Suicide and how to prevent it will be the topic of discussion at 9 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 21) when WBTA radio’s “Main & Center” talk show welcomes James Thorman, of Byron, as its guest.

Thorman has been working tirelessly over the past several months to gain support from community leaders and the public in general as he attempts to form a coalition dedicated to mental health well-being for young people and veterans at risk.

Recently, he has connected with Bereaved Parents of the USA, a nonprofit group that offers support and encouragement to fellow bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents after the death of a loved one.

Thorman’s life has been exponentially affected by suicide as two of his daughters took their lives about nine years ago.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017 suicide was the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 47,000 people, and was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34.

Also in that year, there were more than twice as many suicides (47,173) in the United States as there were homicides (19,510).

WBTA radio is at 1490 on the AM dial, at 100.1 on FM, or can be streamed over the internet at www.wbtai.com.

A man came into the Genesee County Animal Shelter this morning, according to a reader. He had an accident on the Thruway last night (Jan. 16) and his dog ran off.

The man is heartbroken and has been looking all day for little black and white "Chapo."

The dog ran off near mile marker 392 of the Thruway, between the Kelsey Road and Lewiston Road overpass in the Town of Batavia.

Chapo, which is Spanish for "Shorty," is wearing a black collar with no tags on it.

If you have information about Chapo, please contact the animal shelter at (585) 343-6410, or email Volunteers For Animals at info@vol4animals.org

"Get Shorty!"

Press release:

Six Flags Darien Lake, the “Thrill Capital of New York State,” today announced that Jeff Ellis & Associates Inc. – International Aquatics Safety and Risk Management Consultants, has awarded the Platinum International Aquatics Safety Award to the park.

This annual award is given to facilities that consistently exceed industry standards in risk management and epitomize aquatic safety excellence.

“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our waterpark staff to deliver a fun and safe experience for guests,” said Park President Chris Thorpe. “We are thrilled to receive this kind of recognition and look forward to welcoming our guests for the 2020 season at the best waterpark in Western New York.”

“It is apparent that the entire staff embodies the idea of setting the standard in aquatic safety,” said Jeff Ellis & Associates Vice President Richard A. Carroll. “Swimmers and guests who frequent this waterpark are afforded the highest degree of protection currently available for the aquatic industry.”

E&A’s International Aquatic Safety Awards are based on the results of multiple random unannounced aquatic facility operational safety audits conducted throughout the year. These audits include undercover surveillance of on-duty lifeguards, emergency simulations and facility evaluations.

Only the top 14 percent of E&A’s worldwide clients receive a Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award each year.

Six Flags Darien Lake 2020 Memberships and Season Passes are now available. Members can enjoy priority park entry, preferred parking and tremendous discounts of up to 50 percent on nearly all food and merchandise purchases all season long.

Gold Plus, Platinum, Diamond and Diamond Elite levels are available featuring all the perks of a Season Pass plus other benefits including admission to all Six Flags branded theme and waterparks, skip the line passes, unlimited soft drinks and much more!

For more information, visit the Membership Sales Center or go online to sixflags.com/darienlake and sign up.

About Six Flags Darien Lake

Six Flags Darien Lake’s wide variety of entertainment and top-notch thrill rides has made it the Coaster Capital of New York since 1964. Located 45 minutes from Niagara Falls between Buffalo and Rochester, today the park boasts more than 50 rides, including seven world-class roller coasters, dozens of family rides, the region’s largest water park and a 20,000-seat amphitheater operated by Live Nation.

The park opens for the 2020 season May 8 and welcomes overnight guests in a wide range of accommodations—from a full-service hotel and modern cabins to rental RVs, and RV and tent campsites.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with $1.5 billion in revenue and 26 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For 59 years, Six Flags has entertained millions of families with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com.

From Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer:

As your State Senator, I value your concerns and opinions. Many new issues are being discussed and there is sure to be extensive debate throughout the 2020 session.

From a $6.1 billion deficit to criminal justice reforms and vaccination requirements, your opinions on issues facing New York State are very important to me. That is why I have launched a 2020 Legislative Questionnaire.

It is only 14 questions and takes just a couple of minutes to complete. Click here to complete the questionnaire.

I will be listening to residents– all across the 61st Senate District– as this year’s legislative session progresses. 

Thank you in advance for taking the time to participate. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance to you or your family.

Press release:

Over the course of the next six weeks, Tops Friendly Markets welcomes the community to try a variety of Tops Full Circle products during its weekend sampling events. Try something new, and share something good with your family today!  

Tops Friendly Markets is pleased to be able to offer its customers a wide assortment of healthy options integrated into every aisle. We believe that organic and best-of-nature products are an important part of a healthy and well-rounded lifestyle. With Tops own Full Circle brand, you can love what’s in it for you!

We bring you food that tastes good and home care items that are eco-friendly and work well. Full Circle products deliver our brand promise in every department with 300+ sku’s across grocery, dairy, frozen and home care, this brand offers shoppers USDA certified organic, non-GMO, gluten free, and hormone/antibiotic free products every day at an affordable price.

Additionally Tops offers more than 3,800 certified organic products that are, integrated with conventional products and merchandised in stores by meal category, which makes it easier to shop and plan.

The weekend sampling events will take place every Saturday and Sunday beginning tomorrow, Jan. 18, at selected located and ending on Sunday, Feb. 23.

In Genesee County, only the Batavia Tops will conduct samplings. It is located at 390 W. Main St.

Submitted photo and press release:

Sheriff Sheron began his career with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office in 1977 as an Emergency Services Dispatcher. During his career, he has progressed through the ranks of Deputy Sheriff-Jail, Deputy Sheriff-Road Patrol, Sergeant, Investigator and Chief Deputy-Road Patrol. In January 1996, he was appointed Undersheriff, a position he held until being elected Sheriff in 2016.

During his first term, Sheriff Sheron collaborated with mental health officials to establish a “Crisis Intervention Team,” consisting of specially trained deputies to provide assistance to individuals, and family members, with the individual’s mental health needs. The benefits of this program are that individuals with mental health concerns receive appropriate treatment rather than incarceration into a jail cell.

Working with school officials and the Genesee County Legislature, Sheriff Sheron has also been able to assign a Resource Officer to all but one school within the County.

“This School Resource Officer program provides for a safe and secure environment for students and faculty while promoting positive relationships between the students and law enforcement officers,” Sheriff Sheron said.

Another highlight of the Sheriff’s first term is the creation of a “Sheriff’s Office Teen Academy” for high school students from throughout Genesee County. This academy provides students with an in-depth view of the training and duties of the Sheriff’s Office and law enforcement in general.

Sheriff Sheron is a lifelong resident of Batavia. He attended St. Mary’s Grade School, Notre Dame High School and is a graduate of Genesee Community College with a degree in Criminal Justice. He and his wife, Shari, are parents to a blended family of five children and six grandchildren.

“I am honored to serve as the Sheriff of Genesee County and pledge to continue my life’s work of protecting the safety and security of the residents of Genesee County and the men and women of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Sheron said.

So dig this, Duster the cat, who has been on the lam since Thanksgiving night, doing God knows what, has been found thanks to a high-profile tipster, the intrepid Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell.

Duster's momma, Melissa Barone, who lives on Tracy Avenue in the city, gives credit where credit is due. But she also thanked The Batavian for the APB published Nov. 29th.

She enlisted not only our readers' help but her momma's, too, who Barone says has been "scouring" the area near Barone's home on a daily basis. This kind of resolute undauntedness is the very essence of intrepidity.

So Barone's momma, and Gsell, renowned for his institutional knowledge of the arcane bowels of county government and his pet- and people-friendly bonhomie, were in cahoots, in a manner of speaking, on the recapture of the cat.

By the way, it didn't wander very far from home sweet home, in fact, Duster was just around the kitty-corner.

Word on the street was that Duster the defector liked to hang around in the vicinity of Batavia Middle School, which is inarguably heavily populated by pals of pets.

Sure eough, Barone's momma was heading to her daughter's for dinner yesterday (Jan. 16) and she spotted a familiar-looking feline following a young miss walking in the area of the school.

"She stopped and sure enough it was Duster," Barone wrote The Batavian in an email. "He came right up to my mom purring away."

His purr reportedly sounds like the world's most expensive car -- that would be the Swedish-made Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita ($4.8M), owned by the likes of Jay Leno and Floyd Mayweather. Not too shabby for a domestic tabby-ish cat with a white bib and front-paw gloves.

Duster prolly figures if he can't have celebrity-caliber fun money, he can at least sound like millions of bucks. He can also check off 15 minutes of fame -- à la that prescient Andy Warhol -- from his bucket list.

Unified Vision 2020 -- the proposed capital improvement plan for Pembroke Central School District -- was "soundly defeated" by the majority of those who voted on it yesterday, according to Superintendent Matthew Calderón.

There were two propositions for consideration, with Prop. 1 having to pass in order for the second one to be viable. There were 1,543 voters who cast ballots in the high school library on them and they both failed.

The cost estimate for Prop. 1 was $38,505,000 and for Prop. 2 it was $10,915,000.

Proposition 1 had 196 "Yes" votes and 1,340 "No" votes, and seven blank ballots were turned in.

Proposition 2 had 249 "Yes" votes and 1,283 "No" votes and 11 blank ballots were turned in.

"We will analyze the results of the exit poll survey and decide what our next steps are after that," Calderón wrote in an email to The Batavian.

The huge thumbs down came despite three years of public input, planning and meetings that involved more than 1,000 people and stakeholder groups as well as 17 design concepts.

Prop. 1 called for: consolidating students into two buildings, with the reconfiguration of grades in each school -- UPK-5, 6-8, 9-12 -- and a clear separation between the middle school and the high school; building a separate gymnasium for the high school; expanding spectator seating space in the existing pool area; improvement to celebration space for performing arts; making facilities compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and up to mandated health and safety standards; replacing the bus fuel tank and adding an in-ground vehicle lift at the bus garage.​

Prop. 2 would've created an improved and expanded pool for use by students as well as the public, plus storage space and seating.

The total price tag of $49,420,000 was to be paid for with $4.9 million from the district's capital reserve and 17-year State Aid funding bonds.

For homeowners with Basic STAR, the combined cost for Prop. 1 and Prop. 2 for a home assessed at $150,000 would have been $386 a year, and $262 for homeowners with Senior STAR.

If only Prop. 1 passed -- since Prop. 2 was only passable by voters if OK'd Prop. 1 -- the cost for homeowners with property assessed at $150,000 would have been $251 annually with Basic STAR, and $170 annually with Senior STAR.

The School Tax Relief (STAR) program provides eligible homeowners in New York State whose annual income is less than $500,000 with relief on their property taxes (you receive a check in the mail from the State's Tax Department to apply to your school taxes).

Early on, the "overwhelming consensus" in the district was to consolidate three school campuses into one -- at an estimated cost of $120 million, an expensive option that was deemed unfeasible.

According to the school board, building maintenance and restoration items that were included in the proposed project are still necessary but will now have to be done "without the benefit of state financial aid."

Large asset preservation work "will need to be funded within the district's annual budget process, with local taxpayers bearing the full cost" and as a result of the mandated upgrades, envisioned improvements to the academic program, which also require funding, will have to "be postponed," according to the school board.

Press release:

The Pavilion Central School District is proud to announce that we are now able to offer students a Career and Technical Endorsement in both Agriculture and Business.

This new endorsement will encourage students to enhance their skill sets in agriculture or business.

These new programs allow students to study in a focused career pathway, partake focused internships, and attain college credits at associated colleges.

Upon completion of the Business Career Program, the students can receive college credits at GCC in Introduction to Business, Introduction to Computers, and Microcomputer Applications.

The students are also able to achieve credits in Programming and Problem Solving, and Computer Programming after passing the Advanced Placement Computer Science Placement Exam.

The students enrolled in the Agriculture program will be able to receive credit in Agriculture Business at Morrisville State University, and Animal or Plant Science at Alfred State University.

Pre-need funeral accounts in New York State are considered assets of the individual, not the funeral home. Each year, those that have prepaid their funerals with a funeral home receive a tax document for the interest earned in the previous year.

If you have an account with any of our funeral homes, and did not receive your statement, please call us. We'd be happy to assist you. Batavia Funeral Homes

Press release:

The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership will hold an Open House from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, for anyone interested in learning more about upcoming classes for the Licensed Practical Nursing or Certified Nursing Assistant programs.

The Open House will be held at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s Batavia Campus at 8250 State Street Road, Batavia.

LPN and CNA Instructors will be available to meet and speak with potential students.

The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership School of Practical Nursing has been in existence since 1994. It is a 1,200-clock-hour program, certified by the New York State Education Department, and is designed to prepare graduates for the NCLEX-PN Examination for licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Every student who enrolls in the Licensed Practical Nursing Program receives a Chromebook computer as part of their tuition fees. This computer becomes the property of the student and it is used for many purposes. Course curricula includes a broad scope of topics including foundations of nursing, human growth and development, obstetrical and pediatric nursing, human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and more.

The CNA Program is also offered at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. This course is no less than a 150-clock hour program, approved by the New York State Education Department, and designed to prepare graduates for immediate employment following successful mastery of the post-program certification testing.

The LPN Program is offered at three different site locations: Batavia, Rochester Tech Park in Gates, and Mount Morris. The CNA Program is offered at two different locations, Mount Morris and Batavia.

For more information or any questions, please call 585-344-7788.

About the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership

It operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State.

Press release:

The Genesee Community College History Club is excited to announce the Spring 2020 Historical Horizons Lecture Series lineup full of live readings and events that will transport audiences to another place and time.

The entire community is invited to GCC's Batavia Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. to hear Sharon and Don Burkel present "The Angel and the Warrior: The Story of Emily and General Upton."

The program focuses on the brief love story of Emily Norwood Martin and General Emory Upton between 1866 and 1870. General Upton, who is seen as the epitome of a military officer, will surprise the audience with his fervent devotion to a sheltered, religious young lady from Auburn.

Through the reading of their personal letters and sharing original photos, their tragic story will be told.

The presentation will be in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building and is free and open to the public.

The Historical Horizons Lecture series will continue with events scheduled on the first Wednesday of each month during the Spring 2020 Semester including:

• Wednesday, April 1 at 1 p.m.: "The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution" presented by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eric Foner, Ph.D., of Columbia University. This lecture will be based on the book of the same title and will occur in GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre. 
• Wednesday, May 6 at 7 p.m.: GCC Associate Professor of History Derek Maxfield will present on his book "Hellmira: The Union's Most Infamous POW Camp of the Civil War," which explores this notorious time period in the history of Elmira.

A 3-year-old child was found wandering around in the 6200 block of Main Road in Stafford. The caller to the Emergency Dispatch Center who found the tot is heading to the Le Roy Police Station where an officer is en route to take custody of the child until his or her parent or guardian is located.

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced the lineup for their fourth annual Rockin’ the Downs concert series, which takes place outside on the racetrack, with eight Friday dates, starting in June and running into August.

Kicking off the series on Friday, June 19th is Vince Neil, the legendary voice of Mötley Crüe. An accomplished businessman and heartfelt philanthropist, his unmistakable voice leads some of the greatest rock songs of a generation including “Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Kickstart My Heart,” “Same Ol’ Situation,” and many others.

Next up, on Friday, June 26th, is former Journey frontman, Steve Augeri, who returns after playing one of the most enjoyable concerts from last year’s series. The lead vocalist for the rock group from 1998-2006, Augeri headlined an eight-year tenure that included three albums and will perform hits such as "Don’t Stop Believin’, " "Separate Ways," "Wheel in the Sky," "Faithfully," and "Anyway You Want It."

After a one-week hiatus for the Fourth of July holiday, the concert series returns on Friday, July 10th with Southern rock legend Molly Hatchet. Originating in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1978, the band has gone on to release 14 studio albums. They’ll be performing hits such as "Flirtin’ with Disaster," "Dreams I’ll Never See" and "Whiskey Man," among others.

Rocking the stage on Friday, July 17th is the heavy-metal rock group Skid Row. After forming in New Jersey in 1986, the band has performed all over the world with hard guitars and a unique songwriting style. They’ll be performing their hits "In a Darkened Room," "We Are the Damned," "Youth Gone Wild" and "18 and Life" and many more.

Jonny Lang performs on Friday, July 24th. Hailing from Fargo, N.D., the blues, gospel, and rock singer has had five albums chart in the Billboard 200. The Grammy Award-winning artist will perform hits such as "Still Rainin’," "Bring Me Back Home," "Breakin’ Me" and "Lie to Me."

Friday, July 31st will see Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles, perform at the Downs. As a renowned former lead guitarist of The Eagles, one of the most popular and influential rock groups of our time, Felder has helped write and perform many iconic classics. His 2008 memoir was a New York Times bestseller. Felder will perform solo and Eagles’ hits during his set including "Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride)," "Hotel California," "Life in the Fast Lane," "The Long Run" and "Tequila Sunrise."

America’s top Pink Floyd tribute show, The Machine, hits the stage on Friday, Aug. 7th. Over the course of 30 years they have extended the legacy of Pink Floyd while creating another legacy all their own. Along the way, The Machine has touched the hearts and souls of many with their stellar musicianship, dramatic lighting, and video performances. Two other tribute rock acts celebrating the music of The Who and Queen will also grace the stage that evening for what will be a memorable musical journey back in time.

Closing out the series on Friday, Aug. 14th is American alternative rock band, Puddle of Mudd. The post-grunge band from Kansas City, Mo., has sold more than seven million albums. One of the most well-attended concerts of 2018’s summer concert series, Puddle of Mudd concertgoers will be sure to hear hits such as "She Hates Me," "Blurry" and "Control."

Tickets for all eight concerts will be available at www.BataviaConcerts.com beginning at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Jan. 17th.

Individual presale tickets to each concert will remain at $10 for General Admission, while VIP tickets will again be $25. Concertgoers will be able to purchase tickets in the Premium Section directly in front of the stage. Premium tickets are $50 and will be very limited for each concert.

General Admission tickets are $15 if purchased on the day of the concert.

Tickets can also be purchased at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel at the Lucky Treasures Gift Shop located in the lobby.

As of noon today (Jan. 16th) special VIP packages --for the Don Felder Concert only -- will be available on BataviaConcerts.com

Concertgoers will once again have the option of purchasing a “Season Pass,”, which includes admission to all eight concerts at a discounted rate. The season pass for 2020 is $60 for General Admission and $150 for VIP.

New this year will be a chair rental option for lawn seats. While patrons are allowed to bring their own chairs, there will be 500 chairs available for rental for $5 each. A portion of proceeds for chair rental will benefit Make a Wish Western New York. Staff from Make a Wish will also be selling drink koozies.

“It’s incredible to think we are in our fourth year of the concert series,” said Henry Wojtaszek, CEO/president of Batavia Downs Gaming. “We’re excited to continue to bring musical icons to Batavia Downs and provide great entertainment at an affordable price.

"We’re looking forward to partnering again with Western New York Make A Wish to help raise funds to help them transform lives. We hope to see the community come together again this summer.”

Hotel room/ticket packages will be available for each concert. The purchase of a hotel room on the night of a concert using the code includes two VIP tickets to the show while supplies last.

Each concert ticket is also redeemable once at Player’s Club in the three days following the concert for $10 Free Play to be used on one of Batavia Downs Gaming’s 800+ gaming machines.

Concerts are held rain or shine. Additional information may be found at www.BataviaDownsGaming.com.

Photo: Henry Wojtaszek at today's press conference. Photo by Howard Owens.

Genesee County could get as much as six inches of snow from a storm that is passing through the Northeast this weekend, according to a forecast by Accuweather.

The storm is expected to hit Western New York after 7 a.m., Saturday.

After a closed-door meeting with Public Defender Jerry Ader and District Attorney Larry Friedman, Judge Charles Zambito emerged from Chambers on Thursday announcing that 27-year-old Malik Ayala was accepted into a Judicial Diversion Program that could last seven months or more.

While in the seven-month program, he will also be under the supervision of the Probation Department. Since Ayala entered drug treatment programs in Niagara County and in Genesee County this past fall, he has kept out of trouble and has been clean of drugs and alcohol and has avoided sentencing.

Ayala has already accepted a plea deal and has pled guilty to a felony burglary charge.

He was picked up on Nov. 15, 2018, in connection with a string of burglaries in Genesee County after Investigator Chris Parker with the Sheriff’s Office identified a vehicle that was wanted in connection with the burglaries.

The vehicle was being operated by TeeSean T. Ayala, 20, Malik’s brother.

After the vehicle turned into a driveway at 317 Washington Ave., a .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol was thrown from the vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office says TeeSean Ayala was in possession of a stolen handgun that had a defaced serial number in the vehicle during the traffic stop.

TeeSean Ayala, 20, of Batavia, was sentenced in Genesee County Court to five years in prison and five years post-release supervision in the incident. TeeSean pled guilty to one count of criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, which satisfies seven other residential burglary charges dating back to 2015.

Today, Malik Ayala told Judge Zambito that he was thankful to Horizon and the Court for allowing him to attend the treatment centers.

“I was a knucklehead," he said. "I was on drugs but now I am clean, living out of town and my mind is focused. I want to say I’m sorry to the community for my past.”

Judge Zambito warned Ayala that if he doesn’t toe the line he will go to prison.

“This is just the first step,” Zambito said. “I will be monitoring you in the diversion program and on probation, I can sentence you to seven years if you mess up.”

Malik Ayala was convicted on a burglary charge in 2010 after violating his probation. He served a state prison term after being sentenced to one to four years.

Friedman disagreed with the idea of the diversion program.

“Based on his history, he went to prison for burglary and graduated to residential burglary, I feel state prison is appropriate,” Friedman said.

Ader told the court that his client is eligible for the program and he has kept up with his treatments and there are no new crimes that have been committed.

“Mr. Ayala knows if he messes up he could face seven years in prison and I think that speaks volumes,” Ader said.

Temporary orders of protection were extended until Jan. 16, 2021.

Judge Zambito wished Ayala luck as he left the courtroom.

The sentencing was adjourned to Aug. 11 at 9 a.m., but the sentencing date could get pushed back again depending on what the diversion program advises at the end of seven months.

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Richard Siebert, chairman of the Genesee County Republican Party, has straightforward opinions about how he will go about deciding who to back for the GOP nod in the NY-27 special election on April 29.

Finding somebody who can self-fund is not a top priority.

He won't want to back a candidate who might turn around and run in a primary against the GOP-endorsed candidate in June.

He was all in for Steve Hawley until Hawley this afternoon withdrew his name from consideration.

"Steve Hawley is my man," Siebert said last night. "Unless Steve tells me he's no longer interested, I'm backing Steve."

Well, Steve is no longer interested, and that leaves six or seven other potential candidates, including three -- Sen. Rob Ortt, Sen. Chris Jacobs, and Darien resident Beth Parlato -- who have been campaigning the past several months as if they expect a primary rather than a special election. 

It's expected that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will call for a special election next month and set the date for April 28, the same day there will be a New York primary for the Democratic presidential primary.

The special election is necessary because Chris Collins, who will be sentenced tomorrow on his insider trading conviction, resigned in September.

In special elections, the chairs of the counties for the political parties select a candidate to represent the party.  

Siebert said he expects the process will go much as it did in 2018, after Collins was arrested by the FBI, and initially said he didn't plan to run for re-election. 

When it looked like there would be a special election previously, the eight county chairs in the NY-27 District met at least twice, interviewed candidates and deliberated their choices. Before a decision was reached, Collins changed his mind about not running and vowed that he would clear his name.

The process gives county chairs weighted votes, which in the past has meant that Erie County and Niagara County chairs essentially picked the candidate and everybody else fell in line. 

Erie County has favored candidates who can self-fund their campaigns. Siebert said he's not in favor of taking that same approach again.

"I have to be candid," Siebert said. "I speak the way I feel. Several of the last candidates we've had -- Jane Corwin, Chris Lee, and Chris Collins -- have self-funded. Our track record with that is not very good so I'm not looking for a self-funded candidate. They're out there, but obviously we know some are wealthy and some are not. That's not my criteria. I'm not looking at 'who can afford it.' I'm not looking for somebody who can afford to win. I'm looking for somebody who is qualified to win."

Considering that Ortt, Jacobs, and Parlato have all been raising funds, gathering endorsements, and sending out press releases, it might appear that any of them might still run in a June primary even if they don't get the GOP endorsement for the April special election.

Siebert said he expects an expression of party loyalty before the special election endorsement is issued.

"The first thing I always ask any candidate, and I'm not secret about this, is 'will you support the candidate that we nominate?' " Siebert said. "I need to hear them say, number one, they're not going to primary the nominee regardless. In my count, I have a strong and deep feeling about this, that if you're not part of our system (I'm not going to back you).

"I don't like primaries. That is my personal feeling and I would have a hard time supporting anybody who would primary the nominee."

We've attempted to get a comment from Ortt, Jacobs, and Parlato and have yet to receive a response. (Ortt did respond just before publication but his response was ambiguous. We're holding it for a possible follow-up story.)

"Everybody has the opportunity to run, whoever doesn't get it, can run in the primary," Siebert said. "That's your choice and it's there. That's the way it is. I respect that. But as chairman, I don't like primaries. I like to be unified. Now, that's their right. That's their constitutional right but that's the way I feel, so that is how we've done things in Genesee County."

With the special election being held on the same day as the Democratic presidential primary, some political observers speculate that if there is high Democratic turnout, it might favor the Democratic candidate in the NY-27 -- most likely, Nate McMurray, who narrowly lost in 2018 to Chris Collins. Siebert isn't buying it. He doesn't think the chairs need to find a moderate Republican who will distance him or herself from President Donald Trump.

"This is a Trump county right here," Siebert said. "He got 72 percent of the vote in the last election. Anyone who is going to run for an office in my county who is not a Trump supporter, well, they're not going to do well. It is what it is. He did get 72 percent of the vote. This is a very conservative county. We support the Second Amendment. I can tell you, if you're not a Trump supporter in my county, you're not going to do well."

Siebert, who is also the Republican elections commissioner, and Lorie Longhany, Democratic commissioner, met with the Ways and Means Committee yesterday to get authorization to lease 10 new ballot readers at a cost of $19,000 a year. The new readers are easier to use and faster but the election equipment upgrade needs to be expedited because of the probable special election on the same day as a presidential primary. 

The funds for the machines in the first year will come from grant money already received by the county.  The multi-year lease will also put the county on a replacement schedule for ballot readers that will help the Elections Commission keep technology current and machines reliable.

As for who might represent the GOP in April, Siebert offered no predictions on who the chairs might support but he did say he's not happy the chairs have to make the selection.

"I don't like this whole process, to be honest with you, because we're in a situation now where eight Republican chairmen have to get together and tell our voting public who we want them to vote for, who's going to be on the ballot on April 28," Siebert said. "You get the feeling it is eight men in a room  -- there are women involved, too -- with you always being criticized for smoking cigars or whatever but it is the eight of us telling the public who's going to be the candidate.

"I don't like that at all. But the law is the law. We have no choice because of the election law that we have to do it this way."

A car vs. pedestrian accident is reported in the city at East Main Street and Harvester Avenue. The pedestrian is down in the roadway. City PD just arrived on scene. City fire and Mercy medics responding.

UPDATE 5:08 p.m.: The pedestrian is being evaluated by medics. Both pedestrian and the pickup truck that struck the pedestrian had a green light. The pedestrian was walking in the crosswalk -- unknown at this time if northbound or southbound -- when the truck, which was making a left turn from northbound Harvester onto East Main Street -- struck the person.

Press release from the Bethany Town Board:

On Jan. 13 at a Town Board Meeting the Bethany Town Board voted unanimously to close the Transfer Station.

Due to the increased cost in trash pickup and the increase in recyclable hauling costs, along with the decline in use and revenues the Transfer Station will close at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.

The Bethany Town Clerk will be selling punch cards through Feb. 1 at $50 for a 10-punch card. 

All punch cards outstanding MUST be used by 2 p.m. on Saturday March 28, the final day of operation.

There will be no refunds for unused punch cards.

Press release:

The Genesee County 4-H Program is looking for volunteers to help evaluate speakers at its upcoming 4-H Public Presentations Program.

The 4-H Public Presentations Program gives 4-H youth an opportunity to expand their public speaking skills in a fun, competitive format. 

The presentations program would not be possible without volunteer evaluators! Evaluators watch 4-H youth participants give presentations and provide them with constructive comments to help them improve their public speaking skills.

The 2020 4-H Public Presentations Events will be held on Saturday, Feb. 15th, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 20th, 3 – 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 26th, 3 – 5 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office in Batavia.

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer evaluator, please contact the 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu, or 585-343-3040, ext. 101.