County Planning Director Felipe Oltramari called in additional information about the 2020 Census, stating that officials at the Buffalo (Batavia) Service Processing Center under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement failed to report the number of persons at the facility this year. In 2010, 612 detainees were counted in the census.

"They were supposed to be reported to the Census Bureau by leadership there, but we did not see that this time around," Oltramari said. "That makes you wonder if those being held at other facilities around the state were counted."

-------------------

The inability to get an accurate count of residents in the Genesee County portion of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation contributed to New York State losing a congressional seat following the 2022 election, the county’s planning director said today.

Felipe Oltramari said he learned recently that the Census Bureau’s report of population in the Genesee County segment of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation reservation was not correct because the bureau’s enumerator was not allowed to enter the tribal grounds.

According to the Census Bureau, the population dropped from 483 in 2010 to 241 in 2020 – a stunning 50 percent decline.

“I found out that many residents there did not fill out the 2020 Census form and that the person sent by the Census Bureau was told to leave,” Oltramari said. “New York ended up losing a congressional seat by 89 people, and just on the reservations alone, we lost 242 people. We could have saved that seat.”

Oltramari blames the Census Bureau for not following through on the count at the reservation and also in the Town of Alabama, which lost 14 percent of its population – from 1,869 in 2010 to 1,602 in 2020.

The Genesee County portion of the reservation borders the Town of Alabama.

“You wonder if that same enumerator just quit … as Alabama was the town that lost the most percentage-wise other than the reservation,” Oltramari said. “I think there’s some undercount in both Alabama and the Tonawanda Seneca Reservation.”

The planning director said he is troubled by the fact that the Census Bureau reported it had reached the 99 percent threshold.

“So, we were under the assumption that there was nothing left to do because 60 something percent answered on their own and the remaining 30 something percent was captured through enumeration,” he offered. “Obviously, that didn’t happen. As far as the reservation, what did they get – maybe 50 percent?”

He said the bureau should have hired someone from the reservation to conduct the count beyond those who had already filled out the form. The Census Bureau is responsible for reaching out to tribal areas.

“That is what is supposed to happen in those communities. They go out there and try to hire people within the community, that way the person coming out and doing the enumeration is a neighbor or a resident from the area, and not some stranger from Rochester or where ever,” he said. “It definitely had an impact on our county and the state as a whole – as New York lost that Congressional seat.”

If New York’s population total listed 89 more people, Minnesota would have lost the seat.

Oltramari said COVID-19 could have been a factor in the hiring process as there were delays in contacting potential enumerators and getting them trained in late 2019 and early 2020.

As far as the state’s congressional delegation is concerned, it will have only 26 representatives, continuing a steady decline from its peak of 45 members of the House in the 1940s.

New York’s population grew by 4 percent from 19,421,055 in 2010 to 20,215,751 last year. However, data reveals that many New Yorkers moved to other states, including Florida, which gained about 2.6 million people over the past decade.

With a large contingent of family and friends present in the court room, Colleen L. Nelson, 50, of Alabama was sentenced to a determinate sentence of 3 1/2 years in state prison and 5 years post release supervision during her sentencing on Wednesday afternoon in Genesee County Court. The maximum sentence Nelson could have received was 7 1/2 years.

Nelson stabbed a male co-worker during an attack at a candy production facility on S. Main street in Elba on July 29, 2020. Nelson came up behind her co-worker and started stabbing him with a large knife. The 59-year-old victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident.

Nelson pleaded guilty to attempted assault first degree, a class C felony, in July, waiving her right to a defense of mental defect. She has been confined to the Wyoming County Jail since her arrest last July. She has served over 400 days up until sentencing today. She was originally facing an attempted murder charge where she could have been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

According to District Attorney Larry Friedman, Nelson had declined psychiatric services previous to this incident and cancelled her appointment.

“She committed a very violent crime, she says she didn’t mean to injure her co-worker, its luck he was not injured more seriously,” says Friedman.

Nelson’s attorney, Greg Colavecchia told the court that his client is remorseful and is being responsible.

“No one is here to minimize the effect this crime has had on the victim,” says Colavecchia.

Colavecchia says his client has never been in trouble before, she is happily married with two adult sons and she is missing her family.

“The victim says the why is bothersome, we will never know the answer to that. It is self-evident in reports that my client was distant and had a medical issue, but this does not minimize the incident.”

Before Judge Zambito imposed his sentence, Nelson told the court how deeply sorry she was.

“I hope he(the victim) can recover from this terrible incident; this is not my normal character. I know God was there that day looking over both of us, I hope that you can forgive me,” Nelson said.

The victim was able to view the sentencing today virtually, but was not allowed to record the court proceeding or speak. According to Judge Zambito, the victim did not feel comfortable being in the court room with Nelson present. District Attorney Larry Friedman says the victim is suffering emotionally after the incident.

Acknowledging Nelson’s time in jail since the incident last year, Zambito felt that Nelson was showing an acceptance of responsibility, along with paying restitution.

“This didn’t have to happen,” said Judge Zambito. “The victim was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. You intended to harm him; this was no accident.”

Zambito told Nelson her suffering from untreated psychiatric issues played a role in the incident.

“Today you may be fine, but if you don’t address the mental health issues this will happen again. Seven 1/2 years won’t guarantee that this won’t happen again.”

An order of protection was served and will remain in effect until September 2033.

Nelson also paid restitution in the amount of $2,698.14 to the victim.

Press release:

Six Flags Darien Lake, The Thrill Capital of New York, will unleash the biggest, most spine-chilling Fright Fest® yet this fall. This signature event brings Thrills by Day with Trick-or-Treat trails and family-friendly activities, and Fright by Night, featuring four eerie mazes and four blood-curdling scare zones, along with ominous, roaming zombies straight out of a nightmare.  

“We are thrilled to bring Fright Fest back to our guests with an incredible lineup of frightening attractions and eerie entertainment,” said Park President Mark Kane. “There is no better or scarier place to celebrate Halloween than Six Flags Darien Lake,” added Kane.                                              

Fright Fest presented by SNICKERS^® features four haunted attractions (at an additional charge) that incorporate ghoulish scare actors, movie-like props, and state-of-the-art special effects:

• Hotel Terror: 7 Deadly Sins: Tour the horrific hotel where sinful guests are condemned to a life of suffering.  But, beware; they do not take kindly to visitors;
• Jungle Apocalypse: Immerse yourself into this forsaken island filled with ancient ruins, secrets and a tribe of worshippers looking for their next human sacrifice;
• Camp Scumshine: Visit the winding paths of despair that once was Camp Sunshine. The Boogeyman is real and tonight he could be playing a little trick on unsuspecting guests; and
• Corridors of Chaos: A mechanical engineer offers refuge to those seeking to get away from the upheaval that has plagued the nation in his transformed District 417 warehouse. However, guests do not know the terror that awaits them in the treacherous tunnels of this subterranean society.   

Four additional scare zones around the park leave guests nowhere to hide and screaming to get out unscathed.

• Passage of the Damned: Walk through the passage of the soulless keepers that ensure that no living enter the world of the damned;
• Creep Show Freak Show: The home for rejected and demonic circus performers. This circus troop was banished to the outer world for their misdeeds during their mortal lives;
• Voodoo Curse: Pass through a marshy inlet but be wary of those who have been cursed to roam the mucky waters. These swamp dwellers will unleash their voodoo magic and indulge in the fear of unsuspecting victims; and
• Screampunk: People here have been experimented on by a delirious inventor who thought it would be a brilliant idea to mechanize mankind.

In addition, Big Top Freaks is headlining the entertainment with a nightly show that is NOT for the faint of heart. Big Top Freaks showcases three entertainers who specialize in dangerous, scarring, grotesque, and hard-to-watch feats of physical endurance. 

• Direct from Las Vegas, Zamora the Torture King will cause most to shield their eyes. He will focus on his mental trainings to overcome pain as he subjects his body to numerous skewers that are thrust into his arms, face, and neck;
• Direct from the famed Coney Island, Kita the Bawdy Burlesque Beauty, has a disturbing passion for running with scissors. Her bag of tricks includes a power drill for thrusting into her nose. Her tolerance for pain is remarkably displayed with objects like nails and swords; and
• Romeo is one of New York’s most prolific fire and danger performers and will command the stage as master of ceremonies. His unique blend of unusual skills combines everything from whips, daggers, and broken glass, and he’s dying to share them all. 

Fright Fest is so scary it is NOT recommended for children 12 and under after 6 p.m.  

Operating Hours and Days:

6 p.m. to 11 p.m. September 24, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

11 a.m. to 11 p.m. September 25, October 2, 9, 10, 16, 23, 30

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. September 26, October 3, 11, 17, 24, 31

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to announce its first West Side Ghost Stories program on Friday, October 8th at 7 p.m. Join us as Connie Boyd shares the spooky, sinister, and weird documented stories from the West Side of Batavia's past. Come and listen to tales of murder, ghosts, body snatching hangings, and abandoned cemeteries. This presentation is the same as our Ghost Walk, perfect for those who are not able to go on our guided Ghost Walks. Tickets are $3/$2 for museum members. The program will also be available via Zoom. You can find the link on our Facebook page or website, www.hollandlandoffice.com.

Back after a year hiatus and expanded by popular demand, please join the Holland Land Office Museum for a West Side Ghost Walk on three Fridays in October. The walks led by Connie Boyd will take place on October 15, 22, and 29 at 7 pm. Take a walk on the west side and hear tales of murders, hangings, grave robbing, ghosts and other eerie happenings from Batavia's past. Hear stories of Joseph Ellicott, E. N. Rowell and other famous and infamous Batavians. Be sure to also check out the Old Batavia Cemetery's Walk on Saturday, October 23. Admission is $10.00 and reservations are required with purchase. Tours are limited to 20 people each. The tour begins and ends at the museum and is approximately 1 1/2 to two hours in length. For tickets or more information, please call (585) 343-4727, email at hollandlandoffice@gmail.com, or stop by at 131 W. Main St. Batavia.

Although the process to drafting a 2022 budget has just begun, Genesee County Manager Matt Landers is predicting a modest decrease in the property tax rate.

Speaking after Wednesday’s Genesee County Legislature meeting (and the first of several legislative budget workshops), Landers said he could see a 30- to 40-cent reduction in the rate, which was set at $9.80 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2021.

The county’s fiscal year runs from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.

“Our discussion today focused on a schedule to adopt the budget, a (New York State) tax cap review and outside agency funding, and legislators were unanimous that they are not going to override the tax cap,” Landers said. “We also plan on flat funding (of outside agencies); there are no planned cuts.”

He said the tax rate hinges upon two key factors: “quantity change” (the growth that the state allows for new construction) and “allowable growth” (the lower of the 2 percent tax cap or inflation). For 2022, the tax cap is much less than the rate of inflation.

Landers said the amount to be raised by taxes – the tax levy – may increase by up to the cap number of 2.16 percent, but even with that, the tax rate will drop due to the increase in property assessments.

“The assessed valuation is still in flux,” he offered. “While that amount is based on the roll as of July 1^st, it may come down due to court challenges and corrections. Still, I foresee the tax rate somewhere around 30 to 40 cents less (than 2021).”

For 2021, the county adopted an All Funds budget of $143,204,679, with $31,451,727 of that from property taxes – an increase of $400,069 from 2020.

Landers reported that first- and second-quarter sales tax revenues this year are up by about 10 percent from the same period in 2020, but that’s not a fair comparison since the first six months of last year were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales tax this year is up slightly from the 2019 corresponding figures as well, he said.

On another matter, Landers said the county has started a monthly employee recognition program, honoring those who have “gone above and beyond” on its Facebook page. The initial selections are Rachel Mieney, Mental Health clinic supervisor; Vicki Athoe, Probation principal clerk, and Chelsea Elliott, Youth Bureau program coordinator.

In other developments, the legislature:

-- Extended a Local Law pertaining to hotel/motel room occupancy tax for three months through the end of the year, with no changes, to provide more time to consider subjecting short-stay lodging places, such as Airbnb and Vrbo sites, to a bed tax. Landers said the matter will be addressed early in 2022.

-- Approved eliminating a full-time Registered Nurse position and creating a part-time RN position to allow the continued employment for a Mental Health Continuing Day Treatment program nurse who has indicated she can no longer work on a full-time basis. This enables the department to cover critical nursing hours for continuity of care as it restructures its schedule.

-- Approved the creation of a full-time public health educator, full-time epidemiologist, and full-time senior financial clerk through September 2026 to be funded by a $248,226 grant from the Center for Disease Control for childhood lead poisoning prevention and surveillance of blood lead levels grant activities. 

-- Approved acceptance of $342,558 from the state Department of Health for additional COVID-19 contact tracing, overtime and supplies, with the funds to be allocated in the 2022 & 2023 budgets. Funding will be used to offset costs of COVID-19 response activities, all other COVID-19 costs over $342,558 will be partially (36 percent) offset by state aid.

-- Approved using DeWitt Park on Cedar Street to host the Batavia Kiwanis Club’s chicken barbeque fundraiser on Sept. 25. Proceeds will go toward the purchase of books by local libraries.

Previously: Future early voting location weighs heavily on minds of county election commissioners.

Note: The resolutions indicated in this story also were approved on Wednesday by the full legislature).

Photo: Genesee County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein, left, swears in Lisa Casey to her new position as Clerk of the Legislature as Casey's mother, Sandra Casey, proudly looks on. Casey's sister and brother-in-law, Rita and Joe Pencille, also attended the ceremony on Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Post Junior Vice Commander John Woodworth said the event will be marked by a variety of tributes, including:

• Speeches by Assemblyman Steven Hawley, Batavia City Council member Robert Bialkowski, representatives of Batavia’s police and fire departments and Woodworth;
• Bell ringing followed by moments of silence corresponding to key times of the terrorist attack on that fateful morning (8:46, 9:03, 9:37 and 10:03);
• A 21-gun salute around 10:30 a.m. commemorating the fall of the last tower of the World Trade Center;
• An “Echo Taps” salute performed by two buglers.

The ceremony will commence with a meet-and-greet with free coffee and donuts at 8 o’clock, with Hawley delivering his address at 8:30.

Following the observance, a jamboree is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with live music by Bill Pitcher, Julia Morales Jr., Front Porch Pickers and Old State Roadhouse. Pizza will be provided.

An information fair with representatives from various veterans’ services organizations is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those include the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency, WNY Heroes, Inc., Department of Veterans Affairs, Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. and the Veterans Outreach Center at the VA Medical Center.

In Le Roy, American Legion Botts-Fiorito Post 576 at 53 West Main St. will observe a moment of silence in memory of 9/11 during its special dinner event from 2-6 p.m. Saturday. Steamed corn, sausage and salt potato dinners will be available for purchase for $12.

The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. soil (New York City, the Pentagon and plane crash in Pennsylvania) by the militant Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda resulted in the deaths of 2,996 people (2,977 victims plus 19 al-Qaeda terrorists) and injuries to an estimated 25,000 more.

It remains the deadliest terrorist attack in human history and the single deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the U.S., with 340 and 72 killed, respectively.

The Buffalo Bills, based on two playoff victories last season and a franchise quarterback in Josh Allen, are on the short list of teams favored to make it to Super Bowl LVI. Expectations are high as the franchise has clawed its way back to being one of the National Football League’s elite teams.

One of their longtime fans, Robert “Bob” Neeley of Warsaw – motivated to a large degree by his passion for the team – is fighting his way back from two total knee replacement surgeries that utilized Robotic Surgical Assistant technology at United Memorial Medical Center.

Neeley, a 30-year employee of the Wyoming County village’s Department of Public Works, already has exceeded the expectations of his surgeon and physical therapists as he has received clearance to attend the Bills’ season opener this Sunday.

The Bills kick off their schedule with a 1 p.m. contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

“That’s been my big goal – to go to the Bills’ game this coming Sunday,” Neeley, a season ticket-holder since 2001, said during a Zoom call this afternoon with his surgeon, Dr. Nicholas Loffredo, chief of Orthopaedics at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

“I’m glad that I got both knees done and that I can actually do it. It’s going to be exciting with all the fans and that I’m going to be there. It’s going to be great because my cousins have been looking forward to me going, too.”

Neeley, a 1982 Warsaw Central graduate, has been a Bills’ fan since the mid-1980’s – “I cheered for them at Ralph Wilson Stadium (as it was called then) and cried during the Super Bowls,” he said.

He said that prior to COVID-19 that he and his three cousins went to all the games since purchasing season tickets 20 years ago.  That tradition seemed to be in jeopardy this year due to the condition of Neeley’s knees.

“I had a tremendous amount of pain in both knees … and have been off work since November 2020,” Neeley said. “I got out of the dump truck and it twisted and swelled up. There was no way that I could keep working.”

He said that the pandemic and other factors resulted in surgery being cancelled three times. The plan was to have the left knee done after the first of the year (2020) but when Neeley’s wife, Susan, was stricken with cancer, it was postponed.

Susan, Neeley’s wife of almost 32 years, passed away in April 2020, leaving a heartbroken husband and daughter.

Neeley had the left knee replaced by Dr. Matthew Landfried in early March and had the right knee replaced on Aug. 2 – just five weeks ago – by Dr. Loffredo.

Since then, Neeley has been working extra hard to reach his goals of attending the game and returning to work.

“I feel that my wife is pushing me to do it; to keep going,” he said, fighting back the tears.

“I’ve been doing everything they say and the therapist has been making me work, and I’m doing what I am supposed to at home on my exercises,” he said. “(I) go to therapy twice a week and everything is going really good.”

Dr. Loffredo called Neeley an “ideal patient,” adding, “You give him an objective, and he’s going to get there.”

“You couldn’t ask for a better patient to work on because he’s very motivated … That’s what it is after a knee replacement … it’s doing the exercises and then you get an excellent result.”

The doctor explained that the use of robotics leads to consistent outcomes in terms of balancing the knee.

“The added benefits of the robot is that you get some numbers, whereas before it was more of a feel or an art to what we call soft tissue balancing,” he said. “So, during surgery … (with a) traditional knee replacement, it’s the surgeon feeling how is this knee balanced, side to side. You know it bends, like a hinge, but side to side how is the soft tissue balance?”

Dr. Loffredo said the robot provides data while the surgeon is “gapping” the knee.

“As opposed to with the robot, you literally get feedback while you’re gapping it – you’re two millimeters gapped on the inner, you’re one millimeter gapped on the outer side. So, we’ll make these cuts just so. We’ll release ligaments slightly to gap balance it. It gives you numbers whereas before it was more of a feel or an art. Now, you can quantify it and it makes it more reproducible.

“There’s good evidence that shows patients have a more reproducible result and there’s less revisions and basically better patient satisfaction and hopefully a fast recovery.”

Dr. Loffredo said he’s glad that UMMC is able to offer “that cutting edge service.”

“I believe that the robot is an additional tool to use in the OR (operating room) that in my hands helps to create a reproducible joint replacement, where we’re having a straight knee and a balanced knee each and every time,” he said.

Neeley said he couldn’t be happier in how things are turning out for him, and hopes the Bills can equal or better their performance of last season.

“I don’t know if they will beat out what they did last year; they did so well,” he said. “It’s going to be real tough … but they’ve got a good defense.”

And, the offense is led by a Pro Bowl signal caller.

Photo at top: Warsaw resident Bob Neeley giving his all in physical therapy to bounce back from two knee replacement surgeries. Photo at bottom: Neeley and Dr. Nicholas Loffredo. Photos submitted by United Memorial Medical Center.

It looks as though the Village of Corfu will be the home of two more eating places before the end of the year.

The agenda of Thursday night’s Genesee County Planning Board meeting includes site plan reviews for a pizzeria at 12 East Main St. and a restaurant/bistro/ice cream shop at 47-49 West Main St.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 o’clock at County Building 2, 3837 West Main St. Rd.

According to documents submitted to Planning Director Felipe Oltramari:

• Corfu Mayor Tom Sargent and Darien Town Council Member David Krzemien are teaming up to operate Home Slice 33 Pizzeria in an existing building in the village’s Commercial district.

It will be housed on the first floor, providing enough space for 18 to 20 customers and also will offer takeout and delivery. Menu offerings include pizza, wings, subs and fryer foods.

After about $15,000 in remodeling, the business will employ seven to 10 people.

Planning department recommendation, approval with the modification that any signage complies with the Village's zoning regulations. With this required modification, the proposed restaurant should pose no significant county-wide or inter-community impact.

• Akron resident Randy Hesior is looking to open Randy Joe’s Bistro by converting an empty building on a 7.2-acre parcel in the Neighborhood Business district into a “warm, welcoming bistro that will serve a variety of foods” – including ice cream.

He, too, after putting in about $15,000 in improvements, will employ eight to 16 people while operating the restaurant, which also will be able to cater small events and host company parties.

Planning department recommendation, approval with the modifications that the applicant obtains a driveway permit from NYS DOT for the change of use prior to approval by the Village Planning Board; installs on-site lighting so as to not shine directly onto neighboring properties or cause a hazard for motorists, and erects signage that complies with the village's zoning regulations.

Darien Mandates SUP for Airbnb Homes

Also, on the agenda are special use permit requests from three existing Airbnb bed and breakfast/tourist residences that have been in operation for quite some time in the Town of Darien.

The homes are Eliza Brooke Farmstead at 2407 Broadway Rd., Happy Harry’s Country Home at 11095 Warner Rd. and Fix Family Country Oasis at 938 Sumner Rd.

Town of Darien Zoning Law requires a special use permit for all short term rentals defined as bed and breakfast/tourist homes (also known as Airbnb or VRBO rentals or listed privately): a one-family dwelling (not necessarily owner-occupied) in which overnight accommodation is provided for not more than eight transient people for profit and may include serving breakfast.

Upon issuance of the SUP, the town’s code enforcement officer will conduct a fire inspection initially and at three year intervals, with an operating permit to be issued upon each fire inspection.

Press release:

On August 28, 2021, at approximately 1:45 a.m. officers from the City of Batavia Police Department were dispatched to a residential location on South Main Street for the report of potential gunfire.   Officers arrived on scene and found that shots were fired at a residence and that no one was hurt.  Officers believe that the victim was the target of the crime, and this was not a random act. The attached photos are persons of interest. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Matt Lutey at 585-345-6311.

The Batavia Police Department is looking for assistance from the public with identifying the male in the photo. If anyone has information, or is able to identify the male, please contact Officer Lindsay at (585) 345-6350. A tip can also be submitted online via this site.

Press release:

The Elba Onion Queen program is getting back on track after COVID-19.  The Crowning ceremony for the 2021 Onion Queen will begin at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, September 11^th at the Elba park.  There six contestants this year are as follows:

Dakota Brinkman 
Dakota is the daughter of Brian and Danielle Brinkman.  She and her family are lifetime Elba residents.  She enjoys going for walks with her mom and dog, shopping with friends, and being a part of this special community.  She loves helping with youth basketball with her dad, who runs the program.  Dakota also participates in soccer, basketball and softball.  Along with the National Honor Society, Student Athletic Association and Girl Scouts.  She is the Vice President of her class. Dakota’s goal after high school is to major in physical therapy. 

Selena Franco
Selena is the daughter of Fernando Franco and Teresa De J. Roque Roman.  She has spent her whole life in Elba, NY and would never want to change that.  The Elba community has had such a strong, positive and supportive impact on Selena and has helped make her the person she is today.  Selena is currently a Senior at Elba Central School. She participates in National Honor Society, Student Athletic Association, softball, and hopes to participate in basketball cheer in the winter.  Selena is very family oriented and appreciates everything her family does for her.  Her family has always pushed her to be the best version of herself.  Selena also enjoys drawing, playing softball, going on walks, and spending time with friends.  After graduation, Selena plans to attend college and eventually pursue a career in dentistry.

Adrianna Long
Adrianna has lived in Elba her entire life alongside my parents, Jeff and Kara Long, and siblings Jacob, Michael and Maci.  She is extremely family oriented and involved in basketball, soccer and softball.  Adrianna is the Secretary of her class and currently employed at Crazy Cheap Cars. In her free time, she babysits for family and family friends.  Adrianna is running for Onion Queen in hopes to give back to the great community she was fortunate enough to grow up in. 

Georgia Luft
Georgia is the daughter of Matt and Laura Luft and has lived in Elba her entire life with her brother Hudson and sister Caroline.  Georgia is a three sport athlete participating in soccer, basketball and softball.  She  has participated in National Honor Society, Student Athletic Association and FFA as a member and past officer.  Outside of school Georgia is part of travel basketball teams and has been active in 4-H since she was eight.  She is part of the fur and feather club as well as dairy club.  She has been a member of Genesee County Dairy Princess program for several years and really enjoys promoting the dairy industry.  She is also a member of the Padre Pio Church in Oakfield.  Georgia’s spare time is spent with her family, friends and her animals.  Georgia will be going on to college after graduation but is unsure of where. She is undecided in what career path she will head down but is considering business or law enforcement. 

Laci Sewar
Laci is the daughter of Marc and Darcy Sewar. She has lived in the town of Elba for her entire life and has made many friends along the way.  Laci enjoys going out to eat with her friends and going on camping trips with her family.  She likes making apple crisp and baking holiday treats with her dad.  Doing this every year makes the holidays extra special.  Laci also enjoys shopping and going on road trips with her mom.  She looks forward to these trips as it is a good bonding time.  Laci has been the class Treasurer since 7th grade and is a high honor student. She has participated in the Yearbook Club, Future Teachers, National Honor Society, Student Athletic Association, Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball.  Outside of school, she participates in travel basketball, volunteers at church, and is active in Girl Scouts, where she earned her Bronze and Silver Awards.  Laci is currently two thirds of the way done with her Gold Award.  Her Gold Award project consists of refurbishing the stations of the cross at the Elba church and making a station of the cross program for children in grades 3-6.  After graduation she plans on attending Daemen or D’Youville to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Carolyn Sybertz
Carolyn is 17 years old and lives in Elba with her mom, dad and  younger sister.  She attends Elba Central School where she will be a senior this fall.  She participates in volleyball, softball, Student Athletic Association, National Honor Society, the Genesee County 4-H program and she is a Genesee County Dairy Princess Program Ambassador.  Carolyn also works at Zuber Dairy Farm in Bergen New York.  After graduation she plans on attending a four year college to hopefully major in animal Sciences.  Carolyn chose to run for Onion Queen this year in hopes of representing the small town of Elba that has helped shape her into the person she is today. 

Press release:

On August 24, 2021, smartDESIGN Architecture, PLLC hosted its first annual golf outing. This year, smartDESIGN chose Habitat for Humanity of Genesee County as the charitable beneficiary. The tournament was a great success – raising $3,420 for Habitat for Humanity and an additional $390 from a basket raffle.

Habitat for Humanity provides housing to those in need by partnering with families to provide a hand up, not a handout. The mission of Habitat cannot be fulfilled without the support and generosity of local community members. Habitat is incredibly grateful for the generosity offered by smartDESIGN. To learn how you can help, please visit www.geneseehabitat.com.

Photo: Jake Whiting (Habitat Board President); Jaylene Smith-Kilner (Habitat Executive Director); Martha Bailey (smartDESIGN Office Manager); and Ed Smart (smartDESIGN Owner and Principal)
 

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors will consider resolutions advancing three projects with a combined capital investment of approximately $19.9 million at its board meeting on Thursday, September 9, 2021.

The GCEDC Board will consider a final application for incentives from Liberty Pumps for its proposed $13.7 million expansion at its operations in the town of Bergen at the Apple Tree Acres industrial park. The company plans on constructing a 107,138 sq ft. materials center, creating 30 new jobs with an average salary of $52,000 annually plus benefits.

Liberty Pumps is seeking property and sales tax exemptions of approximately $1.5 million.  It is estimated the expansion project would generate $29 of private investment into the local economy for every $1 of public investment. A public hearing regarding the project incentives was conducted on August 26, 2021.    

The Board also will consider accepting an initial application from Valiant Real Estate USA, Inc. (New York Bus Sales.)  Valiant is proposing a $4.5 million capital investment to construct a 20,000 sq. ft. facility on Saile Drive in the town of Batavia. The project would create 24 new jobs with an average salary ranging from $30,000 – $75,000 annually plus benefits.

Valiant Real Estate USA, Inc. is seeking sales, mortgage, and property tax exemptions of approximately $430,120. The project is estimated to generate $50 of investment into the local economy for every $1 of public investment.

Finally, the Board will consider accepting an initial application from J & R Fancher Property Holdings LLC which is proposing to construct a two-story mixed-use building on 2.6 acres at Buffalo East Tech Park in the town of Pembroke. This is the first of three phases of development that Fancher is proposing at the tech park.

The $1.7 million investment would include six market-rate 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments on the second floor and a first floor comprised of a 7,000 sq. ft. vanilla box interior intended to attract commercial tenants. The total planned square footage of the facility is 14,000 sq. ft.

J & R Fancher Property Holdings LLC is requesting sales, mortgage, and property tax exemptions totaling $254,336. and is estimated to produce $4 of investment into the local economy for every $1 of incentives.

If the initial applications for Valiant Real Estate USA, Inc. and J&R Fancher Property Holdings LLC are accepted, public hearings on the proposed project incentives agreements will be held prior to consideration of the final resolution.

The Sep. 9 GCEDC Board meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at 99 Med-Tech Drive, Suite 107.  The meeting also will be available online at www.gcedc.com.

Tori Ganino isn’t afraid to admit that self-assertion is her thing.

At least when it comes to dogs. That canine characteristic of extreme self-assertion — and unwanted aggressiveness — has fueled her career and prompted the 35-year-old to continue her education.

She has recently obtained certification as a Dynamic Dog Practitioner. 

“My passion is aggression. We need to know what’s going on internally,” she said during an interview Friday.“ This certification is more helping out and spotting behavior in dogs. I can see myself applying this to the dogs I work with and to my own dog. I just want to keep learning.”

Ganino is not new to embracing knowledge when it comes to working with dogs, and the canine behavior specialist eagerly added dynamic dog practitioner to her resume. Never heard of such a thing? That’s because the rigorous four-month course is only available in the United Kingdom. Other people have enrolled in the course but Ganino said that she is the only one in the U.S. to successfully complete it. 

While dynamic dog practitioner may seem like an embellished title, it makes sense as Ganino explains it. Say your dog Rufus is a bit more surly than usual, and he has been barking at visitors, and — especially uncharacteristic of Rufus — nipped at one of them. You might think he is just being a bad boy, however, there very well might be underlying issues at play. 

“Dogs are so extremely stoic; they hide things so very well,” Ganino said at her Elba residence. 

Beneath that quiet strength might be hip pain, an achy spine or pulled muscle, she said. By thoroughly assessing the dog, she will be able to pinpoint likely sources of the pain that are causing and coming out as aggressive behavior. Contrary to popular belief that older dogs would be more prone to this occurrence, Ganino said that she has seen it in younger dogs more often. They may be working dogs that herd animals or train for agility courses, or simply playful dogs that throw their little bodies out of whack scampering on slippery floors, she said.

An online dictionary defines dynamic as “a process or system characterized by constant change, activity, or progress; relating to forces producing motion.” Just like humans often do, dogs may overcompensate an injury in one area by overusing the other, Ganino said. That can in turn create a lot of pain and/or discomfort within the dog's body, she said.

The course taught her to understand what normal movement is for the dog so that she can determine what is abnormal movement. That involves taking a history of how the dog moves, what it was like before becoming more aggressive and how it behaves now, such as biting, barking or lunging at people. 

Ganino had owned and operated Calling All Dogs daycare until the dreadful Covid-19 struck. She made the difficult decision to close in March 2020, which ended up opening up a window.

“It has given me the opportunity to do this intense four-month course,” she said. “I had to present six case studies.  There’s not a similar program in the world.”

The programme (spelled properly in England) teaches how to spot potential pain and discomfort in dogs “using specific, measurable and professional techniques from the ground up, whilst giving you an in-depth knowledge of the canine body,” the course website, allaboutthedogtherapy.co.uk, states. 

“There are so many excellent dog training and behaviour courses out there that give you the latest up to date science based techniques to make you become an expert in your chosen field,” it states. “Despite all of them teaching you about A, B, C's they are ALL missing one vital component that is key to understanding most problem dog behaviours.”

Only 14 students are admitted at a time, and they are forewarned that the course is intensive with a blueprint for how to use the material, conduct an assessment and present the findings to the client’s veterinarian. This last piece is key to a fully implemented plan, Ganino said. She will perform a two-hour assessment of the troubled canine to evaluate its activities, movement, walking, running, standing and sitting, and the overall behavior of the dog, she said. 

The finished product includes a report, video and recommended plan of action that may include prescription meds, X-rays, physical therapy and exercises. That will go to the client, behavior consultant and vet. The vet will be the one to recommend a more specific route, such as the type of medical tests or prescriptions to implement for the dog's treatment.

“There’s a lot going on when it comes to behavior and aggression; it’s not just on the outside, but a lot going on inside. Unless you’re trained, you don’t see it,” Ganino said. “We can be that team to work through these problems.”

For more information, or to find out if your dog could benefit from Ganino’s expertise, go to callingalldogsny.com, and click on Schedule a Free Consultation.

Photo by Gina Sierra, ginasierra.com

Coordinated by the University of Albany’s School of Public Health,    the listening tours will consist of two 90-minute forums in four rural New York counties. One forum will include community members at-large (Sept. 30) and the other will consist of community providers/stakeholders (Oct. 1).

“Each county setting has its own unique aspects and cultural norms that can influence people’s mental wellness,” said Lynda Battaglia, Genesee’s director of Mental Health & Community Services. “We expect that our participation in these Listening Tour forums will generate valuable information that will enable us to better serve our residents.”

Battaglia advised that the purpose of the program is to gain insight on the following questions:

• What are the main factors that contribute to increased risk of suicide in rural New York? What factors contribute to positive mental health and wellbeing?

• How do community members seek help for behavioral health concerns, and what factors influence these help-seeking preferences?

• How can rural communities – individually and as a whole – improve availability, awareness, access, and utilization of mental health services and resources?

At the conclusion of the project, each county will receive a presentation (in-person or virtual) and written summary of the results and recommendations coming out of their forums, Battaglia said.

Furthermore, information gained across all eight forums conducted in the four counties will also be aggregated to develop an overall set of recommendations to present to the Rural Suicide Prevention Workgroup and to the New York State Suicide Prevention Council.

“Ultimately, the listening tour protocol will be refined and disseminated statewide so that all counties will have the tools to conduct their own forums in the future,” she added.

The forums, which will be confidential in a Virtual private group setting, are scheduled as follows:

Sept. 30, 4:30 p.m., for Genesee County residents (no other requirements are necessary).

Oct. 1, 1 p.m., for community providers/stakeholders (requirements are that participants must be service providers/stakeholders who provide services to Genesee County. This could include school personal, law enforcement, emergency management services, religious establishments, etc.).

Those interested in participating are asked to contact Brenda Reeves at 585-344-1421, ext. 6681, or at brenda.reeves@co.genesee.ny.us. The deadline to respond is Sept. 27. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.19, up four cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.22. The New York State average is $3.28 – up five cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.30. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.25 (up one cent since last week)
• Buffalo - $3.23 (up seven cents since last week)
• Ithaca - $3.26 (up six cents since last week)
• Rochester - $3.28 (up eight cents since last week)
• Rome - $3.29 (up two cents since last week)
• Syracuse - $3.25 (up seven cents since last week)
• Watertown - $3.24 (up two cents since last week)

AAA expected a jump in gas prices following the storm and taking into account the demand surrounding the holiday weekend; motorists are expected to pay the most expensive gas prices since 2014. However, AAA is happy to report there is ample gasoline supply in the U.S. Once the impact of the Gulf Coast storm is mitigated, and winter blend fuel is in production, gas prices should begin to decline.

From Gas Buddy:

"As expected, Hurricane Ida's disruption to the oil and refining industry led gas prices to rise over the last week, though thankfully, the rise wasn't very significant," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "With several Louisiana refineries poised to have power restored in the days ahead, the impact on gas prices could soon reverse, and with gasoline demand now likely to decline with the close of the summer driving season, I see the odds rising that gas prices will soon begin a seasonal downturn, accelerated by the expiration of summer gasoline requirements on September 15. By Halloween, we could see the national average back under $3 per gallon."