Retired dispatcher, who started his career with Batavia Police Department 30 years ago today, was honored by members of the force for his service to the department and continued support of its mission.
Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.
Press release from Ed Rath, candidate for the 61st State Senate District:
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has turned our daily lives upside down and state and local governments face unprecedented shortfalls. Rebuilding our economy and prioritizing funding will be more difficult than ever before. But, as is often the case, with great challenges, comes great opportunity.
Long before COVID-19 reached our state, New York was plagued by years of overspending and inefficient government. Due to decades of mismanagement in Albany residents pay some of the highest taxes in the nation, and excessive regulation drives up the cost of providing goods and services.
As we prepare for the Governor, Budget Director and Legislature to make recommendations on how to balance the budget, I would implore them to first look at state mandates. Reducing the cost drivers will make cuts less painful and reduce long-term costs and spending obligations. We do not need more commissions to “reimagine things,” we need to listen to people who work in their fields every day and see firsthand regulations that are beneficial and ones that only add more cost and paperwork.
There have been endless commissions and studies looking at waste in New York State government, and there are countless binders filled with reports and recommendations that have never been seriously considered. Inefficiencies and duplicative regulations drive billions of dollars in wasteful spending but have little or no impact on service. Before state leaders talk about the tough decisions that need to be made, they should first proactively ask about what can be done to make the situation less painful.
In the end, we must demand our government do the same thing that residents do every day. When financial situations change, we can’t hope for more money from the bank, instead, we must find ways to save money and reduce costs to make the situation better on our own. Residents deserve to know that their state government is doing the same.
In addition, we must prioritize essential services and public health. Despite local governments facing increasing budget shortfalls and a public health crisis, the recently passed budget mandates upstate counties use $50 million in sales tax revenue to replace state funding cuts. At the same time, the budget created a new taxpayer-funded election system at a cost of $100 million and set aside over $400 million for Hollywood production companies.
To recommend cuts to schools, hospitals, and cost shifts to local governments, while protecting spending for taxpayer-funded elections and subsidies to Hollywood is simply wrong. Similarly, residents already pay some of the highest combined tax rates in the nation and we cannot tax our way out of this problem.
If we need something to reimagine, we should start with New York State government.
Press release:
New Cases
We recorded this song, "Good Dogs," with "A" Blues Band when thoughts of a pandemic weren't much on our minds, and before I could finish editing the session, coronavirus hit.
Welcome to spring. I hope you get plenty of time with your good dogs out in the fresh air. Thanks to Eli Fish for use of the space.
Interview with Jason Smith, Batavia Concert Band.
Jason Smith shared this photo of a grosbeak that paid a visit to his backyard in Batavia today.
Press Release:
Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans Counties' online map of confirmed cases.
Press release:
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the Capital Region has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state's regional phased reopening plan starting tomorrow, joining the Western New York, Central New York, North Country, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions.
The Capital Region has now identified enough contact tracers to meet the state's guidelines, and the tracers are being trained today in preparation for Western New York entering phase one, which includes construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pick up and drop off, or in-store pick up; and agriculture, forestry and fishing.
Business guidance for phase one of the state's reopening plan is available here. A guide to the state's "NY Forward Reopening" Plan is available here. The state's regional monitoring dashboard is available here.
Governor Cuomo also announced that Nassau County is now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care. The Governor previously announced that the state will allow elective outpatient treatments to resume in counties and hospitals without significant risk of COVID-19 surge in the near term, and a total of 50 counties can now resume elective surgeries.
The Governor also announced a collaboration with the Greater New York Hospital Association and the Healthcare Association of New York State to implement a two-week hospital visitation pilot program in 16 hospitals across the state to allow increased visitations for family members and loved ones. As part of the pilot program, visits will be time limited and visitors will be provided with and must wear PPE and are subject to symptom and temperature checks.
The Governor also announced the state will allow Memorial Day ceremonies of 10 people or less statewide, with final decisions about ceremonies being left to local governments. The Governor also encouraged vehicle parades in honor of veterans for Memorial Day.
The Governor also called on the FDA to take steps now to make sure that pharmaceutical corporations that produce a COVID-19 vaccine release the rights to the vaccine to provide for immediate widespread distribution and help ensure the vaccine is available to all individuals.
"As more regions and businesses across the state become eligible to begin reopening, New Yorkers are getting excited, but we must not forget the hard work we've done and the pain we've experienced for the last two months," Governor Cuomo said. "Everything that we did -- the closings, social distancing and other measures -- were tough but necessary, and because of it we saved lives and we flattened the curve.
"If you look at the curve in New York compared to the rest of the nation, we're going down while the curve is still going up in many other regions. We must continue to do everything we've been doing even as we begin to reopen and remember the lessons we've learned through all of this."
With all of the traditional ways seniors celebrate and commemorate their final year of high school canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of parents in and community members in Alexander came together to provide gift baskets to the Class of 2020.
Press release from AAA:
Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $1.88, up 3 cents since last week. One year ago, the price was $2.85. The New York State average is $2.16 – up 1 cent from last week.
A year ago, the NYS average was $2.96. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:
- Batavia -- $2.20 (down 1 cent since last week)
- Buffalo -- $2.19 (down 2 cents since last week)
- Ithaca -- $2.13 (no change since last week)
- Rochester -- $2.19 (no change since last week)
- Rome -- $2.12 (up 1 cent since last week)
- Syracuse -- $2.06 (no change since last week)
- Watertown -- $2.14 (up 1 cents since last week)
Gas prices are fluctuating around the country (with the highest prices in the Northeast and on the West Coast) as demand increases amid reopening phases and stocks begin to decrease. Local prices are also mixed this morning. Typically, this week brings some of the highest prices of the year as Memorial Day weekend approaches.
However, this year is anything but typical. One thing is certain, as regions across New York begin to reopen and destinations like campgrounds open for holiday recreation, the need for gasoline will increase. Motorists returning to work will also drive up demand. Expect prices to increase as more motorists hit the roads.
GasBuddy:
"The recovery in gasoline prices has continued across much of the country thanks to recovery in fuel demand as states reopen and motorists get out of the house as temperatures are more conducive to outdoor activity," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.
"Oil prices continue to follow the gasoline-led recovery, with challenges still seen for portions of the refined oil barrel, including diesel and jet fuel.
"It's been a dramatic turn of events -- a month ago, gasoline was the least wanted portion of the barrel, and refiners acted quickly to respond to gasoline demand that dropped in half, but now as cabin fever hits Americans, gasoline demand has rebounded notably, which has caused oil prices to follow.
Expect the uptick to continue as we approach Memorial Day, but prices will still set multiyear lows for the holiday and may for a good portion of the summer as well, so there should remain optimism with motorists -- summer gas prices will remain quite low compared to previous years."
Press release:
Divorce lawyer Beth Parlato, who on Friday was forced to pull an attack ad from the air after a published report concluded that Parlato faced the possibility of “a hefty fine and/or up to six months in jail” followed up the illegal ad with a mailing this weekend that included a fake endorsement.
Parlato’s weekend mailing includes the words “Endorsed Pro-Life Candidate” encircled by laurel wreath clip art and under a checkmark, but no actual endorsing organization is listed.
In fact, last week Chris Jacobs was endorsed by the National Right to Life, the nation's oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. (Jacobs for Congress, 5/11/20)
“Beth Parlato must think Republicans in New York’s 27th District are dumb,” Jacobs spokesman Christian Chase said. “Ads pulled from the air, ads with fake actors, and now a fake endorsement -- is anything about Beth Parlato’s campaign true?”
Parlato’s fake endorsement comes just days after pulling her illegal ad from the air, and the same week all eight Republicans chairs in the 27th District demanded Parlato “suspend (her) negative campaign and promote your own candidacy rather than viciously attacking others." (Buffalo News, 5/13/20)
One county chair described Parlato’s negative campaign as “the continuation of a destructive behavior pattern for her own self-promotion,” and said it seems “like she's working with Nate McMurray." (Buffalo News, 5/13/20)
“Beth Parlato’s nasty, negative attacks and fake endorsements are moves straight out of the desperate candidate playbook,” Chase said. “Beth Parlato is doing everything she can to hand this seat to far-left liberal Nate McMurray and Republican voters won’t tolerate it.”
Response press release:
Beth Parlato, endorsed Conservative Republican for Congress in NY-27 released this statement:
“Chris Jacobs continues to show his weak candidacy for Congress. They have to lie to create anything to try and attack me. The weak, fake attacks are being sent to the media to hide the fact that Jacobs is scared to debate me on his liberal voting record.
There is no illegal ad or fake endorsements. The truth is, I have been endorsed by The Conservative Party of New York State; Pro-Life Concerned Women for America, the largest public policy women’s organization in our nation; Pro-Life Moms for America, and many others. In fact, Chris Jacobs failed to receive the Conservative Party endorsement due to his pro-abortion stance.
Our campaign continues to run with integrity. We will not follow in Chris Jacob’s footsteps and put forth nasty, negative attacks, and outright lies. We will continue highlighting his liberal voting record where he voted to send our taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood and for Medicaid-funded abortions.”
Press release:
Chris Jacobs released the following statement in response to Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY) call for a federal investigation into Governor Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 in New York nursing homes (Fox News, 5/16/20)
“I applaud Rep. Stefanik’s leadership on this issue and I fully agree that a comprehensive and robust federal investigation must be conducted into Governor Cuomo and his failed policy, which directed recovering COVID-19 patients back into nursing homes. His directive put countless lives at risk and potentially lead to a higher death toll than we would have ever experienced otherwise.
"While no investigation could ever take away the heartbreaking pain and grief thousands of families across our state are experiencing, they deserve to know what happened, and if there has been wrong-doing or negligence, they deserve justice.
"When I join the New York Congressional delegation in June, I pledge to join Rep. Stefanik and my other colleagues in ensuring a thorough federal investigation is launched and those responsible are held accountable – we owe it to all the members of our New York family we have tragically lost.”
A male in his 20s, driving a four-door sedan, died in Bergen this evening after his westbound car crossed into the oncoming lane then traveled off the south shoulder before striking some small trees, hitting an embankment and flipping over into a utility pole.
A crash scene investigator said there was no sign of skid marks on the roadway. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Two other people were injured in the accident. Both were transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, one by Mercy Flight.
The accident scene was on Townline Road, less than a mile from the location of another fatal accident a few hours earlier. In that accident, a female in her late 20s who was jogging on Townline Road, was struck by a westbound car that crossed the center line and the fog line striking the runner.
No names have yet been released in either accident.
Volunteers with Bergen Fire Department responded to both fatal accident scenes.
UPDATE: The driver of the vehicle has been identified as Elijah R. Coombs, 25, of Oakfield. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Jamie R. Bachorski, 26, of Oakfield, was flown to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight with serious injuries. Samantha J. Wade, 21, of Byron, was transported to Strong by Mercy EMS with minor injuries. Coombs was driving a 2005 Chervolet Impala. The accident remains under investigation. Assisting at the scene where Bergen fire, Byron fire, Mercy EMS, and State Police.
Press release:
New Cases
Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans Counties' online map of confirmed cases.
A pedestrian has reportedly been hit by a car on Townline Road west of South Lake Road, Bergen.
Bergen fire and ambulance dispatched.
Dispatchers checking the availability of Mercy Flight.
UPDATE 11:54 a.m.: The driver may also be injured. Second ambulance requested to the scene.
UPDATE 11:59 a.m.: Byron fire's rescue and ambulance requested to the scene.
UPDATE 12:01 p.m.: Fire police requested to shut down traffic at Route 19 and Buffalo Street.
UPDATE 1:05 p.m.: Trooper James O'Callahan, public information officer for the State Police, confirms that NYSP is investigating a fatal car/pedestrian accident in Bergen. No further information is being released at this time.
UPDATE 3:09 p.m.: Bergen assignment back in service. The road is reopened.
Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.
A man has reportedly fallen off a two-story roof at a location on Horseshoe Lake Road in Stafford.
Stafford fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.
Mercy Flight available if needed.
UPDATE(S) (By Billie) (11:08 a.m.): A first responder on scene says the man fell about eight feet. He is conscious and alert and is answering some questions.
UPDATE 11:10 a.m.: Mercy Flight was cancelled.
As of 2 p.m. today, there were no new COVID-19-positive cases reported in Genesee County.
The health department released no further information.
Weekly Sunday message from Pastor Roula Alkhouri, Batavia First Presbyterian Church.
Dylan DeSmit performs for you at 8 p.m. (or thereabouts).
Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
