City Manager Rachael Tabelski solicited some laughter during Monday night’s City Council Conference Meeting while proposing to end a $40 per month, 56-year-old right-of-way lease with owners of the Pok-A-Dot Restaurant at 229 Ellicott St.

Tabelski said she believed it’s time for the city to terminate the lease (and City Attorney George Van Nest agreed) that was created after it was found that part of the building was on the city’s right-of-way.

At that time – the year was 1965 – it was agreed that Pok-A-Dot owners Philip Pastore Jr. and Joseph Marone would pay the city $40 per month.

“We’ve never changed the terms and conditions of the lease – and they’ve always paid,” Tabelski said, “and they’ve always provided great beef on Weck and French fries.”

In 2020, the restaurant’s current owners, Pastore’s wife, Leona, and daughter, Phyllis Pastore-Beers, expanded the business to accommodate COVID-19 distancing protocol and food pick-up options. In the process, they obtained a New York State Department of Transportation permit to complete the work because it is located in a U.S. right-of-way for missile transport.

Interestingly enough, the DOT permit carries a fee of $460 per year – slightly less than the fee of the Pok-A-Dot’s lease with the city. As a result, Pok-A-Dot owners are requesting an end to the city lease, Tabelski said.

City Council members agreed to move the proposal to its Jan. 10 Business Meeting for discussion and a possible vote.

Three other Conference Meeting resolutions were forwarded to last night’s Business Meeting and all were approved:

• A 15-month contract, effective immediately, with AMREX of Binghamton to supply the Water Treatment Plant with sodium hypochlorite at an inflation-induced cost of $1.45 per gallon.

Calling it a “weird and wild ride procuring resources,” Tabelski said that was the lowest of seven bids received for the chemical, which is used for disinfection of the public water supply. She added that other municipalities are having similar supply issues.

Previously, the city paid 86 cents a gallon for the chemical, she said.

• An emergency purchase of 400 pounds of refrigerant for a compressor at the Batavia Ice Arena on Evans Street at a cost of $19,800. The funds will be taken from the facility’s reserves, dropping the available amount to $371,000.

Tabelski said she approved the purchase after Carrier personnel replaced the compressor and discovered and repaired a couple leaks in the refrigerant system. Consequently, the system is low on R-22 refrigerant and could be in danger of malfunctioning.

• The reappointment of realtor Bernadette Penfield to the Board of Assessment Review through Sept. 30, 2026.

Council also forwarded a resolution to the Jan. 10 Business Meeting to accept a $28,681 grant from Genesee County STOP-DWI to provide specialized patrols targeting drug and alcohol impaired driving, and the purchase of RADAR units, training of a Drug Recognition Expert and associated expenses.

File photo of the Pok-A-Dot by Howard Owens.

Press release:

National Grid crews have restored power to 212,000, or 97%, of the nearly 221,000 upstate New York customers impacted by the severe windstorm that caused significant and widespread damage across the region over the weekend. The storm brought gusts of up to 80 mph in some regions and left behind hundreds of broken utility poles, damaged transformers, toppled trees, tree limbs and downed wires.

“While we have made steady progress, there is still work to be done and our expanded field force will continue to work around the clock to ensure every customer’s service is restored as safely and quickly as possible,” said Matt Barnett, National Grid’s Vice President of New York Electric Operations. He noted that the remaining outages are in regions that experienced the most extensive storm damage, including Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Orleans and Niagara counties in western New York, and Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in northern New York.

“Our crews are in these regions continuing the hand-to-hand combat of cleanup, reconstruction and restoration. We understand the inconvenience of being without power and will continue to restore service hour by hour.”

The company is providing the following regional estimated times of restoration for customers who remain without service after the weekend storm. Power is being consistently restored to customers in these regions and ETRs are updated on the company’s Outage Central site. Additionally, customers can check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address by logging into our Report or Check an Outage page.

Northern New York: 95% of storm-related outages have been restored. Remaining single customer outages and isolated pockets of customers in the most severely impacted areas will be restored through the overnight hours and into Tuesday.

Western New York

• Southwest Region, including Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties: Any

  remaining storm-related outages will be restored by midnight tonight.

• Frontier Region, including Erie and Niagara counties: Restoration is expected to be

  complete by midnight tonight, with single customer outages and isolated pockets of customers in the most severely impacted areas being restored through the overnight hours and into Tuesday.

• Genesee Region, including Genesee, Orleans and Monroe counties: This region experienced the most extensive storm damage. Crews are in the field restoring service hour by hour and 95% of customers in these areas will have service restored by 5 p.m. Tuesday, with the remaining customers in the hardest-hit communities seeing power restored through Tuesday evening.

Customers who remain without power when their neighbors have been restored are encouraged to call National Grid at 1-800-867-5222.

Once restoration has been completed, National Grid crews will remain in the field for the days that follow to complete storm cleanup. The company reminds motorists to use caution as they approach work areas, to ensure the safety of utility and other storm-response personnel.

It looks as though, by default, the City of Batavia is welcoming the opportunity to host retail dispensaries and on-site consumption places as permitted by the New York Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act.

City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr., speaking at tonight’s Conference Meeting at City Hall Council Board Room, said that since the municipality “has no control over it,” then it would be prudent to opt in and “get the money (that cannabis sales would produce).”

The topic was brought up by city resident John Roach, who correctly noted that if a community doesn’t do anything (as far as a formal resolution), “you’re automatically in.”

State officials are requiring municipalities to state their intentions by Dec. 31. Towns, cities and villages that opt out are able to opt in at a later date, but those that opt in, can never opt out.

Jankowski and Council member Robert Bialkowski both said they have received “positive comments” about opting in. The former said that “people are advising me to get the tax money” and the latter stated that some people -- including adults -- enjoy using marijuana.

Questioned further following the meeting, Jankowski said his understanding was that there were two choices: “Do nothing and automatically opt in after December 31^st or do the resolution and opt out, and then I think there was recourse for the public to opt back in …”

The MRTA does stipulate that if a community opts out, residents could call for a public referendum to reverse that decision.

While many legislative bodies in cities, towns and villages across the state have discussed the matter in an open forum and drafted resolutions – or are in the process of doing so, City Council wasn’t one of them. Jankowski said none of his colleagues indicated a desire to bring the subject to a vote.

“Any council member could have easily brought it up and put it on the agenda but it just never came to the front because of a complaint by a citizen that adamant about wanting Council to do something about it,” he said. “The bottom line is I usually put my personal opinion to the side and I listen to the people I represent. And nobody from the city contacted me and was really passionate about it or concerned about opting out.”

Jankowski said he talked to many people over the past several months "and they basically told me they weren’t really happy about the way the state did it, but they understand the wisdom of getting any money from taxes."

"But we’re not even sure if anybody’s going to even open a business in the city," he added.

What's Up with the WWTP?

Roach also asked about the status of the City Waste Water Treatment Plant and the dispute with O-At-Ka Milk Products over the milk processing plant’s discharge into the ponds that exceeded legal limits.

City Attorney George Van Nest, offering no specifics, said engineers working with the city and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officials are monitoring the recovery of the ponds with the goal of obtaining maximum efficiency.

In other developments, City Manager Rachael Tabelski reported:

• The city will recognize Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mask mandate “instead of checking vaccination status at the door.” The mandate runs through Jan. 15, 2022. “We’re awaiting the executive order to make it official,” she said.

• That 90 percent of the city’s National Grid customers now have power following Saturday’s major wind storm. She said that residents may place downed tree limbs next to the curb for pickup by Department of Public Works crews this week.

• The possibility of planting trees to replace those that have come down due to storms and other reasons. Jankowski noted that the city hasn’t planted trees in a long time and suggested planting some each year over a five-year period. Tabelski said that wouldn’t be possible with money from the general fund without raising property taxes. She did say that donations from businesses or residents are welcome.

• Two bids from contractors seeking to handle the Jackson Square renovation – one of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects – came in “double the price that was anticipated.” Tabelski said she was hoping for a cost of around $650,000, but the submitted bids were for more than $1 million. She said the project will be re-bid and, as a result, the start of construction will be pushed back until August 2022.

• The city has hired Angie Dickson, a Corfu resident, as confidential secretary. The position had been vacant for several weeks after Lisa Casey left to become clerk of the Genesee County Legislature. Two DPW jobs are open – heavy equipment operator and laborer.

Tammy Schmidt received an enthusiastic endorsement from her predecessor tonight as she was sworn in as the Batavia City Council's Sixth Ward representative.

"I'm here on behalf of Tammy Schmidt, who will do an outstanding job for the Sixth Ward," said Rose Mary Christian, who stepped down last month after nearly 30 years as a city lawmaker. "She's articulate ... and certainly knows lthe budget process (as Schmidt works in the financial management field). I want to thank her for taking my position."

The appointment of Schmidt through the end of next year was reported first on The Batavian.

Photo: City Clerk/Treasurer Heidi Parker, right, swears in Tammy Schmidt as Rose Mary Christian and City Republican Committee Chair Rich Richmond look on. Schmidt was unanimously approved by City Council prior to the board's Conference and Business Meetings. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Previously: Batavia City Council set to vote on appointment of Republican Tammy Schmidt as Sixth Ward representative

Press release:

On Saturday, December 11, 2021, Batavia High School’s roof sustained damage due to severe weather that passed through Genesee County. 

On Sunday, December 12, the building was inspected, and it was determined that there was no structural damage and it was safe for students and staff to return.  

During the inspection, it was determined that the roof of the Batavia High School auditorium sustained damage, including the dampers that bring in outside air to that part of the building. Per regulations from the State Education Department, to be able to use the auditorium, we must be able to draw in outside air.

On Monday, December 13, all Batavia City Schools were open, and a roofing company began work to weatherproof the BHS roof and determine long-term repair requirements.

Therefore, the BHS auditorium will remain closed until we have determined what resources will be needed to restore the auditorium to code in order to be used by students, staff, and the community.

The rest of Batavia High School is operational for students and staff.  

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and we will provide additional information as soon as it becomes available. 

Photos: Reader-submitted photos.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Master Gardeners are excited to announce that we will be collecting NEW, unwrapped BOOKS for the annual Toys for Tots campaign in conjunction with the Harvey C. Noon Legion. Collecting new books is a goal of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program. Books enhance a child’s ability to read and to communicate effectively. The books that are collected will go to children and youth ages preschool through high school. A gift of a new book delivers a message of hope and instills self-confidence to children in need. You can drop off books at the Genesee County Cooperative Extension office, Monday – Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. We will have a collection bin set up near the reception area. Book donations can be made at the CCE office through December 6.

Press Release:

Genesee Community College has officially opened enrollment into its newest offering- the Solar Electric Technician Certificate for the Spring 2022 semester. Requiring a total of just 15 credit hours, this program is designed to be completed in as little as one semester. In addition, students can continue study as a concentration within an Associate in Applied Science degree in Individualized Studies. 

On Friday, January 7, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. GCC will host an Open House of the new state-of-the-art Technical Training/Solar Lab in room E119 of the Stuart Steiner Theatre building. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with instructors, tour the lab, and enjoy coffee and refreshments. The new lab will fully prepare Solar Electric Technician students to meet the huge demand for workers in the photovoltaic field.

"Genesee Community College is thrilled to enter a new era of diversifying our educational offerings to include applied technologies. The new technology training lab will serve the solar industry and other workforce development programs such as facilities maintenance and electric motor control technicians. These additional educational opportunities will meet the needs of our regional employers, improve access to training that leads directly to employment and ensure a sustainable workforce for our future." said Dr. Kate Schiefen, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

Upon graduation, GCC students are positioned to enter high-demand and lucrative solar-related employment opportunities, including residential and commercial solar panel installer, solar sales, solar electric maintenance and recreational vehicle solar package installer.

For more information or to RSVP, please email AcademicAffairs@genesee.edu

Further details on the Solar Electric Technician program can be found at https://www.genesee.edu/home/academics/programs/tech/solartech/

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply for FREE online at https://www.genesee.edu/offices/admissions/apply/or to call (585) 343-6800 or 1-866-CALL-GCC, or email admissions@genesee.edu.

A photograph of a solar electric technician, courtesy of GCC

Press release:

We are excited to have your school in the newly expanded Batavia Lions Club Tournament that now includes both a large and small school division. This year’s tournament is a 2-day affair with games on Tuesday, Dec. 28 and Thursday, Dec. 30. The only cost involved is two vouchers for the JV Tournament and one voucher for the Varsity to help cover the cost of having three officials on the Varsity games. This year Alexander replaces Perry and we are rotating the first-round matchups. More info will follow as we get closer to the basketball season.

The Batavia Lions Club is excited to have your team play in one of the best and longest-running Boys Basketball tournaments in Section V.  The additional teams with their strong community support made this event even better than had been in the previously the past 2 years. There were great crowds which provided  an exciting atmosphere for the student-athletes. Hoping for more of the same in December 2021!

Varsity Schedule                                                                      JV Schedule

Tues  Dec. 28                                                                            Tues  Dec. 28

3:30  Roy-Hart vs LeRoy @ GCC                             Noon Roy-Hart vs LeRoy @ BHS

5:15   Elba vs O-A @ GCC                                         Noon Elba vs O-A @ ND

7:00   Alexander vs ND @ GCC                                1:30pm Alexander vs ND @ ND

8:45   Attica vs BHS @ GCC                                     1:30   Attica vs BHS @ BHS

 

Varsity Schedule                                                                      JV Schedule

Thurs  Dec. 30                                                                           Thurs  Dec. 30        

3:30    Large School Consolation @ GCC             Noon Large School Consolation @ BHS

5:15   Small School Consolation @ GCC              Noon Small School Consolation @ ND

7pm Small School Championship @ GCC            1:30 Small School Championship @ ND

9pm  LargeSchool Championship @ GCC           1:30 LargeSchool Championship @ BHS

There will be a 15 minute warmup time for all games.

Photo: File photo from Lions Tournament in 2016

Press release:

Even as Majority Leader, in the midst of a global pandemic, and while leading some of the biggest & boldest legislation in our country’s history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, today completed his 23^rd consecutive tour of all 62 New York State counties. Schumer was the first New York State public official to visit every single county in New York, an accomplishment he holds proudly, and a tradition he has continued each year he has been in office.

Over the course of the year, Schumer made 93 county visits to Upstate New York and Long Island. He visited counties in the Capital Region 14 times; Western New York 7 times; Central New York 10 times; the Rochester-Finger Lakes 14 times; the Southern Tier 10 times; the Hudson Valley 14 times; the North Country 9 times; and Long Island 15 times. In addition, due to COVID travel restrictions, which greatly reduced the number and frequency of visits this year, Senator Schumer also conducted countless virtual meetings with groups and residents across New York.

“Twenty-three years ago when I made the promise to visit every county every year, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine doing it as Majority Leader, let alone in the midst of a global health and economic pandemic. Although I’ve gained a new title as Majority Leader this year, my favorite two remain: New York senator, and more importantly, New Yorker,” said Majority Leader Schumer. “Now, as New York’s first Senate Majority Leader, this mission has become even more vital and allowed me to deliver for my beloved home state in bigger and better ways because of all I learn from my constituents. As New York continues to feel the impacts of a global health pandemic, visiting all 62 counties pushed me to fight even harder to help New Yorkers recover and build back stronger. Over this year much has changed – the American Rescue Plan I led to passage provided New York the robust COVID relief needed to help jump start our recovery. To name but two elements, we passed a historic Childhood Tax Credit that cut child poverty in half, and we passed billions for Save Our Stages, which provided a vital lifeline to all our cultural organizations and performance spaces that were the first to close and last to open. We passed the largest investment in infrastructure in our nation’s history, which will repair and upgrade New York’s road, bridges, highways, transportation, broadband, and water systems like never before. This year, more than ever before, I was reminded how resilient New Yorkers are. New Yorkers have experienced tremendous hardship, from 9/11 to Superstorm Sandy to COVID, but time and time again, we are resilient, even in our darkest days, and we rebuild and come back stronger than ever.” 

-- more -- (click headline  to read the rest of the post)

 

Schumer added, “At the close of twenty-three years, my beliefs are as clear as ever: ‘Senators who stay in Washington and never return home are simply not doing their job.’ That’s why I bike the streets and go to all of the parades, graduations, and occasionally crash a neighbor’s block party for a plate. Whether I’m at the State Fair in Syracuse or wearing my ‘Ithaca is Gorges’ mask, New York is always on my mind and I’m always learning more about New York directly from my constituents.”

Some of the key highlights include:

NEW YORK STATE

Delivered BIG For New York With $100 Billion For New York In COVID Relief Through The American Rescue Plan and $27+Billion Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. As Majority Leader, and the chief negotiator in the Senate, Schumer worked nonstop to deliver a plan that best provided robust relief to New York’s local leaders, workers, small businesses, and health centers so they could recover from the impacts of COVID and build back stronger than before.

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for New York over the past year:

·       Over $23.8 Billion In Fiscal Relief For NY’s State and Local Governments:

Delivering on his promise of robust relief for New York State, as part of the American Rescue Plan, Senator Schumer ensured New York State, New York City, and every municipal government from counties to towns to the smallest villages, could pay for essential services, retain vital frontline workers, offset lost revenues and increased costs from the COVID-19 emergency, and rebuild local economies.

·       Nearly $4.2 billion More for New York’s Medicaid Program:

Senator Schumer’s hard-won provision in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act continued to deliver an estimated $4.2 billion to New York’s Medicaid program throughout 2021. These funds have helped the state continue to provide high quality health care at low costs to ~6.8 million low-income New Yorkers.

·       Over $1.26 Billion More for Home-and-Community Based Services:

Senator Schumer included one year of enhanced federal funding for home- and community-based health care services that has delivered over $1.26 billion in direct funding to New York. This money has gone to support seniors and people with disabilities receive the care they need at home or in their community if they so choose by expanding the availability of services and increasing the types of services offered across the state.

·       Over $13.5 Billion NYS Hospitals, Health Systems, Community Health Centers and Other Providers:

Following his leadership in creating the Provider Relief Fund, Senator Schumer has fought to deliver over $13.5 billion to New York health care providers through the COVID-19 pandemic with billions more on the way before the end of 2021. This money has assisted local hospitals, health centers, physician offices and more test, diagnose and treat patients with COVID-19 and mitigated the massive financial losses incurred by our health system drive by pandemic-related costs and lost revenues.

·       Over $330 Million to Support NYS’s COVID-19 Testing Infrastructure:

Senator Schumer fought for and secured over $1.1 billion through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and another $330 billion through the American Rescue Plan to expand and enhance New York’s COVID-19 testing and tracing infrastructure. This critical component of our national response to the pandemic has helped curb the spread of the coronavirus in New York and saving lives.

·        $175 Million For COVID-19 Vaccines For New Yorkers:

As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Senator Schumer delivered over $175 million in direct funding to New York State and New York State that has resulted in over 80% of eligible New Yorkers receiving at least one vaccine shot including 69% who are fully vaccinated.

·       $170 Million in Substance Abuse and Mental Health

·       Delivered $22 Billion In Direct Stimulus Payments To New Yorkers:

Senator Schumer pushed hard to include an additional round of Economic Impact Payments of $1,400 in the American Rescue Plan, including eligible payments for children amounting to $5,600 for an average family of four. Because of Schumer’s efforts, nearly 9 million New York households received direct stimulus payments, to help them to cover essential expenses like food, rent or mortgages, medical bills, and help spur economic activity in their communities.

·       Secured estimated $18.4 Billion for New York Transit:
As commuters and riders stayed at home during the pandemic, transit ridership fell while agencies needed to keep service running for essential workers and those who depend on transit. Increased cleaning frequencies and reduced ridership led to higher operating costs. Senator Schumer secured $7.3 billion for New York transit systems in the ARP to help agencies bridge the gap. He then secured an estimated $11.1 billion for New York transit agencies over five years, a significant increase over the previous transportation law, so that transit can continue to build back better as it recovers from the pandemic.

·       More Than $1.3 Billion For New York Airports:

The travel industry was among one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, Senator Schumer fought to include over $418 million in the ARP to provide New York’s hard-hit airports the relief they desperately needed. Then, building on his advocacy Schumer followed this relief by securing an additional investment of over $937 million through the IIJA to airports to help NY’s airport take off and reach new heights.

·       Secured $11.5 billion in Highway Funding for New York over the Next 5 years:

This includes $289 million for Transportation Alternatives walking and biking funding and an estimated $1.9 billion in formula funding for a new bridge replacement program. In his commitment to addressing climate change, Schumer secured $175 million for a new National Electric Vehicle formula program and $239 million for the PROTECT formula program to build and rebuild transportation assets with resiliency in mind.

·       Over $9 Billion In COVID Relief For New York K-12 Schools:

Senator Schumer made it a top priority to give our schools the robust and flexible funds they needed to reopen safely for in-person instruction and addressing the diverse needs of students due to the pandemic.

·       $2.6 Billion For NY Colleges, Universities, And Student To Recover From Pandemic:

Higher Education Institutions were on the frontlines of preventing the spread of COVID-19 and ripped massive holes in their budgets to keep students and communities safe. Senator Schumer ensured not only to include relief to account for reopening costs, revenue losses, classroom retrofits, PPE, and other expenses, but also that half of any colleges federal allocation went directly to students to address hardships caused by COVID-19.

·       $428 Million For NY’s Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds:

A long time clean water advocate, Senator Schumer worked hard to bolster this funding for NY in the IIJA. Schumer said this massive boon for New York’s water infrastructure and environment, would accelerate New York’s ongoing efforts to remove lead pipe and cleaning up emerging contaminates – like PFAs.

·       Over $7 Billion In Historic Child Tax Credit (CTC) For NY Families:

Almost 90% of all New York families benefited from Senator Schumer’s tireless fight to expand the Child Tax Credit, allowing 86% of families across the state to get $300 automatic payments each month.

·       More than $54 billion in COVID relief to support New York’s small businesses and nonprofits:

Schumer delivered over $54 billion in federal forgivable loans through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program and grants and low-interest loans through Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, supporting hundreds of thousands of New York’s small businesses and nonprofits. Schumer fought to include nonprofits in these programs, including religious organizations and large nonprofits that provide critical services to communities through the state.

·       More than $500 million from the American Rescue Plan’s State Small Business Credit Initiative:

These funds will help expand access to credit and investment for small businesses and start-ups, including minority-owned and other disadvantaged businesses, across the state to grow, create jobs, and strengthen Main Streets.

·       Over $3.6 billion in relief delivered to more than 9,700 New York restaurants:

Schumer fought to include an initial infusion of funds in the American Rescue Plan to stand-up a dedicated relief program to provide flexible grants to support the state’s hard-hit restaurant industry.

·       More than $1.9 billion was awarded to New York through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, otherwise known as the ‘Save Our Stages’ program:

Schumer led the effort to pass this critical lifeline for the cultural arts industry into law. This funding was awarded to more than 1,400 theaters, independent music venues and comedy clubs, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions like museums and zoos across the state, bringing Broadway back and helping New York’s cultural treasures in every corner of the state keep the light and laughs on.

·       Over $44.9 million from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) from the American Rescue Plan directly awarded to New York:

Schumer prioritized dedicated relief to revive New Yok’s tourism and travel industry in the American Rescue Plan. These EDA funds support marketing, infrastructure, workforce, and other projects to rebuild New York’s travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation economy, so New York is ready to welcome the world back to the state as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic.

Over $130 million For New Yorkers Who Lost A Loved One To COVID In FEMA Funeral and Cemetery Expenses Reimbursement:

After tireless advocacy, starting in the very early days of COVID, Senator Schumer secured access to a rarely used FEMA program that reimburses individuals who lost a loved one to COVID and helped cover the funeral and cemetery costs. With the loved ones of over 19,000 New Yorkers lost to COVID already reimbursed, and about $1.5 billion provided across the country, this program has helped New Yorkers across the state in their darkest hour. This assistance is available for anyone who lost a loved one to COVID and had to bear this unexpected expense, you can find out more by calling: 844-684-6333

Almost half-a-billion dollars to help New Yorkers recover and rebuild three months after Hurricane Ida struck New York:

When Hurricane Ida hit New York in September, it left thousands of New Yorkers reeling. Now, three months later, close to 36,000 New Yorkers from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties have been approve for FEMA’s individual assistance program. Combined with funding provided through the US Small Business Administration and the National Flood Insurance Program, these federal lifelines have provide almost half-a-billion dollars to help rebuild, and rebuild stronger. Applications are still open, currently until January 4, 2022, and you can apply if you were impacted by Hurricane Ida at DisasterAssistance.gov

WESTERN NEW YORK

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for Western NY over the past year:

·       Over $873 million in aid to Buffalo and Western NY local governments

·       Over 550 Western NY restaurants received over $109 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

·       Over $42 million for Shuttered Venue in Western NY like Shea’s Performing Arts Center and the National Comedy Center

·       $204 million for Higher Education institutions like the University at Buffalo, Niagara University, and more

·       Airports in Western NY received over $68.9 million

·       Throughout the pandemic, 33,000 businesses in the Western NY region have received over $3.34 billion in PPP funds

Dramatically Expanded The Child Tax Credit And Instituted Monthly Payments For 85% of Western New York Families Which Amounted To $77 Million:

As part of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion, Senator Schumer was able to secure an increased in the number of eligible families and authorized monthly disbursements of the Child Tax Credits. With 85% of Western New York families eligible for this groundbreaking program, Schumer noted that it was especially significant in the City of Buffalo, which has one of the nation’s highest poverty rates and as many as 25,000 children living in poverty. As many as 107,000 households in the Greater Buffalo-Niagara region.

Finally Orchestrated The Implementation Of The Pilot Record Database Following The Advocacy Of The 3407 Families:

In December, the Pilot Record Database being kept by the FAA finally went live, enabling airlines to have a thorough record of the training history and service record of each current and prospective pilot. This database, a longtime Schumer priority, was first proposed following the successful advocacy of the families of the victims of Flight 3407. While the database was supposed to be created years ago, bureaucratic red tape and administrative inaction led to the database languishing in development. Schumer was able to cut through the red tape and convinced DOT officials to finally get the program up and running.

Recommended The Nomination Of Trini Ross To Be The First African American Woman For US Attorney In Buffalo:

Schumer recommended Trini Ross to President Biden for nomination as United States Attorney for the Western District of New York. Ms. Ross is a lifelong Buffalonian, a graduate of Hutchinson Technical High School, SUNY Fredonia, and UB Law. She is an experienced prosecutor and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. Ms. Ross is also the first African American woman to serve as the WDNY’s top federal prosecutor. She assumed her position in November of this year.   

Secured $1 Billion - The Largest Single Allocation In The History Of The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative:

Senator Schumer was able to include a $1 Billion allocation to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in the bipartisan infrastructure deal. Specifically, this funding was secured to protect, improve, and preserve the Great Lakes and their related waterways, which include the Niagara River, Buffalo Creek, and many other areas along the Western New York shoreline. This funding is utilized by 16 different agencies and often works through local organizations like Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. Schumer also noted the economic impact of the Great Lakes, adding that for every dollar invested in Great Lakes protection, the return on investment is $3.35, or 335%.

Saw To It That Western New York Students Were Fairly Compensated For AP Exams Which Went Missing:

After taking their Advanced Placement exams, some students at Startpoint High School in Lockport were informed that UPS had lost the box of exams on their way to be scored by College Board. Schumer intervened with both College Board and UPS and ensured that the tests were found and the students were fairly compensated and were also awarded $250 scholarships.

Bolstered Western New York’s Transportation Infrastructure By Securing the Largest Ever Federal Investment In Upstate Transit Agencies, Including $156.5 Million for NFTA:

Aware of the need to major investment in Western New York’s transit agency, Schumer was able to secure $156.5 Million in federal monies for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) over FY22-26. This was part of a larger federal infrastructure investment that saw almost $90 Billion go to transportation agencies as part of Schumer’s plan to finally bring public transportation into the 21^st century. These funds can be used for everything from the continuation of daily operations, to maintenance and bus procurement. 

LONG ISLAND

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for Long Island over the past year:

·       Over 1 Billion in aid to County, Town, and village governments

·       Approximately 1,100 restaurants received over $270 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

·       Over $57 million to over 100 Shuttered entertainment venues, organizations, and companies

·       Over $323 million to Long Island’s public school districts

·       Over $266 million to higher education intuitions on Long Island

·       Airports on Long Island received over $39 million

·       Throughout the pandemic, 121,041 businesses on Long Island have received over $10.50 billion in PPP funds

Delivered Record $106 Million Investment to Protect Long Island Sound:

Schumer successfully fought to deliver $106 Million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Long Island Sound Program. More than 23 million people live within 50 miles of the Long Island Sound, an important natural resource that is home to more than 120 species of fish and is an economic engine that draws families, boaters, tourists, and anglers to Long Island. This record investment will be delivered over the next five years to continue efforts to rehabilitate and preserve the Sound for generations to come, and is in addition to the annual appropriations Senator Schumer fights for each year.

Secured Timely Federal Approval of $232 Million Disaster Aid for Construction of the Critical Suffolk County Coastal Resiliency Initiative:

Schumer advocated to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of $232 million in post-Sandy disaster aid he secured to be used for the Suffolk County Coastal Resiliency Initiative, paving the way for construction of this critical infrastructure project and ensuring that construction begins on schedule. These federal funds – paired with $46 million that Senator Schumer secured for Suffolk County via the American Rescue plan – are being used for the largest sewer expansion program in Suffolk County in approximately 40 years.

Reeled-In Victories and Disaster Assistance for Long Island’s Fishing and Shellfishing Industries:

In May, Schumer called on Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to keep a New Yorker in one of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s at-large seats. The retention of this seat and the representation it provides New York on the Council is essential to providing fairer fishing allocations and correcting past injustices that have burdened New York’s fishermen and hampered one of Long Island’s legacy industries. In June, Long Islander Tom Schlichter was appointed to the seat. Also in June, after Schumer’s advocacy following a widespread scallop die-off in Peconic Bay in 2019 and 2020, Secretary Raimondo announced a disaster declaration for the Peconic Bay scallop fishery. This declaration makes the fishery eligible for disaster assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and may also unlock assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). In July, Schumer wrote to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) advocating for an increase in New York’s black sea bass commercial quota allocation after New York State appealed the initial allocation decision, noting that New York’s portion of the commercial quote had not been updated to reflect the increased abundance of black sea bass in New York’s waters. In August, the ASMFC’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved an allocation increase, increasing the amount of fish New York’s fishermen can catch.

Secured $1 Billion Cybersecurity Grant Program For Federal Cybersecurity Assistance To State And Local Governments, Including Schools:

In the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs bill Schumer secured crucial cybersecurity assistance for state and local government to modernize their cybersecurity infrastructure and give state and local entities the tools they need to stop malicious hacks. The $1 billion grant also targets rural communities that may have less access to cybersecurity assistance and resources. After numerous recent cyberattacks on local governments in New York, school systems, and a water treatment facility Schumer announced at the Manhasset Secondary School the $1 billion authorization and encouraged local leaders, school administrators, and county officials to begin working with the NY state government to prepare a cyber-resource plan to secure federal assistance from the $1 billion grant program to prevent and mitigate future attacks.

CAPITAL REGION

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for the Capital Region over the past year:

·       Over $549.5 million in aid to local governments

·       Over $39 million for Shuttered Venues in the Capital Region

·       $152 million for Higher Education institutions like the University of Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Adirondack Community College.

·       $52.5 million for Capital Region transit systems like the Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA), and the Greater Glens Falls Transit.

·       Airports in the Capital Region received $49 million

·       Throughout the pandemic, 30,238 businesses in the Capital Region have received over $2.7 billion in PPP funds

Following passage of USICA, GlobalFoundries Commits to Building Fab 8.2 and Relocating Headquarters to Malta:   

In April, Schumer visited GlobalFoundries to announce that the company has decided to move its headquarters from California to Saratoga County.   In June, the Senate, under Schumer’s leadership passed the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) which will invest $52 billion into the domestic semiconductor industry by implementing the federal semiconductor incentive programs Schumer passed into law as part of last year’s National Defense Authorization Act.   Two months later Schumer returned to Malta, this time with US Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, to announce that GlobalFoundries has decided to build a second semiconductor fabrication plant at the Luther Forest site.   This project, which will look to make use of the billions of dollars in federal incentives Schumer is working to finalize, will get underway in 2022 and will create thousands of union construction jobs and over one thousand permanent jobs at the new fab.

Established Federal Limousine Safety Regulations in Response to the Tragic 2018 Limo Accident in Schoharie:  

After the terrible limousine crash in Schoharie, NY that killed 20 people, Schumer promised the victim’s families that he would not rest until the federal government established limousine safety regulations aimed at preventing future tragic incidents.   This August, Schumer worked in a bipartisan way, on the floor of the Senate to overcome an objection to the inclusion of these standards into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.     When President Biden signed the measure into law on November 15, Schumer saw to it that Kevin Cushing, who became a tireless advocate for limo safety after his son Patrick was killed in the Schoharie incident, was in attendance at the White House ceremony.  The law addresses limo safety with a ten point plan that includes funding, new inspection rules, vehicle crash testing, and new standards regarding seat belts, seating systems, retrofit assessment for existing limos and safety standards for altering used vehicles into limousines. 

Delivered $61 Million for CDTA to Establish the “Purple Line” Bus Rapid Transit Route:  

Last year, CDTA began service on its popular “Blue Line” bus rapid transit route which connects Albany with Watervliet, Cohoes, Troy and Waterford, which was made possible by federal funding from the Federal Transit Authority’s Small Starts program.    Senator Schumer has worked with CDTA for the last decade on this effort, first to gain CDTA’s inclusion into the program, and then to maximize the level of funding.    This summer, FTA announced that it has made $61 million from the program available to CDTA for the establishment of the next bus rapid transit route.   The “Purple Line”, first envisioned by CDTA and Schumer when he visited the College of St. Rose on October 21, 2013, will connect downtown Albany, with St. Rose, the Harriman Campus, the University at Albany and Crossgates Mall.   Together with the “Red Line” service that connects downtown Albany with downtown Schenectady along Central Avenue, CDTA’s growing network of bus rapid transit routes have transformed public transportation in the Capital Region and established a model for transit systems across upstate.

ROCHESTER-FINGER LAKES

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for the Finger Lakes region over the past year:

·       Over $566.09 million in aid to Rochester and Finger Lakes local governments

·       412 Finger Lakes restaurants received over $77.72 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

·       Over $28 million for Shuttered Venue in the Finger Lakes

·       $163.84 million for Higher Education institutions like the University of Rochester, RIT, and more.

·       Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority received over $139.98 million between the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill to support their 900+ employees

·       Airports in the Finger Lakes received over $44.74 million

·       Throughout the pandemic, 31,116 businesses in the Finger Lakes region have received over $2.89 billion in PPP funds

Successfully Landed New $125 Million Plug Power Gigafactory Bringing 377 Jobs To Monroe County:

Senator Schumer made a personal call to Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh advocating for Plug Power to choose Upstate NY for the site of its new factory. Plug Power heeded his call and officially opened its new $125 Million Hydrogen Fuel Cell Innovation Center In Monroe County this November.

Delivered Over $18 Million In Federal Funds To Start Critical Broadband Project To Bring High-Speed Internet To Livingston And Orleans Counties:

After months of advocacy, Senator Schumer secured an $11.3 million Rural Development Broadband ReConnect grant for Livingston County to bring high speed broadband internet to thousands of homes, business, and farms. In addition, t hanks to funding State and Local aide that Senator Schumer secured in the American Rescue Plan, Orleans County was able to fulfill a decades-long dream to provide high-speed internet access to the entire county by investing $7.83 million they received to provide broadband access to over 1,500 unserved households.

Secured VA Approval For The Expansion of the WNY National Veteran Cemetery:

After the Veterans Administration stripped features for the WNY National Veteran Cemetery from their 2019 plans, Schumer pushed the department to build the complete cemetery needed for local veterans and helped secure an additional $10 million to ensure the project’s completion. Thanks to his initial advocacy, construction will continue and the next phase will include an above-ground columbarium, ossuary, memorial wall, second committal shelter, a loop roadway, and landscaping to provide Upstate veterans the honorable facilities they deserve.

CENTRAL NEW YORK

 

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for Central New York over the past year:

·       Over $483 million in aid to local governments

·       Over $411 million for CNY K-12 school districts

·       Over $172 million for CNY higher education institutions

·       Over $45 million for CNY airports

·       Over $112 million for Centro to support its 600 employees who operate the transportation authority's bus service in Syracuse, Oswego, Auburn, Rome and Utica

·       Over $14 million for CNY community health centers

·       Over $2 million for CNY Head Start programs

·       Over $17 million for Onondaga County & over $7 million for Oneida County in rental & homelessness prevention funding

·       Over $15 million for CNY live event venues through the Save Our Stages grant program

·       Throughout the pandemic, 10,572 businesses in Central New York have received over $564.86 million in PPP funds

After Decades-Long Effort, Helped Syracuse Airport Finally Land Southwest Airlines:

For over 20 years, Senator Schumer fought to bring low-cost Southwest flights to Upstate New York to help boost competition and lower fares – but Syracuse remained the only major Upstate city without service from the airline. As local officials continued to engage with Southwest Airlines, Schumer spoke directly with the company’s CEO Greg Kelly to advocate for flights out of Syracuse and worked in congress to keep airlines solvent through the pandemic. As the economy reopened, Southwest finally launched service at Hancock International Airport in June.

Secured Funding for Saab to Expand & Create 50 Jobs In Central New York:

With an eye towards Saab’s radar technology developed in East Syracuse, Schumer secured $7 million for the Navy to advance critical improvements to its combat fleet and then ensured Saab was selected for the contract to do the important work. The new contract will create 50 good-paying jobs in Central New York, with potential for more jobs in future.

Solidified Rome Lab’s Position at the Epicenter of Quantum Computing Jobs & Innovation:

After securing tens of millions of dollars Rome Lab’s Quantum Information Science (QIS) research and development in recent years, Senator Schumer helped convince the military to establish Rome Lab as the Quantum Information Science Research Center for the Department of Defense. This landmark designation will deliver millions of additional dollars to Rome Lab, attract the nation’s top talent, and create good paying jobs in the Mohawk Valley. With the race to innovation in quantum computing proving to be the great scientific race of the 21st century, Rome Lab will ensure the U.S does not fall behind international competitors like China and Russia.

Secured Funding to Bring High-Speed Internet to 1K Homes & Businesses in Madison County:

With large parts of rural Madison County lacking access to high-speed internet, Senator Schumer worked hand-in-hand with Madison County officials as they sought funding to close the digital divide from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program. After Schumer held a personal meeting with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsak, Madison County was awarded a $10 million grant to bring new high-speed internet broadband access to over 1,000 homes, businesses and farms across the county.

HUDSON VALLEY

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for the Hudson Valley over the past year:

·       Over $910.6 million in aid to local governments

·       Over 715 Hudson Valley restaurants received over $157 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

·       Over $67 million for Shuttered Venue in the Hudson Valley

·       $219.69 million for Higher Education institutions like the SUNY Orange, Westchester Community College, SUNY New Paltz, and more.

·       Hudson Valley Transit Systems received over $12.9 billion between the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill

·       Airports in the Hudson Valley received over $51 million

·       Throughout the pandemic, 82,074 businesses in the Hudson Valley region have received over $6.49 billion in PPP funds

Secured $11.96 million to revitalize downtown New Rochelle by reconnecting Lincoln Avenue communities divided by Memorial Highway: 

New Rochelle's Lincoln Avenue communities were separated from the services and support of the city's downtown in 1958 when the construction of Memorial Highway bulldozed their neighborhood. For over 3 years, Senator Schumer pushed the U.S. Department of Transportation to approve the LINC project. At the beginning of President Biden’s administration, Schumer spoke to Secretary Buttigeg directly to advocate for these funds. In November of this year, Schumer announced $11.96 million for the LINC project, which will reconnect the 25,000 residents living in the Lincoln Avenue communities to the services, transportation, and job opportunities in New Rochelle's downtown by adding walkable, bike-able city street with open green space. 

Successfully secured selection in a game-changing federally funded program that increases community involvement and fast tracks the PFAS cleanup process at Stewart Air National Guard Base for Orange County residents: 

Following over 5 years of fighting for clean drinking water in the City of Newburgh and its surrounding communities, Schumer announced this May that Stewart Airport will be the first Air National Guard Remedial Investigation funded under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP). This program, officially awarded to Stewart this September, provides the funds needed to begin the remedial investigation at Stewart and also allows regulators to expedite the review of documents and give the Resident Advisory Board to access funding to cover administrative costs to better educate Orange County communities about ongoing remediation efforts. 

Delivered a historic $35 million federal investment to build New York's first-of-its-kind Children’s Specialty Hospital creating 400 new healthcare jobs in Sullivan County: 

This $35 million investment, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program, was needed for The Center for Discovery (TCFD) to build New York’s first short-term inpatient assessment program for children with complex conditions to begin construction, creating over 400 healthcare jobs and 150 construction jobs in Sullivan County while improving access to quality care and services for Upstate New York’s most vulnerable. In early 2020, USDA officials visited the site at Schumer's request. After the visit, COVID cases surged in Sullivan County creating unprecedented burdens for TCFD, including $5 million in lost revenue. This made the $35 million USDA investment secured by Schumer critical to keep the Children's Specialty Hospital project on track for the groundbreaking this July.

Secured hundreds of thousands for EPA to cleanup and revitalize the asbestos-contaminated former TechCity site to bring Ulster County's former economic engine back to life: 

Schumer delivered hundreds of thousands of dollars for EPA to help clean up the former TechCity site, on top of historic funding for both Ulster County and the Town of Ulster through the American Rescue Plan for economic and workforce development opportunities, and billions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act to supercharge cleanup efforts at superfund sites like this across New York. Following Schumer's efforts and July visit, multiple community partners came together, announcing last week that the blighted former IBM site will become iPark87, creating up to 1,000 new local jobs and garnering hundreds of millions in private investment. 

Secured $4 million for Access: Supports for Living to continue its life saving mental health and substance abuse services across the Hudson Valley: 

Senator Schumer played a critical role in the inception of the Access Mental Health and Substance Use Urgent Care, securing $4 million and in May of 2020, he learned that Access needed additional federal support to keep its Mental Health and Substance Use Urgent Care going in the years to come. Taking action, Senator Schumer successfully secured a meeting between Access and SAMHSA to keep the Urgent Care open as demand for these services drastically increased during the pandemic. Following his tireless advocacy, Schumer announced this February that he successfully secured $4 million so Access could continue its virtual and in-person operations in Newburgh and Middletown over the next several years. For these efforts, he was also honored with the nonprofit's prestigious 'Vision of Hope' award this year.

SOUTHERN TIER

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for the Southern Tier over the past year:

·       Nearly $330 million in aid to Southern Tier local governments

·       Over 180 Southern Tier restaurants received over $40 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

·       Over $23.6 million for over 40 Shuttered Venue in the Southern Tier like Cinempolis and the State Theater in Ithaca, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Roberson Museum and Science Center in Binghamton, Clemens Center in Elmira, and many more

·       $161 million for Higher Education institutions like Binghamton University, Ithaca College, SUNY Alfred, and more.

·       $67.11 million for Transit Systems in the Southern Tier Like BC Transit in Broome County, TCAT in Tompkins County, and C-TRAN in Chemung County

·       Airports in the Southern Tier received over $32 million

 

Secured $3.4 Million In Economic Development Administration Funding For The Hornell IDA To Support Major 250 Job Expansion At Alstom:

Following Alston being awarded a nearly $1.8 billion contract to make passenger rail cars for the Chicago Metra Commuter Rail System, Senator Schumer called Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo directly to advocate for the City of Hornell which needed federal funding to support critical infrastructure upgrades to the Shawmut Industrial Park to support Alstom’s massive expansion in the region. This funding directly supported the creation of nearly 250 new jobs and help cements Hornell’s position as one of the nation’s main hubs for train manufacturing.

Delivered BIG For Broome County Transportation With Over $3.2 Million Grant To Purchase Six New Electric, Zero Emission Buses And $1 Million Grant To Make Critical Improvements To The Greater Binghamton Airport:

On top of the nearly $30 million Senator Schumer secured for BC Transit and over $6.3 million for the Greater Binghamton Airport through the ARP and IIJA. Senator Schumer wrote to Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and successfully delivered on two key grants for Broome County. The first a $1 million grant through the Small Community Air Service Development Program for improvements to airport and to bolster efforts to expand air service. The second is a $3.2 million grant through the Low and No Emission Vehicle Grant Program which will allow Broome County to replace polluting diesel buses with six-battery electric, zero emission buses. In addition, the new buses will have components made by BAE Systems in Endicott, supporting local jobs while making the community cleaner.

 

Procured $1.4 Million Through DOL And Appalachian Regional Commission For SUNY Alfred To Support Training For 200 New Southern Tier Manufacturing Jobs:

With major regional employers in the western Southern Tier seeking to expand operations, Senator Schumer pushed for SUNY Alfred to receive funding through the U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission to develop training initiatives for specialized jobs such as welding. This funding will now support nearly 200 new skilled manufacturing jobs in the region at Alstom and Ljungström. 

NORTH COUNTRY 

Senator Schumer delivered substantial relief for Northern New York over the past year:

·       Over $145.8 million for local governments in the North Country

·       Over $135 million for K-12 school districts in the North Country

·       Over $65 million for higher education institutions in the North Country

·       North Country airports received over $29 million between the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill

·       $8.25M for Watertown’s Citibus

·       Over $4 million for community health centers in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties

·       Over $900K for Head Start programs in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties

·       $2.9 million for Jefferson County Homelessness Assistance Program

·       Nearly $2.8M for live event venues in North Country through the Save Our Stages grant program

·       Throughout the pandemic, 5,571 businesses in the North Country have received over $384.13 million in PPP funds

 

Secured Last Piece of Funding Needed to Modernize Fort Drum’s Outdated Railhead: In personal meetings and calls with previous military leadership, Senator Schumer pushed to prioritize the construction of a new railhead at Fort Drum – which is a top priority for Fort Drum officials – and ultimately secured initial funding for the project in the Military Construction budget. Additional funding was still needed to complete the project, so Schumer worked with military leaders to secure to finish the job. The final piece of funding was secured in 2021, allowing Fort Drum to modernize its outdated railhead, improve base readiness and meet deployment requirements.

Ensured Funding to Deepen The Port of Ogdensburg Remained Locked-In Place After Project Delay:

In 2017, Senator Schumer secured funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to deepen the Ogdensburg Harbor and create new economic opportunities for the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority (OBPA). However, the federal funds were in jeopardy as the project was delayed while OBPA sought additional funds to complete the project. In 2021, Senator Schumer worked with USACE keep the federal funding in place while OBPA successfully secured additional funding. The contract on the long-delayed project was finally awarded this year, which will lead to decreased shipping costs and unlock new business opportunities for OBPA.

Infrastructure Bill Includes $10 Billion for Clean Electric Buses Like Those Made by Plattsburgh’s Nova Bus: 

Leader Schumer secured $10 Billion in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to invest $5 billion in funding for public transit agencies to adopt low and no emissions buses, and $5 billion for clean, electric school buses.  This is a potential boon for Nova Bus in Plattsburgh which produces low and no emission buses.  This funding is a win in the fight against climate change and just as importantly, a win for growing the North County transit supplier workforce.

Press release:

Due to the windstorm over this past weekend, operations of the Law Street Yard Waste Station have been extended from today, December 13th until this Saturday, December 18th.  Hours of operation will remain the same, 11:00 a.m. to  5:00 p.m. each day.

The following items cannot be accepted at the station:

Tree stumps, building materials, rock, fill (soil and stone) other debris.  Yard waste shall be free of trash (paper, plastic, bottles, cans…etc.), as this material cannot be processed. All containers (totes, boxes, bags…etc.) need to be taken back with the customer.

Use Law Street entrance to enter and exit the City Yard Waste Station only.

 

Press release:

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the mask protocol for all indoor public places announced Friday is now in effect, as well as a new Frequently Asked Questions resource for business owners and the general public.

Masks are now required to be worn in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement. As noted on the Frequently Asked Questions webpage, an indoor public place is defined as any indoor space that is not a private residence -- businesses and venues New Yorkers frequent that are publicly owned or owned by private business. These entities include indoor entertainment venues, concert halls, indoor sports stadiums, recreational spaces, restaurants, office buildings, shopping centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, houses of worship and common areas in residential buildings. Posters encouraging people to wear masks and get vaccinated are available for businesses to use here and here.

"As Governor, my top priority is to protect the health of New Yorkers and the health of our economy, and these temporary measures will help us get through the holiday season safely," Governor Hochul said. "I share everyone's frustration that we have gotten to this point, especially with the vaccine at our disposal. I want to thank the millions of New Yorkers who have done the right thing to get fully vaccinated. We are all in this together and if others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary."   

This major action to address the winter surge and concern over upcoming holiday gatherings comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise statewide to be in alignment with the CDC's recommendations for communities with substantial and high transmission. The State Health Commissioner issued a determination solidifying the requirement. 

This measure is effective until Jan. 15, 2022, after which the State will re-evaluate based on current conditions, and brings added layers of mitigation during the holiday season when more time is spent indoors shopping, gathering and visiting holiday-themed destinations.     

Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, "Taking this action now is critical to slowing the COVID-19 winter surge during the holidays. Each of you can contribute: get vaccinated, get boosted if you are already vaccinated and wear a mask. We urge the public to support these new requirements in indoor public places by cooperating with the venues. We need everyone to do their part to get through this together."

For information how businesses and venues can implement a proof of vaccination requirement or a mask wearing requirement, see the Frequently Asked Questions here.

COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses are free and widely available statewide. New Yorkers can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. To schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site, New Yorkers can visit the Am-I-Eligible site. New Yorkers can also contact their health care provider, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health centers, or pharmacies. 

New Yorkers can retrieve their Excelsior Pass or Excelsior Pass Plus here. Businesses and venues can download the Excelsior Pass Scanner app—free for any business nationwide and available in more than ten languages—here. 

Hannah R. Roberts, 18, of Fulton, is charged with criminal mischief 4th criminal trespass 3rd, and conspiracy 6th.  Roberts is accused of breaking into GO ART! at 4 a.m., Aug. 28, and of conspiring with one other person to break a window and illegally enter the property in the middle of the night. The subjects were captured on security cameras and identified as the same two who broke a window and trespassed at Rolling Hills Asylum a short time after the Batavia incident.  Nothing was reportedly stolen.  Ghost hunting appears to be the motive.  The case was investigated by Det. Jason Ivison, Batavia PD, and Investigator Kevin Forsyth, Sheriff's Office.  The name of the alleged accomplice has not been released at the time of publication.  (VIDEO: Survellience video released by Batavia PD on Sept. 17)

UPDATE: Also charged in the same incident above, Talana J. Savery, 22, of Fulton.  Criminal mischief 4th, criminal trespass 3rd, and conspiracy 6th.

Thomas C. Rada, 21, of Batavia, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs.  Rada was stopped by State Police on Route 246 in Perry for allegedly exhibiting signs of impairment. Rada reportedly failed a field sobriety test.  He was arrested and transported to SP Warsaw and evaluated by a Drug Recognition Expert from the Wyoming County Sheriff's Office.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Jorden Prescott, 27, of Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd and obstruction of governmental administration 2nd.  Prescott is accused of grabbing a probation officer and preventing the officer from performing his lawful duties at 10 p.m., Nov. 24.  Prescott was issued an appearance ticket.

Nathan Maniace, 77, of Batavia, is charged with an open burn violation. Maniace is accused of having an open burn and burning unapproved materials in his backyard at 3:52 p.m., Nov. 19.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Gerome J. Redmond, 40, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Redmond is accused of stealing items from a local business at 5:41 p.m., Dec. 8. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Lyndsay T. Young, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd.  Young allegedly had contact with a person covered by an order of protection at 12:13 a.m., Nov. 7. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Leonard Conner, 62, of Rochester, is charged with harassment 2nd.  Conner is accused of punching another person in the face during an argument at 7:03 p.m., Dec. 4, and a location on Bank Street, Batavia.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Jan Luca Krumm, 26, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, moved from lane unsafely, and no turn signal. Krumm was stopped at 1:48 a.m., Nov. 25, on Fisher Park, Batavia. Krumm was issued traffic tickets.

Peter L. Jackson, 55, of Batavia, is charged with menacing 2nd and harassment 2nd. Jackson allegedly pushed a woman and menaced her with a kitchen knife during an incident at 12:28 a.m., Nov. 29.  Jackson was arraigned in City Court and released on his own recognizance.

Justin Calmes, 43, of Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and harassment 2nd. Calmes is accused of violating an order of protection at 3:05 a.m., Nov. 27.  H was released on his own recognizance.

Roger Joe Ridd, 55, of North Lake Avenue Bergen, is charged with strangulation 2nd. Ridd is accused of obstructing a victim's breathing causing the person to fall into a supor for a period of time. Ridd was arraigned in Town of Bergen Court and released on his own recognizance.

Cuahtemoc Moses Ramirez, 19, of Fisher Road, Oakfield, is charged with menacing 3rd.  Ramirez is accused of placing another person in fear of physical injury, serious physical injury, or death.  He was arraigned in Town of Oakfield Court and released on his own recognizance. 

Serena L. Duryea, 36, of Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Duryea was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident at 9:42 a.m., Dec. 10, in the Town of Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket. No further information was released.

Jennifer C. Moscicki, 45, of East Bethany is charged with petit larceny.  Moscicki was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident at 5:10 p.m., Dec. 7, in the Town of Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket. No further information was released.

Santa, along with Mrs. Claus made his annual visit to Foxprowl Collectibles on Ellicott Street, Batavia, this weekend.

Spider-Man will be in the story this Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.

Submitted photo and information.

 

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.33, down three cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.16. The New York State average is $3.52, down two cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.26. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.47 (up one cent from last week)
• Buffalo - $3.46 (no change from last week)
• Ithaca - $3.50 (down one cent from last week)
• Rochester - $3.51 (down one cent from last week)
• Rome - $3.54 (down two cents from last week)
• Syracuse - $3.48 (down one cent from last week)
• Watertown - $3.55 (down three cents from last week)

Pump prices continue to drop slightly at the national level over the past week. A week ago, oil prices dropped into the mid $60 per barrel territory - a price not seen since August. Today, they are in the $70s. Lower oil prices and OPEC’s decision not to cut production played a role in the price decrease. Concerns over a potential COVID-19 induced economic slowdown also contributed, along with a slight decrease in demand. Year-end holiday travel should push demand up beginning next week.

As the ceiling of the Richard C. Call Center rumbled from 75-mile-an-hour winds Saturday evening, a group of about 70 people gathered to pay tribute to one of Genesee County’s finest. 

Larry Friedman was bid farewell and best wishes amidst of stream of anecdotes, remembrances, friendship, and his professional career accomplishments as the county’s district attorney for the last 40 years. 

“Larry’s a good man. He’s a hard worker, tenacious, and passionate about his cases, that’s why I enjoy working with him,” said Theresa Asmus Roth, program coordinator of the Children’s Advocacy Center, which she fondly described. “It’s a child-centered place, an environment that’s meaningful to our families on the worst days of their lives. They get to come to a place that looks like it was built for them.”

The advocacy center hosts children of suspected abuse during their examinations. It was one of Friedman’s many projects and goals for Genesee County, so that abused children could find safety and comfort in their first steps toward justice. Once a case was developed by medical, psychological, and law enforcement staff, it was fought by Friedman in the courtroom.

As state Assemblyman Steve Hawley said, “we’re all here because of Larry Friedman and the job he’s done in Genesee County.” 

“We can expect him and all of law enforcement to uphold the law, and they’re working strongly with all kinds of folks,” Hawley said. “No one wants you to leave. This Legislature takes great pride in recognizing and applauding Lawrence Friedman.”

Hawley presented one of many citations to Friedman, of Batavia, for his efforts to “strive to improve the lives of citizens.” Filling the DA position for six unopposed consecutive terms, with 140 felony jury trials and an 82 percent conviction rate, Friedman demonstrated his “steadfast commitment” to the role, Hawley said. 

Nearly two hours of speakers comprised a who’s who of Genesee County, which also included members of the county Legislature, management, Sheriff's Office and BAR Association, city police and various members of legal systems in Genesee and Wyoming counties. They listed his myriad attributes, from providing “faithful, conscientious service” and being “smart, quick-witted and flexible,” to being willing to share his professional enthusiasm  as mentor to kids and adults alike. 

Peter Guppenberger spoke of Friedman’s civic contributions as a Batavia Kiwanis president, secretary and “keeper of secrets.” The district attorney was instrumental in helping to not only meet the club’s goal of raising $150,000 for a new CAC site, but exceeding it to $212,000, Guppenberger said. 

“The power of one, times by like-minded people; that’s Larry’s legacy in Kiwanis,” Guppenberger said. 

While most speakers took to the podium that was front and center, Wyoming County Judge Michael Mohun opted to mill about the room regaling the audience with a story about how Friedman once loaned Mohun his three-cylinder, impressively powerful motorcycle after Mohun’s new Mustang convertible got towed away after being parked in the front of the courthouse. 

Following several weeks of abiding patience, Friedman finally asked where his motorcycle was, as Mohun was enjoying it. Mohun eventually retrieved his vehicle from impound and returned Friedman's motorcycle, he said with a smile. Mohun spoke highly of his colleague and friend and said he believes that Genesee County is “a hell of a lot better place to live” because of Friedman’s presence.

“Because of that man right there,” he said, pointing out Friedman at a nearby table. 

Incoming District Attorney Kevin Finnell, who will begin his term in 2022, acknowledged that his predecessor will be “a tough act to follow.” Friedman’s enthusiasm stems from his love of the law and to serve as prosecutor, Finnell said, adding that the entire county legal system deserves credit.

“I’ll do my best to continue their legacy in Genesee County,” he said. “You’re out here enduring this weather because of what Larry did. He’s loyal, to the staff and to the people who worked with him. He’s humble; he never wanted the spotlight; he would share it with the rest of us. Thank you Larry for taking the time to work with me for the last two years.”

When it was Friedman’s turn at the microphone, he dispersed the spotlight once again by asking anyone who has worked with him over the years to join him at the podium. One by one, he recognized their “phenomenal assistance” and thanked them for it. He also acknowledged aspects of the 16 departments that have worked with him over the years, from probation and information technology to county management and the defense department.

“I’m very grateful to the County Legislature … the Legislature realizes the need for public safety. They understand it, they respect it,” he said. “I feel so privileged to be able to serve this county. Thank you to all of you to be here despite COVID, despite the weather. And thank you to Jeanne (Walton) for being responsible for all of this, and for the committee.”

He had joked that he initially wasn’t going to retire, but he then saw that a Committee to Retire Larry Friedman had been formed by Walton, so he had to do it. He and Walton, (photo below with Friedman), plan to move west to California to be closer to family, which includes his daughters Suzanna and Rebecca.

The committee also includes Vicky Muckle, Lacie Snell, Mary Ann Wiater, Kevin Finnell, Fred Rarick, and Tom Williams. 

Top photo: Wyoming County Judge Michael Mohun shares stories about his friend and colleague, Genesee County District Attorney Larry Friedman during a retirement gathering Saturday at the Richard C. Call Center in Batavia. Guest speakers also included incoming District Attorney Kevin Finnell, Genesee County Legislature members Gary Maha and Shelley Stein, Assistant City Police Chief Chris Camp and City Judge and attorney Tom Burns. Friedman thanked the roomful of attendees, which included a portion of colleagues he has worked with, above, over the last 40 years of his legal career. 

Press release:

National Grid’s upstate New York field force of more than 3,400 workers has restored power to nearly 180,000 of the approximately 215,000 customers impacted by the powerful windstorm that swept across the region Saturday through this morning. The storm, which included gusts of up to 80 mph in some areas, brought significant and widespread damage to the company’s electricity delivery system, leaving behind at least 225 broken utility poles, 100 damaged transformers, and hundreds of toppled trees, tree limbs, and downed wires.

Among the hardest hit were areas along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, including Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Monroe, Oswego, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Crews have been working around the clock since the storm began to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

The company is providing the following general estimated times of restoration for customers who remain without service. Power is being consistently restored to customers in these regions and ETRs are updated on the company’s Outage Central site. Additionally, customers can check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address by logging into our Report or Check an Outage page.

• Eastern New York: Restoration will be complete tonight by 11:30 p.m.
• Central New York, including the North Country: Restoration will be complete for 90% of the affected customers by 6 p.m. Monday.
• Western New York: Restoration will be complete for 90% of affected customers by 11:30 p.m. Monday. The company’s extensive resources, which include support from National Grid New England crews as well as crews from North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, and Ontario, will remain in the region until the last outage is repaired.

“This storm has been extremely damaging to our electricity system,” said Matt Barnett, Vice President of New York Electric Operations. “We understand the inconvenience of being without power and our crews will continue to be out there in full force bringing service back to customers as quickly as possible.”

Just four years ago, Cory Russell of Bergen was a 151 average bowler in league competition at his hometown Rose Garden Bowl.

This season, the 36-year-old right-hander has improved to 186 -- thanks to this week's 756 series in the Thursday Owls League.

Russell bowled games of 243, 234 and 279 -- getting the first nine strikes before leaving a 4-pin in the final game -- on lanes 5-6.

In other action around the Genesee Region USBC, Batavian Tom Fluker raised his league-leading average to 236 in the Wednesday Men's Handicap League with a 718 series, which included a 289 game.

For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

Confirmation candidates from Resurrection Parish with their parents and sponsor at Mass this morning at St Joseph’s Church. 

Candidates are:

• Aiden Anderson 
• Dominic Grillo
• Maylee Green
• Alex Johnson 
• Olivia Shell

They will be confirmed this June on Pentecost Sunday.