Stories from

Sarah Wessel, in Alexander, submitted this photo with a note that said, "Jasmine and Anabelle’s house. Spring is here."

Video: Easter message from Rev. Dr. Roula Alkhouri, Batavia First Presbyterian Church

We're trying something new tonight. Rather than a live stream interview, we invited Tim Hens to join in a conversation about current events. You know Hens as the county highway superintendent but that isn't what we'll be talking about tonight.

Your feedback on this format is welcome. You can type comments during the live stream on YouTube by clicking here.

The American Legion marquee sign outside the Legion Hall on Alexander Road, Batavia.

It was a busy day for the Easter Bunny in Genesee County today, among the stops -- the Village of Alexander, where the Bunny was given a ride and escort by the Alexander Volunteer Fire Department for all the children to see.

Two poems by Harold Pinter read by Rodrigo Beilfuss, artistic director of Shakespeare in the Ruins in Manitoba, Canada, and an artist in residence at the Harvester 56 Theater.

Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received six more COVID-19 cases. Orleans has two new cases and Genesee has four. Contact tracing has been initiated.

There is currently no further information to release on ages and locations. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Monday afternoon.

We encourage everyone to continue social distancing and staying home. If you need to go out, for essential needs, only one person should be running those errands so as not to risk further exposure. This is not a time for gatherings or date night.

The life you save may be you or a loved one. We can do this together…we are one day closer to this being a memory.

The Health Department does not released further information until Monday afternoon.

Arielle McVay donned a bunny suit today, and accompanied by Tonya Philips, tried to bring a little joy to Batavia residents this afternoon, walking most of the length of Main Street as the Easter Bunny, waving at cars as they drove by, with many drivers answering with a friendly honk.

Le Roy Oatkan Knight Golf Coach Amy Brotherton rallied her current and former players to produce a quarantine golf video. 

Principal Tim McArdle said it is a tribute to all Section V golfers and pros missing "Moving Day at the Masters Golf Tournament."

Press  release:

• Governor Sends Letter Calling on the U.S. Treasury to Ensure New Yorkers Do Not Have Their Stimulus Payments Frozen by Banks or Seized by Creditors as Soon as They Arrive
• Confirms 9,946 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State - Bringing Statewide Total to 180,458; New Cases in 49 Counties
• Cuomo: "Reopening is both a public health question and an economic question and I'm unwilling to divorce the two. There is no economic answer that that does not attend to public health. ... you can't ask the people of this state or this country to choose between lives lost and dollars gained. ... I understand the need to bring back the economy as quickly as possible. I understand people need to work. I also know we need to save lives and we have. One cannot be at the expense of the other."
• Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo earlier today announced a new partnership with the New York State Court System to create a pro bono network of volunteer lawyers to provide New Yorkers with free legal assistance. Volunteers will begin to receive training and start offering assistance next week. Lawyers interested in volunteering can sign up at www.nysba.org/covidvolunteer. 
• Governor Cuomo also issued a letter calling on the U.S. Treasury to ensure New Yorkers do not have their stimulus payments frozen by banks or seized by creditors as soon as they arrive.

An additional three detainees at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia have tested positive for COVID-19.

That brings the number of detainees who have tested positive at the facility to seven.

The Batavian reported on the first four cases on Friday. In the original story, we said detainees who tested positive were not included in the countywide count based on information obtained from the Health Department. The Health Department has since corrected that previous statement and said detainees, as well as COVID patients at other federal and state facilities in the county, are included in the county's numbers.

As of this morning, the County is reporting 70 positive cases locally, and 49 active cases, 20 recoveries, and one death. It's not known at this time if the three new ICE cases are yet included in the county's count.

We've requested from an ICE spokesman more information about the three new cases.

So far, ICE has not reported any employees at the facility as positive.

UPDATE 12:46 p.m.:  More information from ICE:

• Two 21-year-old Salvadorian nationals, and a 35-year-old Dominican national in ICE custody at Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York, tested positive for COVID-19.

Consistent with CDC guidelines, those who have come in contact with these individuals have been cohorted and are being monitored for symptoms.

Employees, and their family members, of O-AT-KA Milk Products have been expressing concern this week about how the company has responded to the outbreak of COVID-19 in our community.

In emails to The Batavian and in social media posts, both employees and family members have accused the company of making employees work even though they might have been exposed to a person who tested positive for the coronavirus.

In the past week, Genesee County has gone from 17 confirmed cases to 70 people who have tested positive for COVID-19. In that same period, surrounding rural counties have not seen a similar spike.

It's unclear how much of the more than 400-percent increase in positive cases are connected with O-AT-KA but sources have indicated as many as 20 people who work at the facility have tested positive.

O-AT-KA CEO William Schreiber declined today to answer a question about how many employees have been infected.

At the beginning of the week, the Health Department reported the first sharp increase in cases -- 10 new cases -- and the department press release said many of the cases, including a big jump in mandatory quarantines, could be attributed to one employee going to work while symptomatic.

At that time, Public Health Director Paul Pettit said, "A significant increase in the number of mandatory quarantines being reported today is due to a symptomatic person going to work at a local business."

Pettit declined to name the company then nor discuss now specific complaints from employees about O-AT-KA.

Since Monday, the Health Department has indicated that several of the people who were on mandatory quarantine as of Monday have since tested positive.

Two sources said there were two confirmed COVID-19 cases at O-AT-KA on Monday.

The specific complaints sent to The Batavian about O-AT-KA:

• Employees with direct contact with infected coworkers have been told to report to work until they develop a fever;
• Employees with a fever are required to produce a doctor's note for an approved absence from work;
• Employees are told to wear masks but masks are not issued to employees;
• Employees are encouraged to remain six feet apart but some job duties, such as training new coworkers, make that impossible.

One of the features of the virus SARS-CoV-2 is that people can be infectious before becoming symptomatic, and perhaps remain asymptomatic, and a fever is not necessarily the first symptom of illness.

During a phone call today, we asked Schreiber repeatedly to respond to these specific allegations and he declined.

He did read a prepared statement:

We have taken every precaution to protect our employees. We have followed the guidelines of every regulatory agency involved since the start of the pandemic and most importantly, as part of our response, our leadership team has worked to ensure our employees are safe and that they have the tools and resources needed to be successful.

O-AT-KA is not the only local company under scrutiny from employees. The Batavian has received emails about two other local employers, deemed essential businesses by the State of New York, that say their bosses are not taking coronavirus precautions seriously. 

One employee, who said the employees' complaints have gone to the Attorney General's Office, was specific about lack of sanitizer, personal protection gear, and inattention to social distancing.

The employee said, "With the number of people that come to work at this plant from outside counties and cities, it is only a matter of time before someone infected comes to work and it will spread like wildfire. We should be closed right now. We should be home, safe with our families until our government deems it that we are safe to go back to work."

Press release:

“Earlier today, the Department of Labor started proactively calling every New Yorker who had submitted a partially complete application for Unemployment Insurance.

“Like many across the Empire State, the majority of our staff are working from home, and New Yorkers may see an incoming caller ID that lists ‘PRIVATE CALLER.’ I want to encourage New Yorkers to answer these calls so we can complete your application and connect you with the benefits you deserve.

'To prevent fraud, anyone calling from the Department of Labor will verify their identity by providing the date you filed your Unemployment Insurance application and the type of claim you filed."

“We are dedicating every resource available to increase our capacity, processing claims, and helping New Yorkers weather this storm.”

Briefing:

New Cases

• As of 2 p.m. today:
  • Genesee County received 7 new positive case of COVID-19 for a total of 70 positive cases.
    • Six of the individuals reside in the central part of the County and one individual resides in the western part of the County.
    • Two individuals are in their 20s, one individual is in their 30s, one individual is in the 60s, and three individuals are in their 70s.
    • Three of the new positive cases were under precautionary or mandatory quarantine when they became symptomatic.
• Orleans County: 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 24.
  • One of our positive individuals has recovered and is out of isolation.
• Mapping Update: Today we are adding the ages and the general area of where individuals who tested positive reside in the same format as our positive cases. You will now be able to see the cumulative age breakdown of the confirmed cases on the map as well as the breakdown by choosing the individual county from the upper right drop down box.
• Due to the current limited swabbing kits, there continue to be guidelines in place for primary care providers to order COVID-19 swabbing. This is based upon screening for high risk categories. Contact your primary care provider first to discuss symptoms and ability to be swabbed.
• Contact tracing has been initiated for all new cases. Known contacts have already been placed under mandatory quarantine and will be swabbed if indicated (if symptoms become present). 
  • For clarification, the local health departments do not lead the contact tracing for positive results to individuals located in facilities regulated by another agency (e.g. federal or state) however we partner with those agencies and provide assistance as needed. We do receive the positive numbers of any resident who lives in our counties (including these facilities) and are included in our totals. Any community contacts (employees) are followed by the local health department where they reside.
• If a person is identified as a contact, they will be notified by the County Health Department, quarantined and if warranted, swabbed if indicated. Limited information is provided to the public in compliance with HIPAA regulations and out of the respect of those impacted by this virus.
• When, and if, there is a situation where potential contact is made in a public location where contact tracing doesn’t have actual names of close contacts, we will send out a media announcement to help seek contacts.

Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans County online map of confirmed cases.
 

OPERATIONAL UPDATES

Passover / Holy Week / Easter Holiday

• We understand this is generally a time of family gatherings, however the NYS on PAUSE guidance is still in effect and all gatherings of individuals of any size for any reasons are canceled or postponed until at least April 29. (Executive Order 202.10) Remember that any nonessential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason (e.g. parties, celebrations or other social events) are also canceled or postponed at this time. Many houses of worship have been live streaming their services which allows them to share their message and touch base with their congregations. As challenging as this is to do, especially over the holidays, it is vital everyone stays home. Consider celebrating with a phone call, or a social app so you can see one another and remember the life you may be saving by staying home could be one of your loved ones. This is temporary.
• Because COVID-19 is circulating locally, we can’t stress enough how important social distancing is and that EVERYONE needs to take this seriously and stay home! It is your social and civic responsibility to protect yourselves and others.
• GO Health Minute: This is an opportunity for our staff, community leaders and others to provide some factual information, some tips on staying calm or how to virtually connect with family and friends and guidance. Each segment is short and to the point and follows the guidelines of the Genesee Orleans County Health Departments’ mission to work collaboratively ensuring conditions that promote optimal health for individuals and the communities we serve. Please take a ‘minute’ to view one of our ‘Minutes’ on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube platforms and our websites.

The Use of Cloth Face Coverings

• The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected. Recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms. Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing or proper handwashing.
• The cloth face cover should:
  • fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
  • be secured with ties or ear loops
  • include multiple layers of fabric
  • allow for breathing without restriction
  • be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
• The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
• Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

Mental Health

• Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations and having to socially distance yourself from someone you love can be difficult. Below are resources that can help you connect to a professional that can help you through these challenging times:
  • Care + Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 at 585-283-5200 or text "Talk" to 741741;
  • New Yorkers can call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health counseling;
  • Head Space: A mindfulness app called Headspace is offering some meditations to listen to for free to ease minds in such a stressful time. The app is free to download and includes meditations, sleep, and movement exercises to help with the varying emotions you may be feeling. The app does include in-app purchases.

Interview with Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. about City Schools' budget.

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.

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).

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.

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.