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Press release:

Today, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer enthusiastically renewed his support for Nate McMurray in the Nov. 3rd election for Congress in NY-27. 

“I am eager to see Nate McMurray win this election so we can get to work on a shared agenda to expand access to affordable healthcare, strengthen the middle class, protect union rights, and preserve our farms," Senator Schumer said. "Nate is a fighter who will take on the damaging and dangerous Trump agenda and always champion the interests of the people of Western New York.” 

McMurray added: “I am proud to have Senator Schumer’s endorsement going into the most important election of our lifetimes. He and I are committed to defeating the Trump agenda and its supporters, like Chris Jacobs, in November. Not only has Chris Jacobs aligned himself with a failed President, but he has condemned Black Lives Matter, voted against a pay raise for our armed forces, and voted to kill the Affordable Care Act at the height of a pandemic that has killed 150,000 Americans.  

“Senator Schumer and I share many core values, like a Washington that delivers for working-class Americans, expanding healthcare, and protecting Social Security. I’m eager to get to work with him on behalf of NY-27 and all of Western New York.”

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is releasing the following statement in response to President Trump signing four executive orders yesterday to provide targeted coronavirus relief to Americans.

“The negotiation process for a new stimulus package has been bogged down with partisan politics and far-left democratic wish lists that do not benefit the American people," Congressman Chris Jacobs said. "I applaud President Trump’s decisive action to make the health and financial well-being of Americans a priority and sign executive orders that will boost our economy, protect unemployed Americans, and aid Americans suffering from the effects of COVID-19.

"Conquering this enemy and rebuilding our economy is an effort we need to be united on, and the President is setting the example of what it means to put all Americans first.”

Yesterday President Trump signed four executive orders, which cover a range of issues including a $400 unemployment weekly insurance to replace the expired $600 bonus, protections against evictions for renters, extension of student loan relief, and a payroll tax holiday through the end of the year.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.18, the same for two weeks. One year ago, the price was $2.66. The New York State average is $2.26 – also the same for the last two weeks. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.85. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.22 (down 2 cents since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.18 (down 2 cents since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.18 (no change since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.22 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Rome -- $2.30 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.18 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.28 (no change since last week)

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) released their new weekly report and revealed that gas demand fell. This decreasing demand for gasoline has helped pump prices stabilize, and if demand continues to drop, pump prices could push cheaper in the coming week.

From GasBuddy:

"Gas prices have remained in very familiar territory for the sixth-straight week as gasoline demand fell slightly last week, keeping oil prices confined as forces prevent it from falling under $39 but also from breaching $42 per barrel," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"However, as summer begins to fade, demand recovery may be limited, and there's a possibility we may see more downside potential in the last quarter of the year. Traditionally, gasoline demand weakens into the autumn, and as the coronavirus situation keeps more kids home and more parents from work, we may see a drop in gas prices as we progress through fall.

"However, since no one can predict when we may rebound from the coronavirus situation, nothing long term is set in stone, but we are on track for a seventh-straight week of stable gas prices."

Press release:

Have you been thinking about how you can get involved in our community? What better way than helping to elect those who represent us. 

The time is now.

The Genesee County Democratic Committee has opportunities for you to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot on Nov. 3rd. We have opportunities for every level of interest and experience. We also have activities that you can do while practicing responsible social distancing from home. 

Check out our website geneseedemocrats.net and click on “Take Action 2020."

(Above, submitted photo of Dr. Nancy Ciavarri, chief medical officer, Oak Orchard Health, speaking with a patient.)

National Health Center Week (Aug. 9 – 15) is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers over the past five decades. This year is extra special for Oak Orchard Health as they recognize this special week for the first time with their three new locations that were formerly part of Pembroke Family Medicine.

The mission of Community Health Centers remains vital today because access to basic care remains a challenge in parts of the United States including our community. Many people live in remote and underserved communities where there is a shortage of providers and, in many cases, the nearest doctor or hospital can be as far as a 50-mile drive – if transportation is available.

While COVID-19 continues to impair social and medical inequities across the country, Community Health Centers have stretched themselves to reconfigure services for those in need. As unemployment rates rise and more people lose their employee-sponsored health insurance, Community Health Centers have remained open to provide care for all, regardless of insurance status. 

“Community Health Centers are here to support the community," said Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO, Oak Orchard Health. "Our presence is even more important as people face high unemployment and employer-based healthcare decreases. Oak Orchard Health is able to serve all who need medical, dental, vision, or behavioral health services."

This year’s mission for Health Center Week is to thank our providers and staff along with our patients. Given we’re practicing social distancing, we’ll be using social media to communicate with patients on staying healthy during this time. 

Oak Orchard Health
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. Currently serving more than 30,000 patients at nine 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.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is inviting all interested individuals from Upstate New York to register for the opportunity to have their testimony heard before the Senate and Assembly committees on Health, Aging, and Investigations regarding a loved one’s death in relation to the state’s nursing home crisis.

Each citizen who signs up will be allotted five minutes of speaking time, and is reminded that the proceedings are video recorded.

“Many New Yorkers have lost loved ones to the COVID pandemic, with nursing homes being particularly mishandled by state government,” Hawley said. “My staff and I drafted several letters trying to call attention to this issue before more lives were lost.

"It’s important that every New Yorker who feels comfortable sharing their stories at this event do so. It will provide an opportunity for your testimony to be heard before the state government directly. It won’t bring back anyone we’ve lost, but it will bring hope to the future for those who were left behind.”

Those looking to sign up and have the opportunity to speak are asked to fill out the application form and email it to the following individuals: Assemblyman Gottfried at GottfriedR@nyassembly.gov, Assemblyman Bronson at Bronsonh@nyassembly.gov, Assemblyman McDonald at Mcdonaldj@nyassembly.gov and "CC" Assemblyman Byrne at ByrneK@Nyassembly.gov and Assemblyman Hawley at hawleys@nyassembly.gov.

For more information on the hearing or who to contact, please read the attached PDF file here.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley is denouncing the recently revealed efforts of New York State Attorney General Leticia James, who is seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA) in a lawsuit that points fingers at the leadership for not following nonprofit guidelines. Hawley calls the move a “callous and politically charged attempt to sow dissent during an already tumultuous election year.” 

“The NRA has been a valuable ally for Americans wishing to have their Second Amendment rights preserved, and it’s why state leadership is so afraid of them and so desperate to have them gone,” Hawley said.

“The nature and timing of this lawsuit are so clearly politically motivated that I’m flabbergasted the Supreme Court would even take on such a case. This case doesn’t seek justice; it seeks to upend justice and further strangle Americans’ God-given rights and liberties.”

The suit currently claims to be looking at civil violations as opposed to a criminal case, but the attorney general is not ruling out that a criminal case may come about in the future.

Meanwhile, Hawley continues to fight for the rights and liberties of Americans in the Assembly, and he will be working to ensure that whatever the outcome, honest citizens are not restricted by excessive governmental oversight.

New Cases – As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received three new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Batavia and Pembroke.
  • Two of the positive individuals are in their 20s and one is in their 40s.
  • The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Five of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Sixteen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the positive individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received no new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • Sixteen new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is providing an update regarding constituent services and his district offices. Both district offices, in Clarence and Geneseo, are open and staffed with caseworkers to assist constituents with federal agencies. 

The addresses and contact information are as follows:

Clarence Office

8203 Main St., Suite 2

Williamsville, NY 14221

716.634.2324

Geneseo Office

128 Main St.

Geneseo, NY 14454

585.519.4002

“For months, Western New Yorkers have been without representation and have been left without resources to help them with important issues. I am proud to be restoring that representation to our area, and I am proud to say that we are working to handle constituent services full time. This is a challenging time for thousands of members of our community, as we work to rebuild our economy and reopen our country, I am committed to helping constituents with any problems that I can, and I encourage them to reach out to any of my offices,” – Congressman Chris Jacobs

Press release:

Nate McMurray, congressional candidate in NY-27, released the following statement after former Congressman Chris Collins asked for a fourth delay in reporting to federal prison. 

After lying to the public, claiming that the charges were meritless, Collins pled guilty to insider trading in October of 2019. This unleashed a cascade of negative impacts on the people of WNY, especially the constituents of NY-27. Collins was set to report to prison on March 17th, which was delayed until April, and now Aug. 18th due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Collins is requesting that his report date be delayed again to Oct. 13th.  

“We have been here before. Hundreds of us wrote letters to implore the judge in Collins’ case to administer a fair sentence. We watched his tearful pleas; the hammer of justice raised, but not brought down. Chris Collins now unapologetically claims the pandemic threatens this life and should prevent him from serving his prison sentence — it’s a twisted irony that he was the first supporter of President Trump in Congress, the man who so horribly mishandled the pandemic, which led to so many avoidable deaths across our country and especially in New York State.

“Trump and his ilk are also demanding that our schools open immediately, but that elections be delayed, and now that justice be delayed too. If our kids can go back to school, Chris Collins can pay his debt to society. He denied this region representation, and he lied to secure power and privilege. Politicians like Trump yell ‘law and order,’ but when it comes to their buddies, it’s a different story: Manafort, Stone, Flynn, and yes, Collins. 

“I have always believed that justice must be balanced with mercy, but Chris Collins has seen more mercy than most. Justice delayed is justice denied — he needs to go to jail now."

Press release from David Krzemien:

It's Official: "Pro 2nd Amendment' is now a line (another choice for people to vote) on the November 3rd Ballot.

On Election Day you will see David Krzemien’s name on two lines on the ballot. We have officially gotten our second line “Pro 2nd Amendment.” This second line means so much to David as he’s said from the beginning of his campaign, if we can’t protect our families then we are left with nothing. Every law-abiding citizen should be able to exercise the right to keep and bear arms without intervention or monitoring by the government. This fundamental right, provided to us by the 2nd Amendment should not be diminished or altered by the State government.

I would like to thank all the people who carried petitions to give the people of Genesee County a choice.

On November 3, 2020, make sure you vote David Krzemien for Genesee County Sheriff!

A Mercy Flight helicopter responded to Edgewood Drive in Batavia around 7 o'clock tonight after a man riding a bicycle suffered a medical condition.

A passerby saw the man and pulled him out of a ditch off the roadway and minutes later Mercy EMS and Genesee County sheriff's deputies were on the scene.

Mercy EMS personnel administered CPR to the man, who was transported to Erie County Medical Center. The Town of Batavia Fire Department also was on the scene. The initial call came in around 6:20 p.m.

Submitted photos.

DARIEN CENTER – Six Flags Darien Lake, the Thrill Capital of New York State, is taking no prisoners as it prepares for one of the biggest Halloween events in the nation. Fright Fest is so scary it is definitely NOT recommended for children 13 and under after 6 p.m.

Fright Fest 2019 begins Friday, Sept. 27 and ends Oct. 27 and it promises more bone-chilling terror than ever before featuring an all-new maze, Corridors of Chaos. Enter a post-apocalyptic future where society has crumbled and there are no rules as killers and creeps lurk around every corner.

All four fog-filled mazes transform park walkways into endless, winding miles of sinister sights and eerie sounds. Scarier-than-life theming and innovative special effects combine to create movie-like haunted attractions brimming with the stuff of nightmares.

In addition, last year's viral sensation, the 30-Hour Coffin Challenge, is back for a second year with more gruesome challenges and more prize money on the line. Registration for the challenge begins today (Sept. 16) and closes Thursday, Sept. 26. To find out more and register, click here.

Six brave souls will try to last 30 hours in death-defying coffins while participating in frightful challenges and being visited by ghouls and monsters.

This year's challenge will be held Friday October 11 at 6 a.m. to Saturday October 12 at 12 p.m.

Those chosen for this peculiar and claustrophobic challenge will: try to dwell in one of six, deluxe, 2’ x 7’ "slightly used" (?) coffins; "enjoy" three meals; be grateful to get 10-minute phone and bathroom break every three hours; be subjected to random visits by our Fright Fest Freaks; and have a Six Flags representative present at all times.

Oh and by the way, coffin dwellers must also participate in timed challenges including, but not limited to, eating creepy foods, haunted-attraction scavenger hunts, and lying in a bed of live, wriggling worms.

“There is no better or scarier place to celebrate Halloween than Six Flags Darien Lake," said Park President Chris Thorpe proudly. "When Fright Fest begins we trade guests’ screams of delight for shrieks of terror." 

“Our gang of ghastly ghouls will be prowling the midways looking for prey and our fright-filled mazes and scare zones are creepier and freakier than ever.”

For Thrills by Day, families can enjoy a trick-or-treat trail and other kid-friendly activities.

But once the sun goes down, it’s Chills by Night as all hell breaks loose -- and there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide -- as guests experience the fiendish terror of:

• Blood-thirsty zombies roaming around every corner;
• Four haunted mazes (including the brand-new Corridors of Chaos);
• Free scare zones;
• Halloween-themed food and beverages;
• “Monstertainment” including the Laser Spooktacular and;
• Thrilling rides and attractions like the all-new Six Flags SkyScreamer.

Admission tickets are available for as low as $39.99 visit the park’s website for more information.

Park hours during Fright Fest are:

Saturday, Sept. 21 --- 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 22 --- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 28 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 29 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 5 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 6 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 11 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 12 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 13 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 14 --- 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 18 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 19 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 20 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25 --- 6 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26 --- 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27 --- 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Press release:

The Batavia Muckdogs had lost four straight and were suddenly down 3-0 on Sunday to Williamsport with their first-place lead in danger.

That's when Muckdogs Manager Tom Lawless started pulling out the stops as he has all season. The team started bunting, double steals with a steal of home and then a big home run.

The Muckdogs then turned to the bullpen with the lead and held on to win, 5-4 before an Irish Night crowd of 1,021 at Dwyer Stadium, just a day after a near-record crowd of 2,779 filled Dwyer. That's a three-day total of 4,687 to see the 25-18 Muckdogs.

Down 3-0, in the fourth, Brayan Hernandez singled in Troy Johnston, advancing Andrew Turner to third. On the double steal, Hernandez swiped second then Turner stole home, cutting the lead to 3-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Dalvy Rosario's RBI double scored Milton Smith II to tie the game then Nic Ready's sacrifice fly scored Rosario for the lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Batavia catcher Michael Hernandez crushed an opposite-field home run to give Batavia a 5-3 lead they would not lose. it was the second home run of the season for Hernandez, who came to the Miami Marlins organization out of Nova Southeastern College.

J.D. Orr blasted a triple for Batavia and his average of .374 still leads the entire New York-Penn League.

Left starter Andrew Miller, a 2018 Marlins draft pick out of Kentucky, had the win to even his record at 3-3. He went five innings and struck out five walking just one.

Josh Simpson, another lefty and a 32nd-round pick this year out of Columbia University, earned his fifth hold of the season throwing a perfect sixth.

Bryan Hoeing, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound righty who was a seventh-round Marlins draft pick out of Louisville this year threw 2.2 innings for his second hold, striking out one and allowing one run.

Evan Brabrand, one of the best closers in the minor leagues, picked up his eighth save of the year, striking out the last batter of the game with runners on base. Brabrand was a ninth-round pick of the Marlins this year out of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

Batavia at 25-18 holds a two-game lead over 22-19 West Virginia in the Pinckney Division and a three-game lead over State College in Pennsylvania and Mahoning Valley, both 22-21. Only Lowell with 26 wins has more wins in the entire NYPL than the Muckdogs.

Batavia is on the road for three games with the Tri-City ValleyCats (Houston farm club) before returning home to take on the Detroit Tigers Class A team, the Connecticut Tigers Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2, 3 and 4. There will be fireworks on Saturday and specials all three games.

Photos by Jim Burns.

A news photo by Howard Owens, publisher of The Batavian, has been selected by the National Press Photographers Association as the best spot-news photo in the nation for the month of January.

The photo, of Eddie Miles in handcuffs being taken from the scene of an apartment fire on Washington Avenue he is accused of starting, was previously selected as the NPPA's best spot-news photo in the New York/International Region.

The NPPA divides its membership among several regions and photographers are invited to submit photos in regional monthly contests for spot news, general news, sports, features, and other categories. The regional winners are eventually judged in a national contest.

Over the past five years, Owens has had several pictures selected for first, second, or third place in spot news and general news.

He isn't the only Batavia-based news photographer who competes in the contest. Mark Gutman of the Batavia Daily News, is also a frequent entrant. He's won several awards from NPPA and in January captured three third-place awards in sports feature, sports action, and general news. Many of Gutman's awarding-winning shots, which includes prizes from the Associated Press, can be seen on his website.

In an era of fewer local news outlets and smaller photography staffs at newspapers around the country, Genesee County is one of the few news markets in the nation with still-news photojournalists working at competing news organizations.

The photojournalism of Owens is also featured in the current edition of News Photographer Magazine, a publication of the NPPA. A photo he took in October of the Wilson High School Football Team pushing against a school bus that had become stuck on a sidewalk was printed across two pages in a section at the front of the magazine called "Opening Shots." The picture was the region's winner in October for spot news. It took second place nationally that month.

UPDATE: I completely missed this at the times the awards were announced -- the two shots Mark Gutman had for sports feature and sports action that took third place in the regional competition actually moved up to second place in the national competition -- so for January, he had two-second place shots nationally.

Article by Drew Muehlig. Photo by Dan Carnevale​.

High school graduation rates increased slightly across New York in 2017 -- to 80.2 percent, up from 79.7 percent in 2016, according to data released Wednesday by the New York State Department of Education.

And some Genesee Region schools had a lot to do with that.

Elba, Lyndonville and Pembroke high schools all boasted 97-percent graduation rates last year, while Attica (94 percent), Pavilion (93 percent), Le Roy (93 percent), Alexander (91 percent), Batavia (91 percent), Byron-Bergen (91 percent), Holley (91 percent) and Kendall (90 percent) all came in with more than 90-percent commencement numbers.

Elba saw the biggest increase in graduation rates, climbing from 89 percent in 2016.

Elba’s superintendent, Keith Palmer, attributes the results to the school’s size and the teacher-student relationship building over time.

“Given our small size and low student to staff ratio, the faculty is better able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups,” Palmer said. “This allows for knowing and responding to individual student needs as well as developing meaningful relationships.”

For a complete list of 2017 graduation rates click here. 

Article submitted by Drew Muehlig:

Over the past year, Elba Central School District’s Board of Education has been moving forward with an initiative to bring international high school students from all over the world to their school. The approval, which comes from the United States Department of Homeland Security, was granted after a lengthy process, earlier this month.

These international students, known as F-1 students, will be paying tuition to attend Elba Central School for no more than 12 months. This also grants these students eligibility to participate in all activities as a traditional non-immigrant student.

“These international students typically want to perfect their English and experience the life of an American teenager,” said Laura Williams, Elba Central’s F-1 coordinator. “Attending a high school with cutting-edge academic programs, practicing with high school sport teams, and exploring after-school activities that make American schools what they are today: drama, model UN, cheerleading, band, choir, sports, etc., they are able to achieve this goal. The F-1 student is different than other international students who are strictly in the school district for the cultural interaction.”

“This has potential to be a tremendous opportunity for our families and District,” said Elba Superintendent Keith Palmer, who learned of the program in 2016 at a New York State Counsel of School Superintendents' workshop in Albany.

“Newcomb Central School, a smaller school in the Adirondacks, has been accepting international students for over ten years now,” Palmer explained. “They were initially looking to boost enrollment as a potential source of revenue, but their focus has shifted from a revenue opportunity to a cultural benefit. The impact International students have on the rest of the student body is significant and exposing students to different cultures has been a tremendous learning experience.”

Williams, who also teaches Global Social Studies at the high school, echoes the idea that this experience will be a valuable and exciting opportunity for Elba’s own students to learn the growing importance of globalism in the world beyond their high school education.

“The benefits are endless, but the important benefit is the cultural and international experience that our students will be exposed to as members of classes as well as host families," she said. “As our world is becoming smaller and the work force is becoming more and more globally connected, it is imperative that we introduce our students to the cultures, work ethics, and international experiences that they are bound to experience in college and the workforce.”

Elba Central School is the first school in Genesee County to be approved for this program, according to Williams. Elba’s small size, compared to other areas of the state and country, could actually aid in drawing the interests of international students.

“A surprising number of international students are looking for a safe educational environment, away from large urban areas, in which to perfect their English language and gain the educational benefits offered by a New York State education,” Williams said.

“The importance of creating a school profile that accurately describes our school district as one that provides an individualized education plan in a small rural setting will be important in order to match the specific needs of the international students into our school district.”

There was minimal cost to the school for processing the application which means this program will generate some revenue for the district, according to Palmer.

“International students must pay the subsidized cost per pupil which will be around $20,000," Palmer said. "Because class sizes are relatively low, there will be no need to hire extra staff. Host families will also receive a stipend for offsetting room and board costs.”

With everything set up and ready to go, Elba is looking to start this program as early as next year.

“We are working with a placement organization to finalize the requirements for admission so that we can start the 2017-2018 school year off with a very successful international program. We plan to start small and build as the years progress,” Williams said.