From Mark Glogowski, Ph.D., Libertarian candidate for NY State 139^thAssembly District:

One of the most important issues I believe we face is the unconstitutional tyranny of our current taxation situation. Having an ally in your Assembly is crucial to correcting this. Being realistic, it will take time to unweave the tangled interrelations between government agencies and departments that have been created since the 16th Amendment was ratified, but it is doable. It will take time to get our obese government trimmed down to be lean and efficient, and with a lower appetite for taxes, but it is achievable.

There are several ways we can begin this process. The first is to get the state to operate within a balanced budget by cutting spending, not increasing taxes. We need a legislature that is aware of and pursues nongovernmental options when issues are being considered. A legislature that is willing to hear and apply Libertarian solutions, thus eliminating the need for the wealth of the people to support the government’s involvement.

Here are just a few places and activities we could proactively begin:

• Permit our governor and legislature to take control of expenditures by providing both with the equivalent of the "line item" veto ability;
• End the practice of legislation being placed in budgets (it is unconstitutional);
• Remove barriers that prevent local governments from spontaneously working cooperatively together again. The discussions recently between Genesee and Orleans counties regarding a shared jail is a good example. Unfortunately, no matter what they agree on, the barrier now in place is that the state government has oversight of county governments (instead of the other way around) and the state has in place barriers that prevent spontaneous intragovernmental cooperation;
• Allow all local governments (county, city, town, and village) to put more of an emphasis on sales taxes and less on real estate taxes and real estate based service charges;
• Eliminate real estate taxes all together. They effectively cause you to not actually own the property you paid for. As with any property tax, if you don’t pay your real estate taxes you will be evicted by the Government and will lose your property.
• Dismantle the Industrial Development Agencies and the Economic Development Zones (famous for setting up competition for existing businesses with taxpayer money and dictating to counties, towns and villages what they can and cannot do);
• Initially reduce the immense number of grants, and then eliminate grants altogether. Grants are nothing more than acts of tyranny, where government takes money from you and gives it to companies and individuals for projects that are not economically viable (such as putting up 640 ft windmills) and companies with poor business plans (like the local yogurt company that disappeared shortly after state funding ran out), and grants to pay for studies to find out where new grants can be issued (as happens in such projects as the Finger Lakes Forward initiative). Government is going out of its way to find something worthwhile to do with your hard-earned money rather than letting you keep it and invest as you see fit.

Let’s put a stop to government wasting your hard-earned money. If we are successful we will see more activity by private enterprise to help spur the economy and build a better community, such as the grant program set up by Heritage Wind.

All these barriers were placed by generations of Democrat and Republican politicians. You cannot employ the same thinking to change as was used to create this mess.

Support my efforts to become your NYS Assemblyman and I assure you, restructuring our financial (tax) structure, rescinding the 16^thAmendment, and restoring financial barriers to taxing will be among my top objectives. As your Assemblyman, I will work to initiate a call to rescind the 16^thAmendment and will seek the support of the Assemblies in 35 other States. I will work to give you back control over your wealth and possessions.

Vote Libertarian

Vote for Mark Glogowski for Assembly, District 139

Read more about my positions on other important issues at:   www.glogowskiforassembly.com

Press release:

Genesee Orthopaedics surgeons are now performing robotically assisted knee replacement surgery at Rochester Regional Health United Memorial Medical Center with the help of Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA® Knee System.

United Memorial Medical Center is one of four Rochester Regional Health system hospitals to invest in this new orthopedic and joint replacement technology, making them the first healthcare system in the Rochester region to perform a robotically assisted total knee replacement. 

The assistance of ROSA, which stands for Robotic Surgical Assistant, provides a greater degree of accuracy for the orthopedic surgeon and a quicker return to daily activities for the patient.

On Friday, Matthew Landfried, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at United Memorial Medical Center, was the first to perform the procedure in the Greater Rochester Area and did so in Batavia.

“We are thrilled to bring this emerging technology to our rural hospital and provide local access to this level of care,” said Dan Ireland, president of United Memorial Medical Center. “Having teams that embrace this advanced technology is an extreme benefit to our patients, providing them with the best possible outcomes and the care they need, close to home.”

Total Knee Replacement is one of the most commonly performed elective surgical procedures in the United States with approximately 700,000 conducted in a year. It is also the most common surgery performed within the health system with more than 2,000 knee replacements conducted each year. Almost all patients who are candidates for total knee replacement qualify for the procedure using robotic assistance. 

Prior to surgery, the ROSA Knee System’s 3D model virtually tracks how the patient’s knee moves in real time. If a patient’s knee moves even a fraction of an inch, the robot will know and adjust accordingly. This data provided enables surgeons to use computer and software technology to move surgical instruments executing the procedure with an extremely high degree of accuracy.

“No two patients are the same,” UMMC's Dr. Landfried said. “The robot doesn’t operate on its own but is instead used to assist us in making an accurate incision. The Rosa System personalizes surgical procedures to each individual patient’s anatomy, allowing for greater precision and accuracy during the procedure.”

This minimally invasive procedure offers the following benefits:

• Less pain;
• Quicker return to daily activities;
• Shorter hospital stay;
• Increased longevity of the implant;
• Reduced blood loss;
• Reduced injury.

Rochester Regional Health’s Surgery program ranks in the top 1 percent in the Northeast year after year for robotic assisted procedures. The acquisition of the Rosa Knee System is an extension of the health system’s continued investment in robotics and technology. The system has been at the forefront of robotically assisted surgery for more than 15 years with more than 10,000 robotic surgeries to date.

In the coming weeks, procedures will begin at Rochester General Hospital, Unity Hospital and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital.

From Rochester Regional Health today (July 28) regarding the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic, reopening, and travel restrictions in New York:

Travel Restrictions

As positive coronavirus cases spike around the country, travelers arriving to New York State from designated states will be met with restrictions, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s updated Executive Order. Gov. Cuomo added 10 more states to the list of states that will require travelers to quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York. 31 states in total are on the list as of July 21.

The new states added are: Alaska, Indiana, Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Virginia and Washington.

The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling average or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. Essential workers are excluded, as well as anyone returning to New York from a designated state in which the visit was for less than 24 hours.

"The last 137 days have been hell for New York as we were the epicenter of this pandemic,” Gov. Cuomo said. “However, New Yorkers stood as one, acted responsibly and—as many other states in this nation are now grappling with new spikes of this insidious virus—the beast, for now, has been brought to bay in this state.”

Newest Rules for Bars & Restaurants

All restaurants and bars in New York State can now only serve alcohol to people who are ordering and eating food, according to a new statewide requirement announced by Gov. Cuomo July 16. All service at bar tops must only be for seated patrons who are socially distanced by six feet or separated by physical barriers, and customers are prohibited from ordering directly from the bar.

To comply with the requirement, the New York State Liquor Authority say that bars and restaurants must sell sandwiches, soups or other foods, whether fresh, processed, precooked or frozen, to customers in order to sell them alcohol. Other foods can be salads, wings, or hotdogs. However, a bag of chips, bowl of nuts, or candy are not enough to satisfy the requirement.

Cases Spike in Florida, Arizona, Texas, California

Almost half of all states are spiking at a faster rate than they had been in the spring, according to a new USA TODAY study. Florida broke the single day record for positive cases with 15,300 new cases on July 11 and reported a record-high of new single-day COVID-19 deaths with 132. Arizona has seen nearly 40 percent of its total yearly cases occur in July alone with more than 50,000 positive cases since July 1. Texas reported 110 deaths and 10,791 new positive cases on July 15, its second straight day of record-high cases in the state and the sixth straight day of more than 10,000 active COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to The Hill. 

The full list of states on the New York State travel advisory is below:

• Alaska
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Missouri
• Mississippi
• Montana
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin

New York State Slows Spread

Hospitalizations in New York State have dropped below 700 for the first time since March, and the state recently reported its lowest three-day average death toll since March.  

A new study by “The Truth About Insurance” named New York the most responsible state in fighting COVID-19. “We've used data and science to drive this fight and fuel our reopening strategy, but make no mistake, this distinction is shared by every single New Yorker who did the right thing these last months, ignored the politics, socially distanced and wore a mask,” Gov. Cuomo said.

“But we can't stop now. We must remain disciplined and we must remain New York Tough. We've come too far to go back to where we were."

What Rochester Regional Health is Doing

Rochester Regional Health has implemented diligent processes in place to help team members comply with this new requirement. Employees who are currently traveling or plan to travel to any of the designated states are permitted to work upon their return, provided they follow a strict set of guidelines and processes.

Reopening Schools

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently released guidance for reopening schools in New York State. The guidance allows for regions in Phase 4 to reopen if the infection rate remains below 5 percent using a 14-day average. Schools will close if the regional infection rate rises above 9 percent, using a seven-day average. A summary of the full guiding principles created by the New York State Department of Health and can be read here.

Phase 4

Phase 4 has begun for the greater Rochester area and the Finger Lakes Region. Phase 4 allows businesses to reopen in the industries of art, education, recreation, and entertainment. Malls are also reopening, however, not all stores in malls are reopening immediately. Gyms, casinos, movie theaters, and amusement parks remain closed. Museums and aquariums are opening with proper safety protocols in place.

"Phase 4 presents the greatest risk because the amount of variation of facilities that are on the slate to reopen in Phase 4 is more than variable than in Phase 1 through 3," said Dr. Michael Mendoza, Monroe County public health commissioner. "So doing so in a measured, coordinated way will allow the health department to follow the data very close and make course corrections as needed because the last thing we want to do is set ourselves all the way back."

Indoor restaurants in all regions have opened with safety precautions, as well as nail salons, tattoo parlors and spas. Outdoor seating is allowed with outdoor tables spaced six feet apart, all staff must wear face coverings and customers must also wear face coverings when not seated.

Press release:

After an almost muted, secretive swearing-in ceremony and an election that still has not been certified, Chris Jacobs has begun his short term in Congress. His first big moment? A vote against our military and for the Confederacy.

Jacobs sided with Trump and voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, because it includes a provision to rename military bases that are currently named after Confederate Generals. The bill, H.R. 6395, passed the House easily with more than half the Republican caucus voting for it. Every other Congressperson from Western New York voted for it—even Trump extremists like Tom Reed and Elise Stefanik sided with Democrats Higgins and Morelle.

“Jacobs was alone on his first day of Congress, protecting dead traitors. I want to be shocked, but I’m not. Jacobs has sided with Trump over the people of NY-27 again and again, even supporting Trump’s failure during the pandemic and Trump’s advocacy for far-right conspiracy theories. This bill will give a pay raise to our troops, and provide the Pentagon with pandemic response funding—I’m glad it passed in spite of Chris Jacobs. We are going to watch him like a hawk watches a field mouse,” McMurray said.

Jacobs also voted against H.R. 1957, the Great American Outdoors Act, a vastly bipartisan bill to fund and restore our National Parks. The bill also funds state and local parks without using taxpayer dollars. The bill’s passage marks a once-in-a-generation win for environmentalists, for the President, and for bipartisanship, but Jacobs voted against it.

“Our national, state and local park system is second to none, and the question has to be asked: ‘Why would Jacobs vote against 94 percent of Americans that support preserving these natural wonders?’ His family’s business, Delaware North, has extensive business with the National Parks and has had a high-profile, coastline dispute with Parks Services over Yosemite. It’s fair to ask if Jacobs should be voting on such bills, given the potential conflicts.”

McMurray was most concerned, however, about Jacobs’ support for the confederacy.

“Jacobs said that Black Lives Matter is a radical ideology, but defending treasonous generals is OK? A man of wealth like him, a man whose family owns estates across New England, owns the Boston Bruins itself, cannot claim this has to do anything to do with ‘Southern Pride,’ ” McMurray continued.

“He is shamelessly indulging the racist agenda of our President, and it’s an insult to the Union soldiers from across NY-27 who fought the Confederacy. There are tributes to these soldiers everywhere — including the town square in Avon, before the courthouse in Warsaw, and in Geneseo where there stands an obelisk honoring the Union war dead. Geneseo is also home to a statue of General Wadsworth, who defended our nation’s capital, fought valiantly in Gettysburg, and died on the battlefield. The current Republican Town Supervisor is his descendant,” McMurray added.

McMurray is planning a tour to pay tribute to the men and women of the Genesee Valley and Niagara Frontier who confronted the tyranny of the Confederacy and fought for what was right at the most pivotal moment in our country’s history.

NOTE: The Batavian offered the Chris Jacobs campaign to respond and the campaign declined.

U.S. Senate Republicans are calling it the HEALS Act but, in Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell’s opinion, the latest federal stimulus proposal does nothing to cure the wounds being inflicted upon state and local governments.

Hoping that the bill offered on Monday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is “dead on arrival,” Gsell took the GOP to task for failing to include funds to help financially strapped municipalities such as Genesee County.

“They just left the realm of local governments and even additional resources for states on the outside with the idea that apparently they want to keep waiting to see what the economy will do … all across the country, not just in New York State,” he said.

The $1 trillion Health, Economic Assistance, Liability protection, and Schools Act, or HEALS Act, is the Senate’s answer to the $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act, that was passed by House Democrats in May.

Gsell believes the stimulus package (the fifth since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March) will likely be the last economic rescue package prior to the November presidential election.

“This Senate bill and the House of Representative bill are diametrical ends of the spectrum … and hopefully (they’ll meet) somewhere in the middle to get bipartisan support in both chambers to get this thing done by August 7^th,” Gsell said. “Once they come back in September, they may put anything else in terms of fed stim off past the election and maybe not even then.”

Gsell said states and local governments are facing significant losses in revenue from several sectors, primarily sales tax, but also from hotel bed tax and gaming distributions. He took exception to a provision in the HEALS Act that calls for the construction of a new FBI building in the nation’s capital.

“It is insulting that there is money in this bill to build a new FBI building in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Where does that come out with what should be a federal stimulus bill?"

Reportedly, money for a new FBI headquarters was put in the bill at the request of the Trump administration.

“The economic dislocation is still significant. For what happened yesterday, to pretend that that’s not the case, to me is both disingenuous but also shows a lack of understanding of what’s going on with regard to the national economy and what’s going on with local governments,” Gsell said.

According to the latest report from the New York Association of Counties, the state’s counties and New York City could lose up to $13.5 billion in revenue in 2020 and 2021, a situation that could result in cuts to services and permanent layoffs.

NYSAC projects a $4.9-billion loss in sales tax in the next two fiscal years in light of unemployment soaring to 13 percent (up from 4 percent in 2019) as well as an 80-percent decrease in hotel occupancy taxes and the uncertainty surrounding the reopening of gaming sites across the state.

Furthermore, NYSAC forecasts that state reimbursement cuts of at least 20 percent will cost counties outside of New York City more than $670 million a year.

While acknowledging that the NYSAC figures are worse-case scenarios, Gsell said Genesee County officials are “looking at it from the standpoint of what have we experienced so far in the quarters of sales tax payments that we have seen since the beginning of this calendar year” and hope for federal support.

“If the McConnell bill somehow survives, and I hope to gosh it doesn’t, that will engender the State of New York to start doing across the board 20-percent cuts, if even that low percentage wise, in state reimbursements to county governments and other local governments,” he said. “That’s when some of the numbers you’re seeing here (in the NYSAC report) could be visited upon a county like Genesee in our budget. That’s why the governor has yet to institute his across the board reimbursements that he was given the power to do when the state budget was adopted.”

To this day, Zachariah and Danielle Young, of Darien Center, really don't know what happened to the remains of their stillborn daughter, Evangeline Elsie.

A photo of the document       Michael Tomaszewski reportedly produced showing
Zach Young authorized the 
cremation of his daughter.
Legally, we are told, a verbal
authorization is not permitted.

They have a box of ashes but the don't feel assured that the box contains the ashes of the little girl they still call Eva.

"The paperwork had the date that literally was a scribble on it," Zach said. "We have absolutely no answers as to when she was actually cremated."

The Youngs said they didn't want Eva cremated, at least not at the time the baby may have been cremated. And, as they remember, when Michael Tomaszewski Funeral and Cremation Chapel received the remains of the baby from Rochester Regional Hospital, he said he wouldn't do it.

As Zach remembers it, Tomaszewski, or "Tom," as they knew him, said "something doesn't look right" and so he agreed to hold onto the remains while the Youngs researched the circumstances of their daughter's death. 

The baby was born at UMMC. She had seemed healthy

just days before when doctors detected a strong heartbeat.

On Feb. 22, when Zach and Danielle arrived at the hospital,

the couple was told Eva's heart had stopped beating.

After hours of labor, Danielle gave birth to a lifeless body.

"It was devastating," Zach said.

"A mother knows their baby already before they're born," Danielle said. "A mother already has that bond. It's like having somebody rip that away and be careless with her remains is just insane. I don't understand it."

Genesee County Coronor Karen Lang confirmed that Eva was born Feb. 22 at UMMC and her body was sent to Rochester Regional for an autopsy. Eva's little body was then sent by courier to Tomaszewski. Tomaszewski has acknowledged receiving the body.

But what happened next is muddled by the funeral director's contradictory stories to the Youngs and to Lang.

On Thursday, the Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Tomaszewski on about 200 charges. Most of the charges are related to allegations that he misappropriated fund families had prepaid for funeral services. He is also accused of failing to fulfill contracts to purchase headstones and gravesites.

What he hasn't been charged with yet -- and it's unclear if there will be charges -- is how he handled the remains of some deceased people. Chief Deputy Joseph Graff, Sheriff's Office, has confirmed, the department is looking into multiple reports of Tomaszewski mishandling the remains of people who died. The two cases Graff has confirmed involved a veteran who should have been interred at the Bath National Cemetary -- for free -- and the remains of Evangeline Elsie Young.

Lang said she became involved in the Young case after talking with the parents last November. At that point, she learned the Youngs still did not have the remains of Eva nor Eva's autopsy report. 

Both Tomaszewski and Rochester Regional Health were offered an opportunity to comment on this story. Neither responded with a comment.

Tomaszewski has provided both the Youngs and Lang with multiple stories about what happened with Eva's remains. He told the Youngs in June that he hadn't delivered the remains to the crematorium and then a short time later said she had been cremated.  

In November, he told Coroner Jeff McIntyre, who was assisting Lang with the case while she was on vacation, that he cremated Eva when he first received the remains; however, Tomaszewski couldn't produce documentation. He later told Lang he cremated the baby in June.

Most people don't understand, Lang said, that most funeral homes don't have the facilities to store the remains of deceased people for long periods of time.

When Lang asked Tomaszewski, who also operates a catering facility, what he did with Eva's body from February until June, Lang said Tomaszewski told her that he kept the body in a cooler in his prep room.

Tomaszewski eventually produced documentation on the cremation of Eva but neither of the Youngs signed it -- which Lang said is required by law.  Instead, the document says the Youngs gave permission over the phone for the cremation. 

Based on their conversation with county officials -- which includes an interview the Sheriff's Office -- the Youngs suspect the box of ashes they received is too light to contain the remains of a once nine-pound baby. So they feel in limbo. Their church -- High Point in Pembroke -- held a service  for Eva but they didn't have her ashes then and they don't know if what they have now are really her ashes.

They would just like answers.

"I think to make it up, he would have to really admit to his wrongs and not just for me, but for a lot of people," Danielle said. "Losing somebody as it is, is something traumatic to have to deal with. And for us to trust you with our dead loved one..."

"It would be nice to at least know what happened because we got three different stories from him," Zach interjected.

"We don't really have answers," Danielle said. "To be honest -- to be honest with anybody -- would be good. The trauma of losing our daughter was bad enough and then to have to worry about her remains -- that wasn't professional."

Previously:

• Local funeral director charged with stealing money from customers
• Sheriff's Office looking into report that Tomaszewski improperly handled stillborn baby's remains

(Initial Post)

UPDATE: The driver has been identified as John W. Schoonover, 59, of Boyd Road, Pavilion.  The accident report indicates he lost consciousness while driving causing his vehicle to veer off of westbound Route 5, into the eastbound lane, striking an earth embankment on the south shoulder before striking the parked vehicle. Schoonover is at Strong Memorial Hospital and listed in satisfactory condition.

Press release:

The County Manager’s Office is pleased to announce the appointment of Tammi Ferringer as the new Assistant County Manager effective Aug. 15.

Tammi, a lifelong resident of Genesee County, brings 15 years of experience in county government to her new role as a key operative in the Chief Administrative Office of Genesee County government.

Ferringer began her County career in 2005 as Senior Financial Clerk-Typist at the Genesee County Health Department and quickly worked her way through the ranks to Administrative Officer/Budget Officer. In 2014, she transitioned to the Department of Social Services serving as director of Fiscal Operations and Child Support and, in 2019, was appointed as the County’s compliance officer.

Ferringer has continually exceeded expectations in her different roles in the County, leading to a series of promotions and advancements. Unique skill sets in both finance and compliance make her a great fit for the needs of the Assistant County Manager position.

She's a graduate of Batavia High School. She holds an associate degree in Business Administration from Genesee Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance from SUNY Brockport.

Ferringer resides in the Town of Batavia and is the proud parent of her two children, Jacelyn, 20, and Caleb, 13.

Press release:

At 8:05 p.m. on July 26, the City of Batavia Fire Department was dispatched to a reported residential basement fire located at 438 Ellicott St. First arriving fire units were on scene at 8:08 p.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a working fire with heavy smoke and flames visible. Responding crews made an aggressive interior attack of the basement and were able to confine and contain the fire and the situation was called under control by command at 8:42 p.m.

While the fire was contained to the basement of the structure, there was smoke and heat damage to the first and second floor due to the intensity and balloon frame construction that allowed for additional diffusion.

All occupants were able to self-extricate along with a cat from the residence. One adult and two teenagers are receiving lodging assistance from the Red Cross.

Additionally, a City firefighter was injured while fighting the fire. He was sent to United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) for evaluation, and has been released and is seeking follow-up medical treatment.

At this time the City of Batavia’s Fire Investigation team is investigating the fire to determine the origin and cause. Pending further investigation, the fire has been label undetermined. A final determination will be made upon completion of the investigation.

City fire was assisted at the scene by the City of Batavia Police, Mercy EMS, and the Genesee County Sheriff and Emergency Management Departments with additional support provided by the Town of Batavia Fire Department and Genesee County Emergency Dispatch.

Photos by Frank Capuano.

Press release:

• Genesee County received four new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 253 positive cases.
  • The positive individuals reside in Batavia and Le Roy.
  • Two of the positive individuals are in their 30s, one is in their 40s, and one is in their 80s.
  • The positive individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Five of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Six new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19, for a total of 274 positive cases.
  • The positive individual resides in Ridgeway.
  • The positive individual is in their 20s.
  • The positive individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Two of the previous community positive cases 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 individuals is hospitalized.

A car slammed into a tree in the front yard at 5446 Main Road in Stafford. The male operator is unresponsive, according to a first responder. The person appears to have a head injury. Stafford Fire Department is called and Mercy Flight in Batavia is on a ground standby.

The location is between Batavia Stafford Townline Road and Fargo Road.

UPDATE 4:40 p.m. "Pick it up; the subject is not responsive; still breathing," says a first responder. The Mercy rig is two to three minutes out.

UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: The driver will need to be extricated; the vehicle door cannot be opened.

UPDATE 4:43 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to the scene. The door is being removed from the damaged vehicle.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Town of Batavia Fire Department is called to provide mutual aid on this call.

UPDATE 4:46 p.m.: The landing zone will be right on the property where the accident occurred.

UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed, just west of the house. Town of Batavia's engine has arrived.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, en route to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

UPDATE 5:43 p.m. (by Howard): The driver apparently suffered a medical condition. His work truck appears to have been westbound on Route 5 when it crossed the two eastbound lanes and over a ditch and a driveway on the east side of Extreme Sportswear before striking the rear of a parked car. Either that car or the truck glanced off a tree before the truck came to rest right-side up in a position parallel to the car. The driver was extricated and transported to Strong hospital by Mercy Flight. Sgt. Andrew Hale said the driver was breathing and talking with medics but did not seem coherent. We'll have video from the scene later this evening.

Angela Schlaggel spotted this white pigeon in the parking lot of The Salvation Army in Batavia and noticed it was wearing a bracelet. 

The pigeon had been at the location for the last two hours at the time Schlaggel sent us the picture this morning.

"It has a bracelet and isn't bothered by my presence at all so I think it may be someone's escaped pet," she said. 

Anna Fenton shared these photos of a butterfly she found in her back yard.

Can any readers identify it?

From Genesee Community College:

An outdoor ceremony for graduates of the Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing at Genesee Community College was held Friday afternoon.

As the next line of first responders, the nurses were honored with a tribute from others on the front line. A Mercy Flight helicopter flew above the campus, tipping its wings at the newly minted nurses. Town of Batavia firefighters on Ladder Truck #22 were there, with lights flashing, siren and horn blaring.

Ingenuity, kindness, tradition and hard work converged to nudge aside the COVID-19 pandemic for just an hour so for the annual Recognition Ceremony, organized this year as a drive-in event in keeping with New York State's social distancing guidelines.

Graduates and their families parked their cars facing the lectern that was set up outside on the berm by the Student Success Center, and all guests could listen to the program on WGCC 90.7FM from their car radios, or watch it remotely through the livestream access.

"It certainly was an evening to remember," said Laurel Sanger, director of the Antoinette Marchese Clancy School of Nursing. "With the help and support of numerous people and departments across GCC's campus and our wonderful community, I think we gave the Class of 2020 a memorable event. It really is a testament to how proud we are of these graduates."

This class of nurses were not officially "pinned," however. Rather they were handed the emblem and certificate representing their accomplishments, and all were wearing masks and standing safe distances apart.

Pinning ceremonies are a time-honored nursing school tradition that signifies official initiation into the brotherhood and sisterhood of nurses. In a typical year, this event happens the same day or weekend of GCC's annual Commencement. But the nursing staff and College administrators decided to plan something special and a little different this year.

Approximately 18 graduates from a total class of 54 were able to attend Friday's event. Another 49 watched the program via livestream.

"For the easiest access of parking lots, late Friday afternoons in the summer are best for the campus community," Sanger said. "Yet we were worried that families would not be able to hear the ceremony from their cars. That's when WGCC stepped in, and then Media Services provided the remote live streaming access.

"And of course, it was wonderful that our Campus Safety team was able to network with local authorities for the parade. We are grateful to all for a special twenty-first century plan of action during a pandemic for this centuries-old tradition."

Pinning ceremonies are rich with symbolism and history and date all the way back to the Crusades of the 12th century. During this time, the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist tended to the injured and infirmed Crusaders with new monks vowing to serve sick soldiers in a ceremony where each monk was given a Maltese cross, the first badges given to those who nurse.

In more modern dates, Florence Nightingale was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in recognition for her tireless service to the injured during the Crimean War in the 1850s. To share the honor, she in turn presented a medal of excellence to her brightest graduates. By World War I, the practice of pinning new graduates and also awarding them caps, became a standard practice throughout the United States.

Genesee Community College continues its own tradition of teaching the next class of nurses and welcomes potential new students to sign up for one of the upcoming online Nursing Information Sessions scheduled at the following times:

Non-LPNs Only:

Monday, Aug.10, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 17, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Advanced Placement (LPN-RN) Only:

Tuesday, Aug. 18, 9 - 11 a.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 4 - 6 p.m.

To register online go to: https://www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/health/nursing/

Photos courtesy of Genesee Community College.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.18, which is down two cents from a week ago. One year ago, the price was $2.74. The New York State average is $2.26 – down 1 cent from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.88.

AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.23 (no change since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.21 (no change since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.19 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.24 (up one cent since last week)
• Rome -- $2.30 (no change since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.20 (no change since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.28 (no change cent since last week)

Gas prices are mixed to start the week. The national average is down slightly as travel remains limited in some areas. While road trips are the main source of travel, travel levels are down significantly compared to last year. The Energy Information Administration (EIA), says gas demand is down in the U.S. Decreasing demand for gasoline has helped pump prices to decrease in the last week, and if demand continues to drop, we could see cheaper pump prices in the coming week.

From GasBuddy:

"We remain stuck in neutral when it comes to gasoline prices. While Pay with GasBuddy data showed a small rebound in gasoline demand, oil prices have again failed to break out, leading to yet another week of little change at the pump," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"It's a bit too early to tell if the small rise in gasoline demand last week will continue into this week, but it does seem the most likely situation. The V-shaped recovery in gasoline demand has been put on hold for nearly all of July as coronavirus cases surged, but once we recover from that and we see demand show several weeks of recovery, we'll likely see gas prices begin to tick higher. For now, however, that gives motorists more time to fill up without having to worry about big jumps in prices."

A trio of goats in a tiny pen in the hot sun in a field off Route 63 has a caller to the Genesee County Animal Shelter concerned, and the animal control officer asked to speak to the caller, according to a dispatcher.

Earlier today, The Batavian received an email from a passerby who does not live locally. She wrote:

"I was traveling through yesterday on Route 63 between Batavia and Oakfield and noticed three goats in a VERY small fenced enclosure with no shade available. There was a small plastic 'house' but I'm not sure they would all fit inside and I'm sure it would be horribly hot if they could have. The enclosure was in the middle of a field not far from the road.

"I went by before noon and back again around 5:30. They were all still there. ... I felt so bad for them. What they need is definitely a larger fenced area and some thing to provide shade -- even a tarp over part of the fence would be OK."

A two-car accident with injuries -- an arm injury and concussion -- is reported at Drake Street Road and Fisher Road in Oakfield. Oakfield Fire Department, Sheriff's deputies and Mercy medics are on scene. A first responder reports the injuries appear to be minor.

UPDATE 4:04 p.m.: Scene command reports that National Grid should be notified that a guy wire is snapped in half and that Town of Oakfield should be notified that the Drake/Fisher road sign is knocked down. Two tow trucks are en route.

UPDATe 4:33 p.m.: The Oakfield assignment is back in service.

A caller reports three kids are hanging on the new Walnut Street Bridge, part of the new Ellicott Trail, and jumping into the Tonawanda Creek. City police are responding.

A woman who lives in the 9200 block of Shepard Road in Batavia is "extremely upset" because a bat flew into her kitchen and she does not know what to do. She tried enlisting neighbors' help but it wasn't too helpful. A sheriff's deputy just arrived "in the kitchen." He'll know what to do.