Interview with Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. about City Schools' budget.
Press release:
Absentee Voting during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Because of the continued safety concerns of voting during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor has signed an executive order to expand the narrow absentee criteria for the upcoming June 23rd Primary and Special Election to include the potential for contraction of COVID-19.
This order was also requested and supported by the bipartisan NY State Election Commissioners’ Association. This will give all Genesee County registered voters the option of requesting an absentee ballot.
To vote by absentee ballot, you need to fill out an absentee application. To get an absentee application;
During these difficult times our mission right now is to keep the public, candidates and poll workers informed of any changes and to advocate for the safest election process for both the voters and our election workers.
Genesee County Board of Elections Commissioners -- Dick Siebert and Lorie Longhany
Press release:
Earlier today, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched a video as part of an ongoing awareness campaign to reach all New Yorkers and encourage them to follow the State's guidance to stay home. The video builds on ongoing state efforts to reach all communities in New York with lifesaving stay home message.
A rush transcript of the remarks is available below:
Melissa DeRosa: For the last six weeks, we have done a number of social media campaigns to drive home the point that the personal decisions we make today have a direct impact on the lives of other New Yorkers. And as an extension of the Who I Stay Home For campaign that we launched a few days ago, we asked New Yorkers to share with us personal private photos of how they're spending their time at home and let us see into their lives, and they were incredible. They show New York tough at its defining moment. There is a one-minute, short video that cuts them altogether if you want to play that.
Governor Cuomo: That is beautiful. The statisticians when they did their curve did not know how New Yorkers would respond and didn't know whether or not New Yorkers would comply, and they didn't know how unified New Yorkers can be and how responsible they can be and how caring they are and how they rally for one another.
That's what they did not know, and that's what they couldn't count in those models. They couldn't count the spirit of New Yorkers and the love of New Yorkers to step up and do the right thing. That's what they could not figure out on their computers.
Press release:
The New York Coalition For Open Government, (formerly known as the Buffalo Niagara Coalition for Open Government), calls upon local government officials to keep the public fully informed and engaged during these emergency times.
The New York Coalition For Open Government, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing open government issues at the local and state level.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic public attendance at local government meetings has been banned.
Local governments across the state of New York are conducting public business by way of video meetings. In this time of emergency it is important that the public be kept fully informed as to the actions being taken by their elected officials and that citizens have the opportunity to provide their input at local government meetings.
Steps that local government officials can take to keep the public informed and involved are:
1) Posting meeting agendas and meeting documents online – Even before the Coronavirus many local governments were not posting meeting documents online for the public to see. The public should be able to view the same documents elected officials have before them at a meeting. The entire packet of information that elected officials have before them should be posted online several days before a meeting occurs. Watching elected officials conduct a meeting by video without being able to view meeting documents is unacceptable.
2) Meetings Should be Live Streamed and Recordings Posted Online – Government meetings are now being conducted by video which the public should be able to view live or to watch at a later date. Government websites should make it clear where the public has to go to watch meetings. The technology that is available through Zoom, Facebook, Skype, etc., is readily accessible and not difficult to manage.
3) Public Comments Should Be Solicited During Meetings: Prior to the Coronavirus most public bodies, but not all provided the opportunity for citizens to address agenda items and general community concerns. Public comments typically have a time limit of several minutes.
While meetings are being conducted through video, efforts should be made to obtain public comments in real time. Many local governments during this emergency situation have eliminated providing the public the opportunity to be heard, which is unacceptable.
Public comments can occur during a meeting in real time by:
4) Timely Posting of Meeting Minutes – Posting meeting minutes as soon as possible, after a meeting occurs is important for keeping the public informed. Minutes should ideally be posted within two weeks of a meeting occurring and definitely before the next meeting occurs.
“In the best of times ensuring that government operates in an open and transparent way is often difficult," said Paul Wolf, Esq., president of the New York Coalition For Open Government. "In an emergency situation it is even more important for local governments to do everything they can to provide information to the public and to hear from their citizens.”
For more information about the New York Coalition For Open Government, visit www.nyopengov.org.
We're talking to James Dillon, co-founder of the Harvester Makerspace, in Batavia about his process to make face shields, an essential part of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The final few months of David J. Zanghi Sr.’s life were extremely difficult, to say the least.
In November 2019, the lifelong Batavian became an unsuspecting victim of a domestic dispute that turned into a 20-hour standoff at 209 Liberty St. Zanghi resided in the downstairs apartment; the incident involved the tenant who lived upstairs.
The aftermath of that event resulted in Zanghi having to find another place to live due to the damage caused by police officers during their attempt to talk the perpetrator -- who was armed with a knife and BB gun -- into surrendering.
It was, according to his sister and advocate, Mary Ellen Wilber, too much for the physically and emotionally impaired Air Force veteran to deal with and sent him into a downward spiral that ended with his death on March 27.
Zanghi, affectionately known as the “Mayor of the Southside” due to his outgoing and caring demeanor, succumbed at the age of 67 after going into cardiac arrest at Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester.
The cause of death?
“He died of COVID-19,” said Wilber, speaking by telephone from her New Jersey home on Thursday. “The Health Department has said there is one Genesee County resident who has died (from the coronavirus) -- a male over the age of 65. That person is my brother, David.”
The Batavian was unable to confirm with authorities that Zanghi died of COVID-19 but, nonetheless, Wilber’s story is quite compelling.
She said her brother suffered from end-stage kidney failure (he was on dialysis), diabetes and heart disease, and also was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
He had managed to keep things together in his adult years, she said, by regularly connecting with family, friends and neighbors. Everything changed, however, following the standoff.
“The thing that happened with the City, I’ll be honest with you, that destroyed him,” said Wilber, who contends that law enforcement used the Liberty Street incident as a tactical exercise.
“He lost faith in his community. David was such an outgoing, loving and caring person. Everyone on the Southside as we grew up knew him as Davey Joe. As an adult, he was David.”
Wilber said her brother became despondent over what he perceived as the Batavia police’s lack of concern for his situation – the destruction caused by hundreds of tear gas canisters – and that despair turned into paranoia.
“So, when you have a person who never caused any problem in the City of Batavia, who had always been good in the City of Batavia, was a good neighbor to the neighbors next door, to the neighbors on Liberty Street, was cordial and had always been cordial to the police – and you can ask the police officers if my brother had always been cordial to them -- … and you discounted all of those things and treated him horribly,” she said.
“It undermined his mental capacity and he was afraid of what they would do to him next because no one ever cared about what they did to him.”
Zanghi eventually was relocated by his landlord to a home on Grandview Terrace (after plans to go to an apartment on Summit Street didn’t work out), Wilber said. He was lonely and depressed, she said, and he fell down on more than one occasion -- the last time fracturing his shoulder in February.
“The shoulder got infected, David got sick and became disoriented, developing a fever of 101,” Wilber said. “So, we took him to the U of R (Strong) and the infection went through his whole body. He had bacterial pneumonia.”
During his 10-day stay at Strong, Wilber said she and her sister, Michelle Gaylord, “repeatedly asked (doctors) to make sure you check Zanghi for COVID-19."
“They said no COVID, everything’s fine. Then they did two major operations on his shoulder (on March 19 and 21), and they day before he died the social worker and I were planning for his discharge. He was medically stable,” Wilber said, adding that the family was looking at putting him in the NYS Veterans Home on the VA Medical Center grounds in Batavia.
Wilber said her brother was “doing great but we were kind of curious because he was so tired.”
“When you have COVID-19, you’re exhausted because the COVID is taking over your body," said Wilber, whose has worked for the Center for Disease Control on special projects and has taught about HIV for 35 years.
“So, when he died on that Friday, the doctor said your brother’s pulse stopped. His heart just stopped. Well, a side effect of COVID-19 is sudden cardiac arrest.”
While she holds no ill will against the doctors and nurses at Strong, Wilber said she was livid when she found out that they did not test her brother for COVID-19 while he was alive, but did test him right after he died.
'My brother got COVID-19 while he was up there'
“He got infected there because all of us were previously tested and none of us who were with David have got the virus,” she said. “What makes this wild is that my brother got COVID-19 while he was up there. He died from it. They told us that he tested positive and what makes us crazy is that he got infected by somebody up there and, in turn, he exposed everybody that he came in contact with.”
Wilber said her brother was in the emergency room for two and a half days – “he probably got it down there,” she presumes – and then he went in for X-ray, CAT scan, ultrasound and blood work.
“Then he was on the sixth floor for almost eight days … all the nurses, all the doctors, the surgeons, the specialists, all the lab people – all of those people were exposed to COVID-19,” she said. “I have lost so many nights' sleep praying for those healthcare workers. Do you know how ridiculous U of R is because they never tested him? They would have found that before he died. They could have put him in isolation. I called the governor’s office, got a special advisor –and messaged him, I want you to know this.”
An administrative assistant returning phone calls for Strong Memorial Hospital’s public relations department verified this morning that Zanghi was a patient there and did pass away there on March 27. She said HIPAA laws and patient confidentiality restrictions prevented her from providing other information.
Wilber said her sister notified the Genesee County Health Department of Zanghi’s death by COVID-19.
“And then they have a news conference and he (Director Paul Pettit) is breaking the news – saying that the health department notified the family,” she said. “Kiss my butt. My sister called them and told them my brother died of it.”
Wilber, who grew up on Wood Street in Batavia, said she is in the process of moving to Attica (Wyoming County) because she said she will never live in Genesee County again after the way the police treated her brother.
She said she wants to thank City Manager Martin Moore and Assistant City Manager Rachael Tabelski and the residents of Batavia for their kindness and to Rosanne DeMare of Genesee Justice who “went over and above.”
David Zanghi also leaves behind two sons, David Jr. of East Pembroke and Alex of Texas; sister, Rosanne Wray of Batavia; brother, Philip of Las Vegas, and their families; four grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Wilber said a memorial service is planned for this spring or summer at Ascension Parish in Batavia, and that her brother will be buried at the Western New York National Cemetery in Pembroke.
Photo: David Zanghi Sr. on his front porch of his former residence at 209 Liberty St. Taken by Howard Owens following the 20-hour standoff in November 2019.
Two patients at the VA Hospital in Batavia have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a spokeswoman for the Veterans Administration in Western New York.
Statement:
Precautionary measures have been taken to mitigate the risk of transmission to other patients and staff, as the Veterans are being cared for in respiratory isolation by staff who are specially trained on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) treatment guidelines, including the use of personal protective equipment and infection-control techniques.
VA is screening Veterans and staff who present with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath who meet the CDC criteria for evaluation of COVID-19 infection. Per CDC guidance and VA protocols, patients known to be at risk for a COVID-19 infection are immediately isolated to prevent potential spread to others.
Veterans and staff are encouraged to take everyday preventive actions to avoid being exposed to the virus:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands;
- Stay home if you are sick or becoming sick;
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-percent alcohol;
- If you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with symptoms, call the VA before going to the facility.
With some warmer temperatures forecast for Easter Sunday and Monday, area golf enthusiasts may have been looking forward to capitalizing on the fact that golf courses were open – although with limited service – for business.
All of that changed on Thursday when Empire State Development, the agency charged with designating businesses as “essential” or “non-essential," moved golf courses into the "non-essential" category.
Golf courses had been open for the past couple weeks.
“It’s really too bad about golf courses. It’s a safe place for people to get, especially if it’s done right (practicing social distancing),” Karen Pompa, owner of Batavia Country Club said this morning. “It can be a relief for people to walk around for four or five hours.”
She said that many of her customers are not happy about the latest New York State restriction.
“I’ve been getting a lot of emails from people saying that they want to get petitions going to open golf courses,” she said.
Pompa said things are quiet at the Batavia-Byron road establishment, which also has had to put a hold on its restaurant business.
“Like everyone else, we just have to wait it out,” she said.
According to Section 13, Recreation, of ESD’s guidance on essential services document:
-- Parks and other open public spaces, except playgrounds and other areas of congregation where social distancing cannot be abided;
-- However, golf courses are not essential;
-- However, use of boat launches and marinas for recreational vessels is not considered essential;
The golf courses mandate is effective through April 29 unless changed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Prior to yesterday’s ruling, the state had allowed golf courses to operate as businesses as long as they abided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state-mandated guidelines, and adhered to safe, social distancing.
Press release:
On April 8 at approximately 8:54 p.m., the Batavia Police Department responded to the area of 15 Highland Park for a vehicle that backed into a house.
Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle and a subject, which had been struck by it near the area as reported. The person was transported to Strong where they were treated and later released.
The incident is being investigated as a criminal matter and Detectives been following up on several leads. There is no threat to the general public at this time. No further information can be released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information in reference to the case may contact Detective Sergeant Matt Lutey at 585-345-6311 or the Batavia Police Department at (585) 345-6350, the confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced that four detainees in the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
A spokesman for ICE said the COVID-19 positive inmates are
We asked about contact tracing and whether any contacts, including, potentially staff, were placed on mandatory isolation, the spokesman responded, "Consistent with CDC guidelines, those who have come in contact with these individuals have been cohorted and are being monitored for symptoms."
A total of 48 ICE detainees nationally have tested positive, and 15 ICE employees working at detention centers have tested positive, but so far there are no reports of an employee of ICE in Batavia testing positive.
Any people testing positive for COVID-19 at federal facilities in Batavia are not part of the positive-case count provided by county health officials. The Genesee County Health Department is not notified of positive cases either the detention facility or the VA Medical Center.
CORRECTION: The paragraph above was based on information provided by the Health Department. Today, we received an email saying this statement was incorrect and during today's briefing (April 10), Public Health Director Paul Pettit said positive test results from these facilities are included in the county's tally of positive cases.
However, Paul Pettit, director of public health, said today that if asked for assistance with contact tracing to check for community spread, that assistance would be provided.
Earlier this week, Justice for Migrant Families WNY, an advocacy group, released what it said is a statement authorized by several detainees in Batavia. The statement indicated that detainees are concerned about the possibility of coronavirus in the facility because of numerous interactions with staff and the inability to properly social distance.
Press release:
Today, NY-27 congressional candidate Nate McMurray voiced his support of Governor Cuomo’s recent announcement to allow all New Yorkers to vote absentee in the Special Election that will be held on June 23rd.
In addition to expanded absentee balloting, McMurray is advocating for legislation that enables the Board of Elections to send all eligible voters a ballot by mail. The ballots could be mailed-in or deposited, as applicable, at drop-off locations, voter service and/or polling centers.
“New Yorkers should not have to face the same tough situation that the people of Wisconsin just experienced, we will not make room for voter suppression," McMurray said. "We must do better. We must go further to protect our communities and people and allow any and all voters to mail-in a ballot.
"Let’s prioritize the health of our community and be proactive -- we need to send every registered voter a ballot in the mail. In our democratic society, no person should have to make a choice between their health and their right to vote.”
Press release:
All Genesee County Parks, which entail the Genesee County Park & Forest and DeWitt Recreation Area, are open for recreational use from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day until May 3.
The following restrictions are in place for the Genesee County Park & Forest and DeWitt Recreation Area due to the COVID-19 Pandemic:
The Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest will be closed until April 29th and reopening will be re-evaluated at that time.
There will be no public programming at the Genesee County Park & Forest or at DeWitt Recreation Area until further notice.
All existing picnic shelter reservations are cancelled until April 29th and will be re-evaluated at that time. Refunds may be provided or reservations may be rescheduled.
There will be no special events or other group functions allowed at the Genesee County Park & Forest or DeWitt Recreation Area until April 29th and will be re-evaluated at that time.
As shelter reservations occur face-to-face in the main office, Genesee County Parks will not be accepting any new picnic shelter reservations until April 29th.
The park gates (winter) will remain closed to vehicles until May 4th in accordance with the normal annual park schedule. Parking is available at Areas A, B and Horse Trailer (rear gate) parking for the Genesee County Park & Forest and at the South entrance for DeWitt Recreation Area.
Normal park hours of operation are still in effect (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) Winter Hours until May 3rd.
Playgrounds at the parks are closed until further notice.
Please practice social distancing of at least 6 feet and adhere to the gathering rules put in place by the NYS Governor and the NYS PAUSE ACT. Individuals should limit outdoor recreational activities to non-contact and avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people.
Following these rules will keep the entire community safe and healthy as the parks are enjoyed by everyone.
Conservation Education Programs Coordinator Shannon Lyaski is providing teachers, scout leaders, youth leaders and other program coordinators with support for science and nature-related lessons and activities this spring.
Visit the Genesee County Parks website to contact her. Check the County Parks Facebook page at Genesee County Parks, Recreation & Forestry for park updates and fun resources and activities to do at home.
Please contact Paul Osborn, Deputy Highway Superintendent of Facilities, Parks, Recreation & Forestry: Paul.Osborn@co.genesee.ny.us or call (585) 344-8508.
For more information visit our website.
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Press release:
Pembroke Central School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.
Now in its 21st year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
To qualify for the designation, Pembroke CSD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music programs, Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.
This award recognizes that Pembroke CSD is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation guides implementation in the states and replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing-while leaving behind subjects such as music.
ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education for all children.
Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music.
After two years of music education, research found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores that their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well.
Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children that in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory.
Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound; young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.
A 2015 study supported by The NAMM Foundation, “Striking A Chord,” also outlines the overwhelming desire by teachers and parents for music education opportunities for all children as part of the school curriculum.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, click here.
Submitted photos and press release:
The philanthropic arm of the trade group known as the National Association of Music Merchants -- the NAMM Foundation -- has designated Le Roy Central School District as one of the 2020 Best Communities for Music Education in the nation.
This designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
Le Roy is one of 754 districts across the county receiving the prestigious award in 2020. Congratulations to the Le Roy music teachers, administrators, students, parents, and community leaders on this distinguished designation!
Le Roy has received this designation 14 out of the last 15 years and continues to thrive in providing music education through many opportunities throughout the district.
In the Le Roy Central School District, the music education program supports 325 students in chorus and 220 students in band, and offers vocal and instrumental performance ensembles for students in grades 4-12 as well as a competitive marching band.
Annually, the program produces a sixth-grade musical and a jr.-sr. high musical. In the classroom, general music and a variety of sr. high electives are also offered each year.
Merritt Holly -- Le Roy superintendent: "On behalf of the Board of Education and the entire Le Roy Central School District, we are extremely proud to be recognized again as a 2020 Best Communities for Music Education. This prestigious honor signifies the continued dedication and passion our teachers and students have each day to excel in music education. Congratulations to our administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community for setting high expectations in order to achieve this tremendous accomplishment!"
Carol Messura -- Wolcott Street School principal: "Wolcott Street School is beaming with pride at receiving the "Best Community for Music Education" designation for the 14th year! Our music department continues to raise the bar of excellence for our students! Each and every staff member in the department plays an integral role in providing quality, sound instruction to meet the needs of all their students. Congratulations on another year of excellence!"
Tim McArdle -- Jr.-Sr. High School principal: "We are so proud of our music students and staff who year in and year out produce high-level performances on our stages, in the pit, in competition, and on the field across many places throughout the region. Our program is so successful because of the dedicated teachers, families, and community who continue to offer so many opportunities for our students. A special thank you to our students for their commitment and willingness to perform at such a high level. Their dedication to and work ethic on their craft is inspiring, way to go, Knights!"
Matt Nordhausen -- Le Roy Music Department chair: "We are truly humbled to receive this wonderful designation for a 14th year, which casts a national spotlight on the incredible contributions made by the parents, teachers, school administrators, board of education, and members of this community to provide unparalleled music educational opportunities and experiences for the growth and benefit of our students. It is especially uplifting to earn this distinction during these troubling and uncertain times. Thank you NAMM Foundation for this recognition and thank you Le Roy community for your continued support!"
For more information about NAMM Foundation and its support of programs, research and activities that promote music making across the lifespan, click here.
Interview with Michael Bromley, athletic director at Batavia High School. Scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
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