Press release:

Beginning this week, Medicare beneficiaries will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) if they may be eligible for help with their out-of-pocket medical and drug expenses. Genesee County Office for the Aging encourages beneficiaries who receive these letters to take action to learn more about the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and Extra Help.

The letters are sent annually to people with Medicare with limited incomes who could be eligible for—but are not enrolled in—an MSP, which helps with Medicare out-of-pocket costs, or Extra Help, which helps with the costs of prescription drugs.

“These letters are not a scam,” said Kimberly Perl, HIICAP coordinator at the Genesee County Office for the Aging. “They are an important notification that Medicare beneficiaries should review and consider. We can help determine if they’re eligible, apply, enroll, and even understand how to use their new benefits once they’ve been approved.”

A Walk-In Day to assist potential beneficiaries has already been set on May 31^st between the hours of noon and 2 p.m. at the Office for the Aging, located at 2 Bank St. downtown Batavia. Anyone receiving a letter—or who believes they or a loved one may be able to get help from these programs—should contact the Office for the Aging first at (585) 343-1611 so they may properly inform you of what you will need to bring.

In addition, Medicare beneficiaries can go online to see if they are eligible for MSPs, Extra Help and other benefits that can supplement their monthly budget. The National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp® is a free, confidential screening tool that can connect older and adults and younger adults with disabilities to these programs. Learn more at BenefitsCheckUp.org.

A car vs. tow truck accident is reported on Route 77 at Lewiston Road, Alabama.

Unknown injuries.

Alabama fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 9:57 p.m.: Emergency responders are told to stage in the area until law enforcement secures the scene. There is a possible disturbance in progress.

UPDATE 10:30 p.m.: Law enforcement on scene reports Alabama fire and Mercy EMS can go back in service.

Joshua Derrick speaks Thursday evening during a forum at GCC on how best to protect the rights of people with disabilities and how better to assist them in the communities where they live.

The forum was hosted by Assemblyman Steve Hawley and is part of a series of nine forums around the state conducted by the Minority Task Force on Protecting the Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities.

The forum focused on improving ways to support the rights of people with developmental disabilities, expansion of community-based care programs, the effectiveness of current transition plans for people in sheltered workshops and identifying whether the input and desires of people with disabilities are being appropriately considered.

"Information gathered at the forum will help us to better serve the needs and choices of people with developmental disabilities," Hawley said. "For many, the transition process to a more integrated work setting has resulted in frustrations and disappointing changes in services and care programs. New York must do a better job of assessing and meeting the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities."

Also attending the form were Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch and Assemblyman Bill Nojay.

Batavia High School's top academic seniors were honored today by the Batavia Kiwanis Club, and they were also congratulated by an unexpected guest at the meeting, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was in town for an event at Genesee Community College and stopped by the Kiwanis meeting after that event.

Hochul told the students that they've been fortunate to grow up in a community that has nurtured them and, unlike the era of her youth in WNY, provides more career opportunities at home. She encouraged them to get their college educations and then return home where they can not only better themselves and their families but their communities as well.

The top 10 students are Alexis Vasciannie, Ross Chua, Louis Leone, Sarah Wezel, Skylar Laesser, Noah Dobbertin, Andrea Gilebarto, Dharina Rathod, Samantha Cecere and Quinn Schrader.

Awards were also given out for vocal and instrumental achievement and citizenship.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul attended a joint meeting this morning of leaders from three area community colleges, Genesee, Monroe and Finger Lakes, and encouraged them to find ways to work together cooperatively to help better prepare students to enter the modern workforce.

"I want to up the game," Hochul said. "I want to take it to a different level, and I cannot do it without all of you representing faculty, administration and students to say, 'you know what, we're buying into this vision.' It's going to force us to look beyond our own boundaries, just as the REDCs (regional economic development councils) forced us to say what's good for the other counties, what's good for the region, as opposed to just what's good for my little place on Earth here. That will be transformative. That is a whole new way of approaching community colleges."

The region is growing, Hochul said, new businesses are starting and coming in and they need a workforce trained for today's jobs. She encouraged the colleges to work with employers to develop curriculum and certification programs to get students job-ready, and rather do it in a competitive way, do it in a cooperative way.

Three residents of a Log City Road home in Elba have been arrested by State Police following an investigation into a series of alleged sex crimes.

Three members of one family from Elba were arrested following a State Police investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and rape.

A father, mother and adult son were all charged.

The probe in the alleged crimes by Troop A's Bureau of Criminal Investigation began after State Police received a complaint in March.

Scott A. Reed, 50, of Log City Road, is accused of sexual abuse against a minor over a 10-year span. He is charged with course of sexual conduct, 2nd.

His wife, Deborah S. Reed, 51, of Log City Road, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused of failure to provide adequate protection to other children in the home after learning of past abuse by Scott Reed.

Their son, Jonathan M. Reed, 22, is charged with several counts of second-degree rape, second-degree criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child in the Town of Perry, and with second-degree rape, third-degree rape and third-degree criminal sexual act in the Town of Lancaster.

Jonathan is accused of sexual contact with two teenage girls.

A WBTA reporter confirmed with Genesee County Airport authorities that a plane made an emergency landing, not at the airport, but on Saile Drive itself, within the last 10 20 minutes. No word on any injuries or other details yet. Town of Batavia Fire Department responded to the scene.

UPDATE 1:50 p.m.: Troopers are waiting to confer with FAA officials before releasing information about the incident.

UPDATE 1:52 p.m.: East Saile Drive will be closed between Bank and State streets until an FAA rep can come and investigate the scene, which would take a couple of hours.

UPDATE 2:02 p.m.: Trooper Daniel Hollands, of NYSP Troop A, Batavia, said law enforcement responded to Saile Drive after receiving a call from the Emergency Dispatch Center at 1:15 p.m. that a plane landed on the roadway on Saile Drive. They arrived to find the pilot and sole occupant uninjured. No word on who contacted the dispatchers. It will be up to the FAA to release the ID of the pilot and other pertinent information, Hollands said.

Press release: 

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today released the following statement after reports surfaced that health insurers operating in New York’s Obamacare exchanges requested premium rate increases by as much as 89 percent.

“These requested premium increases come on the heels of the total failure of the New York-based, Obamacare-created CO-OP Health Republic, which has already cost taxpayers more than $265 million at the end of 2015,” Congressman Collins said. “The failure of Health Republic forced thousands of beneficiaries onto more expensive plans and, based on the insurer requests, these beneficiaries will see substantial rate increases next year.

“Now Obamacare’s runaway premium costs are devastating families, businesses, and individuals in Western New York. President Obama’s health plan needs to be left behind with the rest of his failed presidency.”

The report detailing the insurer requested rate hikes can be read here. Health insurers in New York requested increased rates hikes of 17.3 percent on average.

(Submitted photos.)

A Spaghetti Dinner Benefit for Quinten Betances and Rivers Fanara will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at the Salvation Army headquarters at 529 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

The boys' mother, Melissa Eichelberger Betances (daughter of Doug and Sherry Mellenthine) passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 16.

Come out and show your suppport for these little ones. Tickets are $10, at the door or prepaid by contacting Tammy Griffin at 356-7631.

There will be basket raffles, 50/50, baked goods for sale, and much more.

Press release:

Single-game tickets for all 2016 Muckdogs’ home games go on sale Monday, May 23^rd beginning at 9 a.m. at the Dwyer Stadium Box Office, over the phone by calling (585) 343-5454 or online at muckdogs.com.

Normal box office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The same great, affordable ticket prices are back again in 2016. Tickets range from $8 for box seats to just $7 for adult General Admission tickets and $6 for kids and senior General Admission tickets.

During the season, the ticket office opens on game days at 9 a.m. Monday-Friday and closes at the end of fifth inning. On Saturday and Sunday, the ticket office will open at 10 a.m. and close after the fifth inning.

Season tickets, coupon books, ticket packages, and group tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit Muckdogs.com or call (585)343-5454 and press zero Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Muckdogs open their 2016 home schedule on Wednesday, June 22^nd vs. the State College Spikes at 7:05 p.m. In addition to their Pinckney Division rivals, the Muckdogs will welcome the Baltimore Orioles (Aberdeen), New York Mets (Brooklyn), New York Yankees (Staten Island) and the Tampa Bay Rays (Hudson Valley) farm teams to Dwyer Stadium in 2016.

Crews from the city Bureau of Maintenance are removing five dead trees along Main Street downtown. The trees will be replaced. They can't simply dig out the trees due to brick paving and utilities underneath such as water pipes and electricity line. So the dirt must be washed from the roots in the extrication process.

There's a water main break on Bank Street in the City of Batavia. A portion of the street is closed -- between Main Street and Washington Avenue -- as crews from the Bureau of Maintenance try to repair the problem. But a worker said they haven't located the break point yet, so it's uncertain how long the repair will take.

Amidst concerns that the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees tends to pass budgets before consulting with local legislators on how much the county can afford to contribute, the Public Services Committee yesterday tabled a resolution calling for a $50,000 increase in the county's share of college revenue.

The college is planning a $40.5 million budget for 2016/17, with the county's share totaling $2,586,374.

That's a $50,000 increase over this year's county share.

"It really bothers me that your board has set the budget, rather than come to us first and say, 'hey, look, how much can you afford to come in with," said Ray Cianfrini, chairman of the Legislature and a member of the Public Service Committee. "It bother's me that the board has determined how much we're spending before we even had a chance to look at it."

The county share is mandated by state law, and it can't be reduced below the prior year's share. College President Jim Sunser said if the Legislature reduced the county share by even $1 from the prior year, the college, by law, would be forced to cut tuitions.

"We'd lose 20 percent of our revenue and we'd be out of business," Sunser said.

The college has until July 1 to present its final budget to the SUNY administrators, giving the county time to consider further what it might want to approve and find out if legally whether the county can approve the county share without an increase now, but add more to the pot later in the year when it adopts its own 2017 budget.

One issue, Sunser noted during his initial presentation, because it's come up before, is that the college and the county budget calendars are out of sync. The college operates on an academic year and the county operates on a calendar year.

Sunser suggested the county adopt a five-year plan, knowing in advance that the plan is to increase the county share by $50,000 each year, but that plan can be modified annually if circumstances for the county or the college drastically change.

He also suggested, but it didn't seem to get any uptake from legislators, that the county approve this year's budget with no increase but with a plan to increase the share by $75,000 each of the next two years and than $50,000 in each of the following two years, thereby averaging an annual increase of $50,000 over five years.

One concern committee Chairman Bob Bausch raised is that the county is looking at a mandated pay increase for the district attorney of $27,705. The county is fighting the mandate, but if it loses, the resulting property tax increase, if approved, would push the county to the state's 2 percent cap limit. There would be no room for an additional $50,000 share to the college.

A two-car collision is reported at West Main Street and Woodrow Road in the city. Mercy medic #2 and city firefighters are responding.

A car vs. pole accident is reported at West Main and River streets in the city. A first responder on scene however reported no accident. Yet wires are down and pole #40 is split in half. City fire and Mercy medic #1 responded. National Grid is notified.

UPDATE 10:16 p.m.: National Grid is on scene.

Super charming great location and well maintained are just a few good reasons that you'll want to look at this great income property! This solid two family home is the perfect owner occupied investment property. The lower apartment features large room sizes, pretty hardwood floors and super open and spacious kitchen dining area for entertaining. The upper apartment is spacious and is 2, possible 3, bedrooms with laundry hookups. All separate utilities and large parking area and within yards of everyone's favorite coffee shop makes this an easy to live/rent property! $149,900. Call Lynn Bezon at Reliant Real Estate today at 585-344-4663 or click here to view the full listing.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help to find a teenage girl missing from Oakfield. Aleesha Johnson is a 15-year-old African-American with brown eyes, brown hair, weighing 183 pounds. She is 5' 5" and may be accompanied by an adult male. They may travel to Rochester.

Anyone with information is asked to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or the Genesee County Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000. You can also contact Deputy John K. Dehm at (585) 345-3000, ext. 3575, or e-mail him at John.Dehm@co.genesee.ny.us