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Press release:

Western Region Off-Track Betting (WROTB) / Batavia Downs Gaming President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek presented representatives from the Genesee County Volunteers for Animals and the Genesee County Animal Shelter with checks totaling $2,471 to help support their efforts to take care of animals in the Genesee County area.

The Puppy Paws Indoor Craft and Vendor Market, held at Batavia Downs on February 6th, was organized by Mary Bucceri, Group Sales Manager at Batavia Downs.  100% of collected vendor fees and accepted donations by attendees were given to these 2 local organizations. 

Volunteers for Animals will use the money raised for pet supplies and medical expenses for the animals.  The Genesee County Animal Shelter will use the money to repair and replace various equipment at the Animal Shelter and in the Animal Control van. in addition to purchasing safety equipment for the officers when interacting with feral cats.

“We host several vendor events throughout the year, and we are happy to use these events to help raise money for local worthy organizations,” said Wojtaszek. “We will continue to do what we can to be a good partner to local charities and organizations.”

“The Volunteers for Animals would like to give a special thanks to Batavia Downs and their continued support, “ said VFA Board President Deb Stocking.  “We work hard every year to raise enough money to continue to help the animals. The Downs has been a huge part of this goal. Thank you all for your hard work and - the dogs and cats say 'thank you' as well!”

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department will be repairing a water main break in the area of 3 Ross Street. There is the potential that the water may need to be shut off on Ross Street, from Main Street to Washington Avenue.

The length of time the water will be off is unknown.

Traffic will also be closed in the area of Ross Street, from Main Street to Washington Avenue while the repairs are being made.

As always, when the water is restored it may be discolored. Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated. 

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is expressing relief following an announcement by the state Department of Health that it will not be enforcing a booster mandate for health care workers as they had planned to do starting Feb. 21.

Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett said in a statement regarding the announcement that “the reality is that not enough health care workers will be boosted by next week's requirement in order to avoid substantial staffing issues in our already overstressed health care system,” echoing a sentiment expressed by Hawley and other members of the Assembly Minority in a letter they wrote last week to her and the governor asking them not to implement the booster mandate.

“The decision to hold back on implementing a booster mandate for health care workers is one that will save lives and finally offers some respect to the heroes in our hospitals and other health centers who’ve worked tirelessly on the front lines of this pandemic for years,” said Hawley. “Mandates of this nature have only served to stifle the ability of our health professionals to care for patients when we need them most. I am hopeful this may be a sign the administration is beginning to learn from the poor decisions they made earlier in the pandemic, which cost us many lives.”

Press release:

Genesee County officials will host a pair of informational meetings via Zoom to assist businesses looking to apply to the Genesee CARES Business Recovery Fund.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding eligibility, funding, program requirements, COVID impacts, and more.

Through the Genesee CARES Business Recovery Fund, businesses that were negatively impacted by COVID-19 will be eligible to receive a grant of up to $75,000 to aid the recovery of their businesses.  Eligible applicants are for-profit businesses within Genesee County with 25 or fewer employees.

The meetings to be held virtually through Zoom are scheduled for:

• Thursday, February 24 at 10 a.m.
  • Video Conferencing: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86560090929
  • Audio Conferencing: Dial 1-929-205-6099, Webinar ID: 865 6009 0929
• Wednesday, March 2 at 11 a.m.
  • Video Conferencing: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83846902808
  • Audio Conferencing: Dial 1-929-205-6099, Webinar ID: 838 4690 2808

Businesses are encouraged to visit www.GeneseeCARES.com to review eligibility and requirements for the grant. A fillable application is available for download at the website.

Press release:

Porter Farms is excited to join other CSA farmers across the country to celebrate CSA Week, a national event taking place from February 20th through February 26th to promote CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). CSA is a farm membership system that allows consumers to sign up to receive a season’s worth of a farm’s products every week. Along with getting to enjoy fresh, delicious, and local food, being a CSA member is an excellent way to support and get to know your local farmers.

Join us in promoting CSA Week, the most popular time of the year to sign-up for a CSA! When you sign up to become a CSA member, your financial support helps us prepare for the growing season. You’ll enjoy high-quality produce while taking comfort in knowing where and how your food was grown. Don’t wait to sign up, as we have limited spots available! Our farm is offering a $20 Early Bird discount to people who sign up before April 15th. There has never been a better time to connect with fresh local food while helping to make our local food systems and communities more resilient.

We offer several options for your ease of joining.  Individual shares can be picked up locally at the farm, or at one of our several western New York sites, or if your organization has enough interested members, we will make you a pickup site of your own.  “We strive to make your pickup and membership as easy and convenient as possible for you.  Reasonable accommodations are made to ensure your experience is easy, fast, and rewarding” says Farm Manager Kathy Riggs-Allen.

How to Participate in CSA Week
If you would like to celebrate CSA Week and support Porter Farms, sign up to become a CSA member, and use the hashtag #CSAWeek to join the online conversation.

“Signing up is easy,” says CSA Manager Katie Metzler. “To learn more and to join us for the 2022 season, you can reach us at www.porterfarms.org

Click the join tab at the top of the page to learn more about our share options and delivery locations. We are always looking to expand our reach throughout Western New York, and can even accommodate workplace deliveries during the week.

Article by Coach Nick Burk

The Batavia Indoor Track team competed at the A2 Section V championships on Saturday at Houghton College and the boys team came away with a 111 to 107 victory over 2nd place Newark and 13 scoring schools. This Sectional Championship is the 10th title for the Batavia Indoor boys team and the 26th Sectional championship for both the girls and boys Indoor teams.  Combined with our Outdoor Sectional championships, this makes 37 Titles for Batavia Track and Field!

The meet started out very strong with a 4th place finish in the 3200m by junior Nate Canale (10:28.56).  The 55m Hurdles was a big event for the Blue Devils with Junior Fabian Vazquez finishing 2nd (8.19), Junior Ifran Armstrong finishing 4th (8.62), and Senior Jesse Reinhart finishing 5th (8.79).  Next in the 1000m, Junior Cody Harloff crossed the line in 3rd place (2:45.96), and Junior Noah Pickard finished 4th (2:49.78), in the 1600m, Freshman Cooper Konieczny finished 6th (5:15.51), and in the 300m Sophomore Parris Price finished 6th (37.63).

In the Field events, Batavia had a dominant showing, specifically in Pole Vault with Junior Tyler Umlauf winning the event championship (11-0).  Senior Noah Burke finished 2nd (11-0), and Sophomore Owen Halpin finished 6th (9-0).

The throwers once again were well represented in this meet with Senior Austyn Fernandez taking 2nd in the Shot Put (44-2) and 4th in Weight Throw (47-10).  Senior Luke Geiger placed 2nd in the weight throw with a phenomenal toss (56-2). Senior Abel Hammer finished 3rd in the Shot (43-10) and Senior Dan Saeva finished 5th in Shot as well (41-7). Junior Parker Kleinbach finished 6th in the Weight Throw (44-9).  All together our throwers contributed 29 points in just two events towards our total score.

Other field event results included Fabian Vazquez finishing in 2nd in Long Jump with a new personal best jump (21-2), Jesse Reinhart finished in 4th in Triple Jump (40-10) and 4th in High Jump (5-7), and Senior Carter Havens finished 6th in Triple Jump (39-5).

All three relays were able to score demonstrating the depth and balance of our team this season.  The Boys 4x800 Relay of Cody Harloff, Noah Pickard, Dom Grillo (Junior) and Nate Canale finished 4th (9:30.32).  The 4x400 Relay of Carter Havens, Donavin Solis (Sophomore), Ifran Armstrong, and Cole Grazioplene (Sophomore) finished in 3rd place (3:42.87), and the 4x200 Relay of Fabian Vazquez, Aidan Anderson (Junior), Parris Price, and Cole Grazioplene finished in 3rd as well (1:36.46).

The strength of the Batavia program is that we've structured our team to be as competent across all of the events for track and field as possible.  We place great emphasis on developing hurdlers, vaulters, and throwers to compliment our accomplishments on the track.  Once again the depth of our team shined through in this meet and contributed directly to our 10th championship!

Not to be outdone, our Batavia Girls Indoor Track team had an incredible day and fell just 1 point short of their own championship. Canandaigua finished in first with 88 points, while our girls scored 88.  There were 13 total teams that scored for the girls as well.

On the Track Freshman Campbell Riley had an incredible meet winning the Sectional Championship in the 1500m (5:12.72) and placing a very close 2nd in the 1000m (3:10.43).  In the 3000m, freshman Izzy Scott finished in 5th place (11:44.19).  In the 55 Hurdles, Junior Abby Moore finished 4th (10.18).  In the 1000m Freshman Nicole Doeringer placed 4th (3:20.35), and Senior Olivia Halpin placed 6th (3:40.11). In the 1500m, 7th grader Mallory Boyce finished in 6th place (5:49.72).  All of our points besides one that was scored on the track were from girls who are underclassmen and will return next season.

In the Field events, specifically, the girls Shot Put we had arguably our best performance of the day from 8th grader Libby Grazioplene. Libby entered the meet seeded 15th in this event and ended up as the Sectional Champion with a personal best throw that was more than five feet above her previous best (30-5).  This was one of the most clutch performances we've ever had for Batavia Track.  Freshman Zenallah Simmons finished 2nd in Shot (29-6) and 6th in Weight Throw (32-2). Senior Emma Radka finished 4th in Shot Put (28-8),

Other field event results included Senior Gavin Konieczny finishing in 2nd in Pole Vault (8-6) and her sister, Junior Sydney Konieczny finishing in 4th in Triple Jump (31-0) and 6th in Long Jump (14-10). Sophomore Isabella Walsh finished 2nd in the High Jump (4-11).

The girls had a great showing in the relays also, demonstrating our team's depth.  The 4x800 Relay of Izzy Scott, Jadyn Boyce (Sophomore), Makayla Andalora (Senior), and Mallory Boyce finished in 4th (11:16.32).  The 4x400 Relay of Nicole Doeringer, Leigh LeFevre (Freshman), Noelia Ventura (Senior), and Campbell Riley finished in 3rd place (4:31.30), and the 4x200 Relay of Abby Moore, Layla Jones (Freshman), Sydney Konieczny, and Ella Shamp (8th grade), finished in 4th with a season-best performance (1:55.72).

The girls team came into this meet seeded to finish in 4th place by nearly 30 points to Canandaigua!  We ended up in 2nd place by one point and this was a truly amazing performance by our Lady Devils! So many of our girls contributors on this year's team are young and yet they displayed heart and determination like a much more veteran team would.  Our future is very bright with these young athletes.

Batavia track and field is proud to have competed so well in Sectionals and is looking forward to the State Qualifier meet this coming Friday at Houghton College.  Again none of our success would be possible without the dedication from our coaching staff including Dan Geiger, Bre Clark, Rich Boyce, Bill Buckenmeyer, and Amanda Mikiciuk. These coaches helped prep this team for success and were up to the task of continuing the strong traditions of Batavia Indoor Track. full results can be found at:
http://results.yentiming.com/2022/indoor/2-19-22-Class-A2.htm

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Press release:

Todd Haight, the long-time general manager and director of live racing at Batavia Downs, has announced that he will retire from that position at Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation effective March 15.

"I would like to thank WROTB Chairman of the Board Richard Bianchi and all the directors for their support over the past 20 years. I would also like to thank my dedicated co-workers who proved to be a great support system for the live racing department, and the members of the Western New York Harness Horseman's Association that I’ve worked in conjunction with for many years," said Haight.

Haight started at WROTB in 1998 as an independent contractor and later became an employee when the historic racetrack re-opened in 2002.

He first co-hosted a nightly live broadcast of races on cable TV with track announcer John Bothe. Then in 2005, he joined the corporation's marketing department, and that allowed him to reinstate all the great promotions that occurred at Batavia before WROTB purchased the Downs.

"I was able to bring back the popular driver's bike race on Labor Day and the old-fashioned hot dog days and our fans responded in big numbers once we did. Another popular promotion we started and grew was the wiener dog races and it’s nice to see so many other race tracks are doing them now," said Haight. 

“I was also able to hit the streets to sell advertising and more importantly, develop great relationships throughout the community. We used those relationships to bring businesses -- many of them for the first time -- to the Downs for a night at the races. Working with Group Sales Manager Mary Bucceri, we routinely sold out the clubhouse. Those groups affected the corporation's bottom line with sales surpassing one million dollars."

Haight explained his most valuable experience during his tenure was to work side-by-side with then WROTB vice-president and general manager of live racing, Mike Kane. He said that although he already knew the racing side of the business, Kane's mentoring on the management aspect made all the difference and was a roadmap to success for him.

In 2011 when the WROTB board of directors promoted Kane to President, Haight was promoted to general manager and he remained in that position through his retirement. 

The racing product grew under Haight's watch and in 2013 betting rose 24%. Incremental year-over-year increases continued until 2019 when the track hosted the prestigious New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions and saw new records set for both total betting handle and nightly betting handle.

"I was very happy with the way the Night of Champions turned out. It was the biggest card of racing here since the 1988 Breeders Crown and it was simply a great night, from the crowd to the racing to the event itself. The entire staff here stepped up and did an incredible job," said Haight.  

"We got through the pandemic relatively unscathed in 2020 and despite not having spectators, nightly betting doubled the levels of 2011 and crushed the records set in 2019. Last year we tried some new things and you could look at the tote-board and clearly see our pools were bigger. We ended the year up to about $3,000 per race, which was another record since WROTB took over the Downs."

Haight is currently a USTA director and the chairman of District 8 and will remain in both of those positions. And regardless of which job he was doing, his hard work promoting the sport of harness racing has not gone unnoticed by his peers. 

"It was my pleasure to work with Todd for the past 10 years. As general manager of racing at Batavia Downs, Todd had an amazing mastery of the many responsibilities his job entailed. I will miss working with him as he was a true professional. I wish him all the best in the years to come," said Bruce Tubin, president of the Western New York Harness Horsemen's Association.

"Todd has been a pleasure to work with and he will leave big shoes to fill. His kind are a dying breed in that he cared for racing so much. I wish him the best of luck in retirement," said Kim Crawford, director of USTA District 8.

"I have worked with Todd at Batavia Downs since 2014 and can tell you there is no one in this industry who worked harder to promote harness racing than him. Appeasing an established customer base while trying to draw the next generation to the sport is not easy, but he maintained that delicate balance which in turn drove increased handle and attendance to the track year over year. He will certainly be missed," said Tim Bojarski, racing publicist and president of the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. 

As far as retirement, Haight isn’t sure about his future and has indicated that he has several options.  

"If it’s playing a lot of golf I’m okay with it. And if it’s remaining in the horse racing industry in some capacity, I’m okay with that too. In any event, the last 20-plus years have been good to me and for that I’m extremely grateful."

Photo: File photo from 2021 by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Six Flags Darien Lake, The Thrill Capital of New York and one of the largest employers in Western New York is hosting a hiring event on Saturday, March 5 to fill up to 1,500 positions with dedicated, thrill-loving individuals. Positions are available across multiple departments including ride operators, lifeguards, food service, security, games, retail, camping, and more.

“Six Flags Darien Lake is committed to providing a fun, fast-paced work environment for job-seekers across Western New York.” said Park President Chris Thorpe. “We offer tremendous flexibility for students and part-time wage earners, applicants who come out for this hiring event could potentially be hired on the spot.”

Six Flags Darien Lake offers competitive wages and flexible schedules for candidates 14 years old and up with entry-level pay rates beginning at $13.20 per hour. More experienced candidates and candidates 18 years old can earn pay rates beginning at $15.00, no experience is needed as the park provides training in various disciplines and departments. Other unique benefits include in-park discounts, recognition programs, unlimited park admission for employees, team member events, and more. 

Hiring Event Information:

• When: Saturday, March 5 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Where: Six Flags Darien Lake Hotel

Press release:

On Thursday, February 17, 2022, the Batavia City School District Board of Education voted unanimously on a resolution endorsing New York State Senate Bill S7600 and Senate Bill S1477A, which serve as amendments to provisions of the State Education and Penal Laws to address an increase in harassment made through the use of electronic communications. 

The State Senate has introduced Senate Bill S7600, sponsored by Senator Edward A. Rath III, amending the State Education Law to include a provision that a person who engages in a repeated course of cyber-bullying of a minor shall be guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor, and Senate Bill S1477A, amending the State Penal Law to include contacts via text, private message, direct message, or email or other electronic communication in the definition of the offense of aggravated harassment in the second degree. S7600 is currently under review by the State Senate Education Committee, and S1477A has passed the State Senate and is awaiting passage by the State Assembly. 

The Batavia City School District's Code of Conduct expressly prohibits all forms of bullying and harassment, including cyberbullying. With the approval of the resolution, "the Board of Education hereby affirms its commitment to foster a safe and inclusive learning environment for its students free from all forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying, and supports the efforts of the State Senate to adopt legislation which is consistent with that commitment. This resolution shall take effect immediately." 

"It was important for the Board of Education to show our support for Senator Rath's cyberbullying bill. It is our top priority to ensure students in our district remain safe, healthy, and free from bullying of any kind–and the endorsement of this bill affirms that," said Alice Ann Benedict, BOE President.

"We were happy to work with Senator Rath on endorsing this important and timely initiative. We look forward to the bill passing for the safety of the students throughout New York State," said BCSD Superintendent Jason Smith.

"It is no secret that our children are facing many challenges these days. Unfortunately, with the rise in internet use comes the danger of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying incidents are on the rise, and we must do something to protect our children. That is why I have introduced legislation to make cyberbullying a misdemeanor. Teaching our children that their actions on the internet carry consequences is critical," said Senator Rath.

Press Release:

The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association invites children to the Batavia Ice Rink (aka The David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena) on Evans Street on Saturday, March 5th for a Try Hockey For Free clinic as part of  USA Hockey  Week  Across  America.  Starting at 11:50 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. local youth, ages 4 to 9, are encouraged to experience ice hockey for the first time and learn the basic skills in a fun, safe environment.

"We look forward to welcoming families to Batavia Ice Rink to try our great sport of ice hockey,” said Sharon Gray, coordinator of the “Try Hockey for Free” event.  “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces.”

USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge. 

All your youngster needs is a helmet (bike or sports) and winter gloves.  Skates are available at the Rink and will be available Free of Charge through the Firland Rink Management Group. The GAHA organization does have a few hockey sticks available (but must be returned at the end of the clinic).

Players in attendance will be given a free USA Hockey jersey to take home.

To register for this Try Hockey For Free event, please visit (PLEASE NOTE – EVENT IS LIMITED TO 40 PARTICIPANTS)

www.TryHockeyForFree.com

Photo: File photo from 2016 by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Genesee County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein announced today that Genesee County is launching a $1 million Community Development Block Grant to help businesses impacted by the pandemic.

Through the Genesee CARES Business Recovery Fund, businesses that were negatively impacted by COVID-19 will be eligible to receive a grant of up to $75,000 to aid the recovery of their businesses.  Eligible applicants are for-profit businesses within Genesee County with 25 or fewer employees.

“Despite so many of our businesses being dramatically impacted by the pandemic they have demonstrated perseverance and determination to keep their doors open and we are proud of them,” said Chair Stein.  “That is why we are so excited that our application for CDBG funding was approved as it will be a big shot in the arm to our business community as we continue our economic turnaround.”

There are four general categories of eligibility, including:

• Employment restoration/job hiring incentive: Businesses will be eligible to receive a grant totaling $20,000 toward expected annual wages for up to 3 new hires to a maximum of $60,000.
• Outdoor dining development grants of up to $50,000 to enhance outdoor dining (e.g. furniture, fixtures, equipment, and working capital expenses related to expanding, installing, or improving outdoor dining and gathering spaces.) Construction or renovation costs are not eligible.
• A maximum of $50,000 of grant funds to be used to assist with working capital expenses for businesses that can demonstrate the impact of COVID has put a strain on their cash flow.
• Business resiliency grants of up to $25,000 to support small business efforts to respond to the pandemic for projects such as developing safety and resiliency plans, purchasing PPE, installing touchless point-of-sale systems, and other improvements.

Businesses can apply across multiple grant categories for up to $75,000 per business. Job creation, retention, and restoration goals are tied to all categories.

“Throughout the pandemic, Genesee County and local economic development partners, such as the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), formed an Economic Recovery Task Force, which met monthly to discuss the impacts of the pandemic and strategize efforts to assist with reopening and business recovery,” said Genesee County Manager Matt Landers. “Based on the extensive feedback from businesses across the county, we determined that pursuing this funding opportunity would provide the type of financial assistance they are seeking.”

“Small businesses are the backbone of our regional economy and the process for reviewing applications is similar to our micro-enterprise small business loan program so it will be a seamless process,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde.

Businesses are encouraged to visit www.GeneseeCARES.com to review eligibility and requirements for the grant. A fillable application is available for download at the website.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) introduced the School Resource Officer Act of 2022 to provide additional funds to support School Resource Officers. The legislation was originally cosponsored by Representatives Stefanik (NY-21), Newhouse (WA-04), Bacon (NE-02), and Bost (IL-12).

“School Resource Officers play an integral role in building strong relationships between our students and police, as well keeping kids safe,” Jacobs said. “I am proud to introduce this legislation to provide additional funds to support school Resource Officers, and I will always stand with the men and women of our law enforcement and work to keep our children safe.”

“Our North Country families should always have peace of mind when dropping their children off at school,” Stefanik said. “I am proud to support this legislation that supports our law enforcement officers that protect our children, teachers, and schools.”

“I am committed to ensuring Central Washington students have the best learning environment available to them, which is why I have consistently advocated for school choice and more parental input in their child’s education. This legislation goes a step further by directing additional funding toward school resource officers, who play a critical role in making students feel safe and are responsible for developing school safety plans. This important legislation protects our students and communities while ensuring that law enforcement agencies have the resources they need in order to provide this service to their communities,” Newhouse said.

“School Resource Officers not only play a critical role in keeping schools and students safe, but they also serve as educators and informal counselors, and are important members of the school family,” Bacon said. “At a time when schools across the country are adding or bringing back School Resource Officers, this legislation will help those law enforcement agencies who have seen a reduction in funding hire additional SRO’s.”

“As a father, grandfather, and former first responder, ensuring that our children and grandchildren are safe at school is one of my top priorities. A big part of that is having dedicated school resource officers on campus to respond in emergency situations. The COPS program helps ensure that school districts have the resources and officers needed to keep students safe in the classroom,” Bost said.

The School Resource Officer Act notably has the following provisions:

• Authorization of Appropriations: Authorizes the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program in the Department of Justice at $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2026.
• Reserves Funding Specifically for School Resource Officers: Not less than 30 percent of funding for hiring programs within the COPS program will be used to pay the salaries and benefits of school resource officers.
• Awarded Grant Terms: Federal funds may provide up to 75 percent of salary and benefits of full-time officers with a 25 percent minimum local cash match requirement. Maximum federal share cap is increased to $125,000 per officer position.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined his Assembly Minority colleagues yesterday in urging lawmakers to vote on legislation (A.8101) to prohibit state agencies from mandating the masking of healthy, asymptomatic children in schools and other similar public settings. This amendment was voted down overwhelmingly by members of the Assembly Majority.

Hawley has for months called for the state mask mandate to be terminated in all public settings, including schools. He believes that the authority to implement mask mandates and similar public health policies should rest with local governments and health departments, who have a better understanding of the needs and circumstances of their communities than state-level bureaucrats.

“Last night’s vote made it clearer than ever which members of the Assembly truly stand behind parents,” said Hawley. “I am deeply disappointed that members of the Majority last night were more concerned with preserving the power of the governor than listening to our parents and the most recent data on COVID-19, which shows new infections are steeply declining. Even though this proposal did not pass, it will at least make it obvious to voters which of us in this chamber are willing to stand up to the endless mandates of Gov. Hochul.”

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) submitted a comment to the New York State Department of Health in opposition to the proposed rule I.D. No. HLT-50-21-0002-EP, pertaining to Investigation, Isolation, and Quarantine for communicable diseases.

“As this proposed rule is written, it could give local health officials the power to remove individuals from their homes and place them in a government-controlled quarantine facility if they are simply exposed to COVID-19 or other communicable diseases,” Jacobs said. “Not only is this blatantly authoritarian, but it is an affront to the individual freedoms and liberties of each and every New Yorker. As other states move to end COVID-19 restrictions, New York State is actively working to assume more power over residents’ lives and implement policies that violate their constitutional rights – I strongly oppose any such measure.”\

Jacobs full comment, submitted to the New York State Department of Health – Bureau of Program Counsel, Regulatory Affairs, can be read here:

Dear Ms. Ceroalo,

I urge you to not to adopt the above-referenced proposed regulation relating to investigation, isolation, and quarantine in response to an outbreak of communicable disease. This proposed regulation is both unnecessary and contrary to the established laws of New York State.

The regulation as currently drafted gives state and local health officials the power to remove residents from their homes and place them in a government-controlled facility. It includes not only people who are confirmed infected with COVID-19, but also covers people simply exposed to COVID-19. We are almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic and there are very few instances of New York State, or any state for that matter, forcibly quarantining people outside their homes. Circumstances have not changed so that they must do so now. There is no evidence that this policy if implemented would even have any effect on the spread of communicable diseases. The notice of rulemaking does not cite any scientific evidence to support this policy, and only refers generally to the spread of COVID-19 as justification for the regulation’s necessity.

The regulation is also a plain violation of New Yorkers’ freedoms and New York State law. Because the rulemaking covers people who are even only potentially exposed, the regulation can affect almost every New Yorker. The notice of rulemaking cites Section 225 of the Public Health Law. This is an extremely broad reading of the law. Under the State’s interpretation, there is virtually no limit to what the Department of Health can do. Furthermore, it is simply wrong for the government to remove individuals from their homes based on a temporary medical condition. We are a country and a state that prizes individual freedom and respects due process. This regulation flouts both of those values.

Press release:

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today launched a major push to make New York State home to the nation’s first Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law. In a direct letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Schumer explained how New York is already a national leader in hydrogen energy production and research, with North America’s largest green hydrogen production facility currently being constructed in Western New York by Plug Power. Schumer said that if selected for federal investment, the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub would mean thousands more clean energy jobs in New York and major federal investment to cement New York as a leader in the fight against climate change and the future of carbon-free energy production.

“From WNY, Rochester, and the Capital Region to Long Island, New York is leading the nation in hydrogen energy production sparking innovative research that is literally turning water into carbon-free power for electricity, fuel cells, and so much more. That is why I wrote to Energy Secretary Granholm directly to make it clear that New York has all the right ingredients to be the nation’s first-ever Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub and fuel America’s clean energy future,” said Senator Schumer.

Schumer added, “When I led the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to passage with an unprecedented $9.5 billion federal investment to expand the hydrogen industry, I had in mind innovative companies like Plug Power in Upstate New York and the potential to create thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs in communities that need it most. New York’s powerhouse workforce, top tier research institutions, and easy access to the renewable energy needed to produce green hydrogen make it uniquely suited to supercharge and lead the federal government’s efforts to secure the nation’s spot as a global leader in clean hydrogen production to power our fight against climate change.”

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $8 billion for the Department of Energy to establish four or more Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs to demonstrate the production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of clean hydrogen. Today’s two Requests for Information from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy points to how important it is that New York quickly coordinate the most compelling proposal for a New York-centered Hydrogen Hub. In addition, the law also makes several new critical investments in hydrogen fuel and clean energy, including:

• $1 Billion for a new Department of Energy Electrolyzer demonstration, commercialization and deployment program to improve the efficiency, increase the durability, and reduce the cost of producing clean hydrogen using electrolyzers.
• $500 million for a new Department of Energy clean hydrogen manufacturing recycling program to foster a clean hydrogen domestic supply chain in the U.S. 

Senator Schumer has been leading the charge to expand clean hydrogen production in New York. In 2020, Senator Schumer made a personal call to Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh pushing for the company to select Upstate New York for the site of its newest factory instead of a site in another state that was in contention.  In December 2020, Schumer announced that Plug Power had heeded his call and selected Monroe County as the site for its new ‘gigafactory,’ a hydrogen fuel cell component R&D and manufacturing plant, bringing $125 million and nearly 380 jobs to the Finger Lakes region. The new ‘gigafactory’ will manufacture hydrogen fuel cell stacks and electrolyzers, which will be used to power a variety of electric vehicles and to generate power from renewable green hydrogen.

Schumer also called on the Department of Energy to support Plug Power’s newly proposed plan to construct a $290 million hydrogen facility at the Western NY STAMP site in Genesee county and personally visited the site in September. Plug Power’s new production facility at STAMP will produce green hydrogen to supply fuel-cell-powered equipment and vehicles such as freight transportation and logistics handling equipment.