service delivery for SUD and OUD in rural communities.

Two other organizations in New York State received this $1 million grant -- The Reach Project Inc., Ithaca, and Rochester Institute of Technology Inc.

Press release:

• Genesee County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Three of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Forty new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received two new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Carlton and Ridgeway.
  • One of the positive individuals is in their 40s and one of the positive individuals is in their 50s.
  • Four of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.