Attention treasure hunters, bargain seekers, supporters of worthy causes and lookie-loos, too -- the nonprofit Purple Pony Therapeutic Horsemanship Inc. will hold a big charity sale next weekend.

The Purple Pony Treasure Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8 and 9, at the home of Purple Pony, which is KD Ranch, located at 8321 Lake Street Road, Le Roy.

All proceeds will benefit Purple Pony. The Purple Pony horses will be around for visitors to see.

Practice social distancing; masks and sanitizer will be available for those who need them.

There will be on-site parking, food and beverages for purchase, and a chock-full 70’ by 120’ indoor arena filled with STUFF: 

• Household items;
• Collectibles;
• Jewelry;
• Sporting goods;
• Books;
• Infant care items;
• Kids' toys;
• Camping gear;
• Tools;
• Hardware;
• Lamps;
• Linens;
• Crafts;
• Holiday decor;
• Artwork;
• Furniture;
• Needful and needless things.

About Purple Pony

It provides equine opportunities to persons with disabilities and diverse needs. On March 7, Purple Pony received the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Special Service Recognition of the Year award for 2019.

Here's a previous story about Purple Pony:

'Purple Pony' proves therapeutic for children with a range of disabilities

Here's a video from May about Purple Pony's drive-thru parade to benefit Crossroads House.

A fawn is stuck inside the fenced in play area at the NYS School for the Blind on Washington Avenue in the city, according to a caller to dispatch. City police are responding to free the fawn.

UPDATE 1:54 p.m.: The officer successfully removed the fawn from the play area.

Statement from Batavia-based attorney Thomas D. Williams:

"I am honored to announce that I have been selected by the Genesee County Republican Party as their candidate for Family Court Judge in the election to be held on Nov. 3.

"My extensive experience as an attorney in private practice for 35 years and as Batavia Town Court Justice since 2008 has prepared me for this important responsibility.

"Family Court addresses some of the most difficult problems our citizens face, including: custody and visitation rights of parents, grandparents and others; the abuse and neglect of children; juvenile delinquency; domestic violence; and myriad other matters critical to the well-being of our children, their families, and the community as a whole.

"In my career as an attorney and town justice, I have developed the skills needed to address these various issues. Much of my work has involved coordinating with the law enforcement and social services agencies in our community, and collaborating with the staff, fellow attorneys, and mediators that work within our Family Court System.

"It is my hope that my efforts will have a positive impact on people’s lives. I look forward to dedicating myself wholeheartedly to the challenges ahead and the hard work required to be the Family Court Judge the people of Genesee County deserve."

Pearl Blue Yoga in Batavia has announced that starting Tuesday, Aug. 4, instructor Lisa Ingalsbe will conduct yoga outdoors in Centennial Park.

The live outdoor yoga class will be held from 7 to 8:15 p.m. on Tuesdays this month. Cost is $10 per class.

This will be an all-level, adult class; you can relax while stretching and strengthening. There will be active yoga poses, breath work and stillness practices.  

Centennial Park is located at 151 State St. in the city.

Register online before 4 p.m. -- absolutely no walk-ins.

Things to know:

• Adults only;
• Bring your own mat;
• Bring your own optional yoga gear if you like, blocks, straps, blankets, water and sunscreen / bug spray might be good, too;
• There are NO restroom facilities at Centennial Park;
• Social distancing & face masks are required.

(If two or less people register, the teacher may opt to cancel. You will be notified through email by 5 p.m. and of course, fully reimbursed.)

Note that the in-person yoga studio at 301 Main St., third floor of the Masonic Temple building Downtown, will be reopening Saturday, Sept. 19.

The Fall Schedule is being developed and they are seeking input about days/times/types of classes people want. Any input would be appreciated. Email: bpyoga@gmail.com

Press release:

Batavia, N.Y. – Following recent reports that  a dog had to be rescued from a hot car in Batavia, PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- is issuing an urgent warning about the importance of  never leaving animals in hot vehicles.

Twenty-four animals have  already  died  this year  from heat-related causes, and because COVID-19 is prolonging store wait times and errands, PETA is concerned that  this summer could see an unprecedented number of hot  weather–related animal deaths. 

On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 100 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 109 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

Dogs, who don’t sweat and can cool themselves only by panting, can rapidly succumb to heatstroke, even if a vehicle is parked in the shade with the windows slightly open, which has little to no effect on lowering the temperature inside.

Anyone who leaves animals outside to suffer in severe weather may be  prosecuted for cruelty.

The following tips will help keep animal companions safe in hot weather:

• Keep animals indoors, and leave them at home when it’s hot outside.  Unlike humans, dogs can sweat only through their footpads and cool themselves by panting, so even brief sun exposure can have life-threatening consequences. Anyone who sees animals in distress and is unable to help should note their locations and alert authorities immediately.
• Never leave an animal inside a hot vehicle.  Temperatures can quickly soar in parked cars, and a dog trapped inside can die from heatstroke within minutes—even if the car is in the shade with the windows slightly open, which has little to no effect on lowering the temperature inside the car. PETA offers  an emergency window-breaking hammer  for help with intervening in life-or-death situations.
• Avoid hot pavement. When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s, asphalt temperatures can climb to 140 degrees, causing pain, burns, and permanent damage to dogs’ paws after just a few minutes of contact. Walk dogs on grass whenever possible, and avoid walking in the middle of the day. 
• Never run with dogs  in hot weather—they’ll collapse before giving up, at which point, it may be too late to save them.

PETA has released a hot-car public service announcement featuring Mckenna Grace. For more information, visit  PETA.org.

A caller to dispatch reports some kids are operating a golf cart in the area of Chestnut and Jackson streets in the city and appear to be heading toward Kibbe Park. City police are dispatched for the traffic complaint.

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: The officer is out with an adult operator of the golf cart and two children in the first block of Chestnut Street.

In the video, Sen. Charles Schumer talks about the semiconductor plan, baseball, baseball trivia, his relationship with newly elected Rep. Chris Jacobs, the safety of reopening schools, and the future of the Muckdogs.

Press release:

Standing with local officials at Genesee’s STAMP* Campus, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled his three-pronged push to jolt the U.S. semiconductor industry and the Upstate New York economy into high gear.

First, Schumer called for swift passage by Congress of the final Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), in which the senator successfully included an amendment that will continue U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and revitalize innovation in the global microelectronics sector.

Second, the Senator announced his push for a $1M Northern Border Regional Commission grant that STAMP needs to construct a new sewer line to complete STAMP’s wastewater system infrastructure. The sewer is the final piece of infrastructure that will make the 1,250-acre STAMP campus shovel-ready for manufacturing facility construction.

Third, Schumer will urge the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider the STAMP campus as the agency looks to partner with industry to develop new domestic semiconductor fabs. Combined, the Senator’s efforts will provide unprecedented support for the U.S. semiconductor industry and create opportunities to bring hundreds of jobs to Genesee County and Upstate New York.

“The economic and national security risks posed by relying too heavily on foreign semiconductor suppliers cannot be ignored, and Upstate New York, especially the STAMP Campus here in Genesee, is the perfect place to grow this industry by leaps and bounds,” Senator Schumer said.

“We must continue to invest in our domestic semiconductor industry in order to keep good-paying, high-tech American manufacturing jobs here in Upstate New York. We need to ensure our domestic microelectronics industry can safely and securely supply our military, intelligence agencies, and other government needs. This is essential to American jobs, our national security, and to U.S. leadership in this critical industry."

Schumer noted that even though the United States revolutionized the microelectronic industry and invented nearly all of the key technology used to this day, competitors in Asia, especially China, have made huge investments into their microelectronics industries in recent years to challenge and undercut U.S. leadership.

In fact, Schumer pointed out, the United States has gone from producing 24 percent of the world’s semiconductors in 2000, to just 12 percent more recently. In contrast, China has gone from producing zero chips to 16 percent of the world’s supply in the same time frame. The senator warned that by 2030, Asia is projected to control 83 percent of the global semiconductor manufacturing supply while domestic production could be less than 10 percent, threatening U.S. reliance on foreign-made microelectronics, which could pose huge risks to U.S. national and economic security.

Therefore, Schumer argued, his three-pronged plan to revitalize the semiconductor industry and incentivize it to build new research and manufacturing facilities in the United States at sites like STAMP is vital to cement global U.S. leadership in the microelectronics industry and will ease U.S. reliance on foreign-made semiconductors, alleviating economic and national security risks.

“Senator Schumer’s leadership in the Senate’s passage of the American Foundries Act as a part of the National Defense Administrative Act will help put STAMP over the finish line as it will make available necessary funding to develop and construct the final pieces of infrastructure to stand up multiple semiconductor manufacturing fabs and along with it the creation of thousands of good-paying, family-sustaining jobs to Genesee County and the Western New York and Finger Lakes regions,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. Attracting semiconductor and similar industries at STAMP will result in as much as $10 billion to $15 billion of private sector investment all of which will be enabled by this game-changing legislation.”

Secondly today, Schumer announced his push to secure the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) grant to construct the last missing sewer line needed for STAMP to achieve shovel-ready status. Specifically, this funding is needed to complete STAMP’s sewer and wastewater system by constructing a 14,500-square-foot force main sewer line to support new businesses that locate at STAMP. The force main is the final piece needed to make STAMP shovel-ready with the capabilities to meet any industry’s needs to construct new manufacturing operations at STAMP and create new high-quality jobs. 

Lastly, Schumer called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider STAMP as a location for next-generation semiconductor research and manufacturing facilities now that the DoD is in discussions with semiconductor manufactures to build new domestic chip manufacturing facilities to ensure U.S. leadership in the global microelectronics supply chain.

Last month Schumer wrote to Defense Secretary Mark Esper to draw his attention to the opportunities for new Semiconductor development at STAMP. As a result, DoD officials participated in a meeting Schumer convened with STAMP officials to help position STAMP to capitalize on new opportunities through the DoD to attract semiconductor research and manufacturing facilities to STAMP.

Following Schumer’s unveiling of his bipartisan American Foundries Act and major push to bolster U.S. leadership in the microelectronics sector, he successfully advanced his proposal as an amendment included in the Senate-passed Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment:

• Directs the Secretary of Commerce to create a grant program for constructing, expanding, or modernizing commercial semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing, packaging, and advanced R&D facilities in the United States.
• Directs the Secretary of Defense to create a partnership program with the private sector to encourage the development of advanced, measurably secure microelectronics for use by the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, critical infrastructure, and other national-security applications.
• Requires the Secretary of Commerce to commence a review within 120 days assessing the state of the U.S. semiconductor industrial base.
• Establishes a Multilateral Microelectronics Security Fund, with which the United States, its allies, and partners will work to reach agreements promoting consistency in their policies related to microelectronics, greater transparency including supply chains, and greater alignment in export control and foreign direct investment policies.
• Directs the President to establish a subcommittee on semiconductor technology and innovation within the National Science and Technology Council; directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a national semiconductor technology center to conduct research, fund semiconductor startups and a Manufacturing USA Institute, create a National Advance Packaging Manufacturing Program; and encourages the Secretary of Labor to work with the private sector on workforce training and apprenticeships in semiconductor manufacturing.

This amendment, which is also cosponsored by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, is based on the Senator’s bipartisan American Foundries Act, which has been broadly supported by key players in New York’s semiconductor industry, including GlobalFoundries, IBM, ON Semiconductor, Cree Inc., the Genesee County Economic Development Center, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Cornell University, Binghamton University, and SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

 STAMP is specifically designed for development of large-scale semiconductor manufacturing. The 1250-acre mega site is divided into an 850-acre North Campus that can accommodate clean tech advanced manufacturers including up to three semiconductor chip fabs and a 400-acre South Campus ideal to attract new food, beverage, and warehouse/distribution development.

In 2012, Schumer successfully advocated on behalf of STAMP by calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide necessary wetlands permit assurances so that STAMP's developers could proceed with developing the site. In 2017 Schumer helped secure Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval of Empire Pipeline Inc.’s revised and extended PILOT agreement with Genesee County, the proceeds of which were needed to finance new water infrastructure at STAMP.

*STAMP -- Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m. 

• Genesee County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The new positive case resides in Batavia.
  • The individual is in their 30s.
  • The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Twenty-three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized. 
     
• Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
  • The new positive case resides in Shelby.
  • The individual is in their 60s.
  • The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Twelve new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized.
     

Press release:

After decades of service, Rainbow Preschool, operated by Arc of Genesee Orleans, will permanently close on Aug. 14.

Rainbow Preschool, located in Batavia at 80 Union St., and in Albion, serves children from 2½ - 5 years old with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

After careful consideration by Arc of Genesee Orleans’ Board of Directors, this difficult decision was made due to the current environment of the coronavirus pandemic, uncertain funding and declining enrollment.

While no return to class date was set due to NY State COVID-19 restrictions, enrollment to date included 26 children.

The preschool provided special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive technology, counseling, parent training, music therapy, and speech/language therapy to help students achieve kindergarten readiness. Preschool staff are New York state certified teachers, with teacher assistants and aides in the classroom. 

“This decision was made with heavy hearts,” said Donna Saskowski, executive director. “For any children who are enrolled with Rainbow for the 2020-21 school year, we will work directly with parents and with school district representatives to secure appropriate placements and ensure continuity of services.”

Rainbow Preschool provided critical services to generations of children with and without disabilities and they have a proud history of service for children with special needs.

Genesee County central school districts have sent their reopening proposals to the Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office and to the New York State Education Department.

It must be noted that the governor ultimately will determine whether or not schools may reopen. He is expected to announce his decision sometime next week.

Complete reopening plans can be found on the schools’ websites. All plans must comply with guidelines set forth by the state Education Department, Center for Disease Control, Genesee County Health Department and the governor’s executive orders.

The Batavian posted the Batavia City School District’s hybrid reopening plan on Tuesday.

ALEXANDER

Superintendent Catherine Huber said the district is proposing a hybrid reopening plan, based on the building capacity and in alignment with the aforementioned guidelines.

It includes designating Wednesdays as a virtual day for all students “to allow us to engage in scheduled deep cleaning on a weekly basis in addition to our regular daily cleaning routine.”

• Prekindergarten through fifth grade – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in school.
• BOCES CTE – Monday and Tuesday at BOCES, Thursday and Friday in school.
• Sixth through eighth grade – Monday and Tuesday in school, Thursday and Friday virtual.
• Ninth through 12^th grade – Monday and Tuesday virtual, Thursday and Friday in school.
• Special education/English language learning – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in school.

BYRON-BERGEN

Superintendent Mickey Edwards released the B-B plan, which (like Alexander’s plan) divides students into five groups – one with 100-percent in-school learning, three with a combination of in-school and remote learning and one with 100-percent remote learning.

• Universal Prekindergarten through fifth grade (elementary school) – All students in school.
• Cohort 1, sixth through 12^th grade – Students with last name A-L – Monday and Tuesday in school; Wednesday through Friday remote learning.
• Cohort 2, sixth through 12^th grade – Students with last name M-Z, Monday through Wednesday remote learning; Thursday and Friday in school.
• Cohort 3, sixth through 12^th grade students with special considerations – Every day except Wednesday in school.
• Virtual Cohort, K-12^th grade – 100-percent remote learning for students whose parents have opted not to send their children back to school.

ELBA

Superintendent Ned Dale said his committee “collectively agreed that the safest plan would be to have 50 percent of the students come every other day.”

He said the goal is to review the wellness of our students and staff on Oct. 1 and then every two weeks after that to increase capacity.

Two groups of students, Maroon and White, have been established based on last names to “allow them to sit on the bus together, possibly sit at a cafeteria table together, as social distancing is not required with members of the same household.”

Dale said that a 50-percent model will allow students to not wear a mask when they are seated in the classroom. He also noted that districts are required to accommodate students and families that choose to do distance learning and that students with special needs may be required to attend more often.

LE ROY

Superintendent Merritt Holly advised that the district has formulated a hybrid plan model, dividing the students from kindergarten to 12^th grade into two groups – Team Jell-O, which will be in school on Monday and Tuesday, and Team Oatka, which will be in school on Thursday and Friday.

Wednesday has been set aside as a full remote or virtual learning day for all students.

• Team Jell-O – Monday and Tuesday in school; Wednesday through Friday, remote learning.
• Team Oatka -- Thursday and Friday in school; Monday through Wednesday, remote learning.

“This allows us to have half our student population (in school) on Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday,” he said, adding that if parents don't feel comfortable sending their child back to school, the district is offering remote learning five days a week.

He said parents can choose one option for their child, either in-person instruction on two days, remote three days OR full remote five days.

The reopening plan is divided into the following categories as recommended by the state Education Department and Department of Health -- communications, operations, health & safety, transportation, food service, facilities/building procedures, academics/schedule, social emotional learning, athletics/extracurriculars.

OAKFIELD-ALABAMA

Superintendent John Fisgus said the plan is to have 100-percent in-person learning and teaching for the fall.

The start of classes is delayed until Sept. 11 for extra training and guidance for staff. Fisgus said that this is made possible by utilizing two additional superintendent conference days at the beginning of the year.

“We are in a lucky spot that we can social distance our students while in the classrooms so students can remove their masks during instruction time,” he reported.

The O-A reopening plan is divided into seven categories – communications, operations, health/safety protocols, building procedures, academics, athletics, social/emotional supports.

PAVILION

Superintendent Kenneth Ellison said the school’s reopening committee hasn’t reached a final decision on which of the three options submitted to the state – in-school, remote learning or a mix of the two – will be set into motion at the outset of the school year.

“We will continue to work on what school will look like in September once Governor Cuomo makes his final decision on school reopening on August 7^th,” he said. “Despite the scope of the state Education Department document, we still have many logistics to sort out to strike the balance between offering a program that is both educationally strong and meets the numerous health and safety requirements dictated by the state.

Ellison noted that the state Education Department defines these plans as “living documents” so changes will be made as new information becomes available.

PEMBROKE

Superintendent Matthew Calderon reported that the district is giving all K-12 parents the option for 100-percent online/remote learning or in-person learning, with the district set to send parents a summary of the details in an automated message before the plan is posted to its website.

He issued the following information:

• Students who participate in 100-percent online/remote learning must commit to do so at least on a quarterly basis, and will use the Google Classroom Suite and ClassTag to participate in lessons and receive information about learning expectations.
• Students who participate in-person will follow a normal schedule. Teachers will use the Google Classroom Suite and ClassTag to enhance the learning experience for students who attend in person. The district will rearrange classroom spaces and use clear desk shields to maximize social distancing and reduce the need to wear masks.
• By using the Google Classroom Suite and ClassTag, the district will be prepared to quickly transition to a hybrid/alternating-day schedule and/or 100-percent online/remote learning for all, if needed. In such cases, students with disabilities and students with extenuating circumstances would be prioritized to continue with in-person learning to the fullest extent possible, if permitted.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) has been officially appointed to the House Agriculture Committee.

“Agriculture is immensely important to both our Western New York community and economy, and I am honored to represent our great family farms in Congress,” Jacobs said. "Right now, my focus is on ensuring our farmers have the resources needed to continue their important operations providing food for families during this challenging time, but I am also looking toward the future to develop policies that allow for future generations of farmers to thrive in Western New York."

A major need in the Western New York community is improving access to rural broadband. The Agriculture Committee currently oversees this area and is tasked with developing ways to provide reliable expanded coverage.

“I have been a vocal advocate for the need for greater broadband access in our area, not only do our farmers and their machinery rely on it, but it is also critical for small businesses, students, and telehealth services – which have become increasingly important," Jacobs said. "While I fight for our great farming industry, I will also be working to improve the lives of all Western New Yorkers by addressing this critical need."

A driver is unresponsive in Darien after an accident at 10805 Harlow Road. The caller to dispatch says the vehicle is off the roadway; a first responder says it's partially blocking traffic. Darien fire and ambulance and Mercy medics are responding. Mercy Flight is on ground standby.

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: EMS on scene reports the operator is possibly intoxicated. Mercy medics and Mercy Flight put back in service. A Sheriff's deputy is responding.

UPDATE 1:24 p.m.: Darien ambulance is put back in service.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported in the area of 7469 Bank Street Road, Elba.

Elba fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Initially, Mercy Flight was placed on standby but a first responder on scene reports both drivers are out of their vehicles and walking around. Mercy Flight is canceled.

A responding police officer is advised to be on the lookout for a white pickup truck, possibly a Chevy, that may have caused the accident.

UPDATE 8:05 a.m.: Fire police requested for traffic control.

Update: July 31, 1 p.m. -- Genesee County Manager Jay Gsell responded to Amy Hathaway's comments regarding the lack of county funding for children of families receiving assistance from the Department of Social Services. Gsell's statement is at the bottom of this story.

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

With the COVID-19 pandemic showing few signs of letting up and with some school districts making plans to reopen with both in-school and at-home learning, day care center operators are facing new challenges as they strive to keep their businesses afloat.

The Batavian reached out to several child care centers in Genesee County and was met with concerns over issues such as hygiene and social distancing, Payroll Protection Program loans, school day schedules and teaching requirements, and the lack of Genesee County’s support for lower-income families in need of day care services.

At Kelly’s Imagination Station, which has three locations in Genesee County and three in Erie County, activity is picking up – although the Robert Morris branch on Union Street in Batavia is temporarily closed.

However, at Little Guppies Childcare in Bergen and Precious Play Care in Darien Center, the recent going has been rough for a variety of reasons.

The Genesee Community College Association Child Care Center also has been closed since mid-March (once classes were canceled due to the coronavirus) but will be opening in about three weeks.

And at the Genesee Area YMCA, officials said they currently are offering a summer camp for families needing child care, but aren’t sure what will be available going forward.

KELLY’S IMAGINATION STATION

Enrollment is nearly at capacity at the facility at 5079 Clinton Street Road, said director Jessie Steffenilla, adding that Kelly’s took over the former Grandma’s Loving Care in May 2019.

“We’re pretty much a full house, with over 100 kids (the maximum is 112) enrolled at this location,” she said. “As far as staffing, we still have from my location five people that are furloughed but probably by September, they all will be back and we may even add staff.”

Steffenilla said her company accepts children from 6 weeks to 12 years old and the ratio of staff to children ranges from 1:4 in the infant classroom to 1:10 for school-age attendees. All of the classrooms typically have two teachers, she said.

Kelly’s Imagination Station has set up a system for families of school-age children in the Batavia City School District to provide a learning environment, Steffenilla said. The Batavia district announced it is looking to go with a “hybrid” schedule of two days in school and three days out of school for most of its students.

“We are hiring bachelor degree teachers to run our school-age classrooms at all of our locations so they can do literacy throughout the day, and provide open art and gym with our outdoor playground,” she said. “And we will have instruction time, with the availability to get the kids on their Zoom meetings with Wi-Fi here -- that we would be willing to upgrade if needed.”

As with most child care businesses, Kelly’s provides lunch, breakfast and snacks – included in the tuition cost.

All three Genesee County sites have protocols in place to deal with COVID-19, Steffenilla said. They include: hand sanitizing upon entry into the vestibule; teachers wearing masks at all times when they’re in the classrooms with children; frequent hand washing; maximum group sizes of no more than 15; sending kids home if they have temperatures over 100; and visitors having to answer questions pertaining to the coronavirus.

Steffenilla said there have been no cases of the virus at any of their locations. Her sister, Emilie, runs the center on Tountas Avenue in the Village of Le Roy, which currently is serving about 40 children (out of a maximum of about 70).

Jessie Steffenilla said the Robert Morris site is expected to reopen on Aug. 17. She said it had closed because many families, due to the pandemic, were not in need of child care, while those that did, moved their kids over to Clinton Street Road.

LITTLE GUPPIES CHILDCARE

Amy Hathaway, owner of Little Guppies Childcare on Rochester Street in Bergen for the past nine years, said a decision by the Genesee County Department of Social Services to not issue DSS payments to daycare providers has put her in a real bind.

“In my center, I had every family except the families that needed DSS to help them with child care costs pay full tuition even though their child wasn't here,” she said. “It was an option for Genesee County to pay providers, but they chose not to, although Erie County did pay their providers. I lost a thousand dollars a week because of this.”

Hathaway said she accepted these students because she wanted “to provide a great program to families that might otherwise not have access to one.”

“Instead of helping child care centers stay in business, they took funding from us,” she said, providing a letter from DSS that stated the county commissioner and director of financial services decided “to waive the family share and to give additional time to families who were having to recertify for daycare assistance during the pandemic.”

Hathaway said she was able to stay open only because of a Payroll Protection Program loan.

“It is upsetting because this decision could have closed my doors,” she said. “I am still struggling but I have had a few of the DSS kids return to care. At a time when child care is so crucial. this type of decision making is unacceptable.”

Currently, her staff of eight is taking care of about 40 children (maximum is 45).

She said she is working with parents to allow students to do their school work online at the center, with her staff providing educational assistance in a situation where the student’s particular school has opted for a virtual or hybrid schedule.

“We’re just hoping that (federal) aid starts picking up because I know everyone is looking to try to help child care, and it’s just a bummer that our county didn’t help us,” she offered. “I have been doing a lot of tours, and see that a lot of daycare centers are closing because I would imagine, they’re not getting payments.”

Hathaway said that a nearby child care center – All Natural Kids – recently closed.

PRECIOUS PLAY CARE

At Precious Play Care on Broadway Road in Darien Center, owner Kim Alvord said business has decreased by 75 percent and currently the center is functioning at about 30 percent of its normal capacity.

“We have 64 children enrolled, but today there are 20,” she said, explaining that the decline is partly because of COVID restrictions but mostly because both parents have yet to return to work.

Operating for 28 years, Alvord said the center services people from well beyond Genesee County.

“We have (preschool) children from all over depending upon people’s way (route) to work,” she said. “We have people from Royalton, but they work in Alden and some people who work in Brockport but live in Erie County. They bring their kids here because we’re on the way.”

Alvord said her center’s school students’ program is only for holidays and before and after school.

“They take the bus from the child care center to school and back here after school,” she said. “We’re not set up for students all year as we do not have internet; we’re not teachers.”

She said she is thankful that she qualified for PPP and Small Business Administration loans, but is worried that she may have to pay the SBA loan back.

“I haven’t found out the details yet,” she said, noting that she has 12 employees to consider. “I’m trying to keep my doors open for people. During the whole thing from March, we had about 16 kids – children of essential workers. It will take a couple of years to catch up for sure.”

GCC ASSOCIATION CHILD CARE

Closed in March due to low enrollment, the Genesee Community College Child Care Center will reopen on Aug. 24, placing a priority on serving children of its students but also for faculty and community residents, Director Kayleen McEwan said.

“We accept children from 6 weeks to 5 years old, preschoolers, and we have space available,” McEwan said, adding that she can accommodate 50 children per day. “It’s much lower at this time because of the virus.”

McEwan said child care centers already have strict health and safety guidelines in place, meeting the Centers for Disease Control guidelines. “We’re constantly sanitizing and cleaning,” she said.

She said the center employs 10 full-time teachers who “all are eager to get back to work.”

GENESEE AREA FAMILY YMCA

Jeff Townsend, district executive director, said employees there are taking a wait-and-see approach as school is about to restart.

“At this point, the YMCA intends to offer child care this coming fall if permitted by the governor’s mandates to schools and within the approved regulations from OCFS (Office of Children and Family Services), the state regulatory agency for child care,” he said. “Unfortunately, at this time, we are in the waiting game for those decisions to be made.”

Townsend said that once final decisions are made, the YMCA will let people know what child care offerings it can provide in the districts it serves.

Normally, the YMCA offers its day camp before and after school and a “vacation fun club” for days when school is not in session.

The director of the Agri-Business Child Development on Brooklyn Avenue in Batavia did not return an email seeking comment.

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

From County Manager Jay Gsell:

Genesee County DSS did under NYS Department of Health guidance grant two waivers for day care center/DSS eligible children attendance in regard to eligibility deadline extension and the family share contribution which is more than some other local rural county DSS agencies did. In our Family services plan that NYS approves, waiver options like what Monroe or Erie did on payments without attendance was also an option but our Genesee County DSS didn’t have any supplemental funding like Erie and Monroe got from the federal CARES Act 1/2 to the tune of over $100 million each, which only five to six NYS counties with populations over 500,000 were eligible for and Community Development Block Grant entitlement cities like Buffalo and Rochester.

Press release:

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The 2020 racing season got underway at Batavia downs on Wednesday (July 29) with owners only on hand to watch the action. But absent a crowd and the usual fanfare, the horses showed up and took full advantage of a lightning-fast track.

A pair of $10,000 Open events headlined the card and the winner of each took a new seasonal mark for their efforts.

In the Open I trot, Il Mago (Jim Morrill Jr.) proved he was the best on the grounds this week after making every step from gate to wire a winning one.

Morrill shot Il Mago off the gate and to the front and the race could have been called at that point. Trotting like a loose horse on the point, Il Mago went quarters of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:26 flat, while extending his lead at each station. With only Chuckabuck (Drew Monti) remotely close, Il Mago was up by 3-1/2 at the top of the stretch and rolled home in front by 4-1/4 in 1:56.3.

It was the third win in the last four starts at three different tracks for the classy Il Mago ($2.80) who now has 49 career wins and $869,373 in earnings. The son of Kadabra-Northern Style is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama.

The fillies and mare Open I was also contested Wednesday and Julio’s Girl (Dave McNeight III) upset the apple cart for the second straight week.

HP Sissy ( Jim Morrill Jr.) left best and Lady London (Ray Fisher Jr.) followed while the rest of the field followed in post position order. After HP Sissy got to the half in :56.3, McNeight pulled Julio’s Girl first over entering the third turn and started the outside grind toward the leader. After a quarter-mile in the breeze, Julio’s Girl got even with HP Sissy at the top of the stretch and then paced clear down the lane to win by a length in 1:54.2, holding off a late rush from Protect Blue Chip (Billy Davis Jr.) and Gia’s Surreal (John Cummings Jr.) in the process.

After returning $33.60 in victory last week, Julio’s Girl blew up the tote board again in her seventh win of the year and rewarded her backers with $35.20 this week at Batavia. Julio’s Girl is owned by William Emmons and is trained by Jim Clouser Jr.

Jim Morrill Jr. had the hot hand in the bike on opening night, scoring a grand slam during the evening. Besides the already mentioned Il Mago, Morrill also won with Lyra (1:55.2, $4.90), Leaderofthepack (1:59.4, $4) and Edom Up Blue Boy (1:58.4, $2.30).

Dave McNeight III and Billy Davis Jr. also had productive nights, getting three wins each on the card.

Trainers Gerry Sarama and Jim Clouser Jr. led all conditioners with two wins apiece.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (July 31) with post time at 5 p.m.

A caller to dispatch reports about six or seven children are jumping off the new pedestrian bridge on Walnut Street, and into the Tonawanda Creek. City police are responding.

UPDATE 5:36 p.m.: An officer just arrived on scene.

From the YMCA of Genesee & Orleans Counties:

Jeff Townsend, executive director of the YMCA of Genesee & Orleans Counties, is calling for public support in asking Governor Andrew Cuomo to let nonprofit organizations, like the YMCA, resume using their facilities to support the health and well-being of the communities they serve.

He wants you to sign this petition to let Governor Cuomo know that communities need their YMCAs to open fully to support the health and well-being of New Yorkers.

"For hundreds of communities across New York, the Y is so much more than gym," Townsend's missive says. "The Y works with vulnerable populations to improve health outcomes, build immunity and reduce the impact of underlying conditions that make individuals more susceptible to COVID-19.

The programs Ys are not able to offer while our facilities are closed include:

• Arthritis Management Programs
• Blood Pressure Self-Management Programs
• Brain Health Programs to Prevent Cognitive Decline
• Cancer Wellness and Treatment Recovery
• Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs
• Diabetes Prevention and Management
• Family Wellness
• Obesity or Weight-loss Intervention
• Inclusive Programming for People with Different Abilities
• Programs for People an Caretakers of Those with Parkinson's Disease

Townsend continues by saying Governor Cuomo's decision to prohibit YMCAs from reopening their membership facilities in Phase 4 jeopardizes the economic viability of one of New York State's largest nonprofit organizations and employers: "While our communities generously support the Y through donations and grants, the Y's membership operations are the primary source of funding for its community work."

To date, New York's YMCAs have lost more than $117 million in membership and program revenue due to the government's mandated closures and capacity restrictions.

Unfortunately, these growing losses hinder the Y's ability to positively impact the health and well-being of more than 1.5 million children, families, and seniors who rely on the Y for everything from childcare and meals, to housing and human interaction, according to Townsend.

Ready to Reopen

YMCAs across the state have worked together to ensure that they are reopening in a safe and responsible manner.

Since closing membership operations in March, YMCAs have renovated their facilities, enhanced cleaning protocols, and physically redesigned spaces in order to create an environment that exceeds the health and safety guidelines from the CDC and State Department of Health. During all these changes, the Y continued to serve the needs of communities across New York State.

Open for Good

While our membership operations have been closed, the Y has continued to safely serve communities throughout the State of New York:

• 2,500 children of essential personnel served each day at childcare centers during the pandemic;
• 3,000 children served at YMCA Summer Programs;
• 30,400 calls and visits to vulnerable populations to check on their health and deliver food or goods;
• 128,302 meals provided through a variety of food programs and distribution centers.

Safe Today, Safe Tomorrow

The Y has served thousands, safely, during the pandemic. It is clear that YMCAs can run safely and responsibly. Communities needs the Y, and it needs your help to make sure the Y can continue to serve our community today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

Press release:

New Cases – As of 2 p.m.

• Genesee County received two new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in Batavia and Le Roy.
  • One of the individuals is in their 40s and one of the individuals is in their 50s.
  • Neither of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Three new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
  • One of the individuals is hospitalized. 
     
  • Orleans County received one new positive case of COVID-19.
    • The new positive case resides in Gaines
    • The individual is in their 40s
    • The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
    • One new individual is on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
    • One of the individuals is hospitalized.

Press release:

Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL) has addressed the needs of youth with disabilities by establishing a Youth Peer Advocacy Program.

To allow anyone who might be interested in getting to know the Program without leaving home, they are holding a Youth Peer Virtual Open House via the GoToMeeting online app, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday Aug. 6.

Like others their age, young people with disabilities have questions and would appreciate getting honest and transparent answers – and who better than young people who also have disabilities to provide them? 

Attendees will be able to meet Young adult peers from the disability community, learn its current and planned activities, and offer suggestions for its future direction by joining the Youth Advisory Council. There will also be opportunities to win prizes and participate in a Question and Answer session.

There is no need to register in advance. On the Youth Peers at WNY Facebook page there is a larger flyer with a scannable QR (Quick Response) code square to connect easily. For those who cannot scan, the direct link to the virtual gathering is here.

Those with any questions can reach out to the Program by emailing youth@wnyil.org, or calling (716) 836-0822, ext. 540.

The Western New York Independent Living Inc. Family of Agencies offer an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.