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Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 49^th Annual Awards Ceremony and the 2020 award recipients. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the celebration will look much different this year.

The event will be a prerecorded virtual event with release date yet to be determined. It is very important to the Chamber to continue to honor businesses and Geneseeans especially during this most trying time.   

We are honored to announce the 2020 award recipients:

This year’s honorees are:

Business of the Year -- Pellegrino Auto Sales       

Agricultural Business of the Year -- L&M Specialty Fabrication LLC   

Special Service Recognition of the Year -- Rochester Regional Health/United Memorial Medical Center                   

Geneseean of the Year -- Tammy Hathaway

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley joined his colleagues in the Assembly Minority on Friday in writing a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, calling on them to include local home rule authorities in the process of developing coronavirus vaccine distribution plans in order to make them more effective.

The letter was drafted in response to reports that vaccine distribution has been slow and ineffective in New York State, with some vaccine doses reportedly being wastefully disposed of due to improper storage.

“What we do in these next few weeks with vaccine distribution will determine how much tragedy we will all have to endure as a state, so we need to act now to get these vaccines to the people that need them most, as quickly as possible,” Hawley said.

“We need to give the people who know their communities better than anyone a say in planning vaccine distribution, because a singular top-down approach will not work for the varied and unique communities that make up New York State. Getting these vaccines out effectively and promptly will save lives, and we cannot afford to let even a single dose of the vaccine go to waste during this unprecedented public health crisis.”

Press release:

• Genesee County received 55 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield)
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
• Seventy-two of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list. 
• Nine of the positive individuals are hospitalized.

​

• Orleans County received 29 new positive cases of COVID-19 from Tuesday through today. 
• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.
• Seven of the new positive individuals were on quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Thirty-eight of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation.
• Eighteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Two of the new positive cases are residents of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
• Two of the new positive cases are inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility
• We are deeply saddened to report the death of two residents of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Both of these individuals are over 65. We do not provide any further information to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of these individuals during this very sad time.
• We are deeply saddened to report the death of a community member. The individual is over 65. We do not provide any further information to protect the privacy of this person and their family. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this person during this very sad time.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley announced today with his Assembly Minority colleagues the “Jump-Start New York” plan for economic recovery.

It's a comprehensive package of legislative proposals that would restore the power of the Legislature by reining in Gov. Cuomo’s executive powers and focus New York’s available financial resources toward economic recovery for “nonessential” small businesses that have lost income due to the governor’s pandemic restrictions through direct aid grants. 

“This package of legislation does exactly what we need to be doing right now in our state, getting the Legislature back to work for the communities they represent and helping the small businesses and families within those communities that have suffered for far too long under onerous restrictions imposed by the governor using his expanded powers,” Hawley said. 

The program’s funds would be drawn from unallocated settlement funds and capital programs such as START-UP NY, and additional stimulus would be made available by making small businesses eligible for the Film Tax Credit.

Additionally, these small businesses would be granted a 180-day grace period to remedy regulatory violations without being fined and also be granted an extra 180 days to file their sales taxes. The legislative package would assist “nonessential” businesses located within the governor’s Red and Orange Zones by prompting a reevaluation of the businesses that could open, while maintaining proper social distancing practices.

In addition, Jump-Start New York would give targeted relief to farmers and renters who have had their incomes impacted by Gov. Cuomo’s restrictions during COVID-19. Landlords who have gone without income would receive a tax credit to help offset their losses, while farmers would see regulatory expenses and requirements loosened and eligibility standards for funding broadened.

The package would also assist farmers and rural business owners in general by expanding rural broadband access, which would help them expand their markets among other benefits.

“Focusing available financial resources on our small businesses that have been struggling to remain operational is just common sense, so I’m hopeful we see ‘Jump-Start New York’ get passed for the sake of the small business owners and their employees who have had their lives upended this last year,” Hawley said.

Press release:

The GOW Opioid Task Force will be hosting its second virtual Quarterly Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21^st.

This meeting will focus on highlights from the past year, plans for 2021, and how we have adjusted our efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, local addictions professionals will speak on how the pandemic has directly impacted their agencies, treatment services, and any trends they are seeing in our community. 

“It is important we continue the conversation surrounding the opioid crisis and discuss ways we can help amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Christen Ferraro, project coordinator. “People in our community are still struggling and in need of additional support. This virtual setting of our Quarterly Meeting helps us to stay connected and reach even more people across our tri-county region.”

This meeting is open to the public and the community is invited to join and share any questions they may have.

Please visit the GOW Opioid Task Force website for more details and to register. Once registered you will receive a confirmation email with Zoom information and a link to join.

Press release:

As New York embarks on phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccination rollout, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called out the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan, despite having months to do so, and demanded the Department take immediate action to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process.

The senators said they have been requesting HHS work and communicate with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, public health experts, and health care providers for months to develop a plan for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration.

“The biggest thing we want to ensure about the coronavirus vaccine is access. The vaccine must be available to whoever needs and wants it,” Senator Schumer said. “By refusing to work with local governments to implement a national vaccine plan, HHS is failing New Yorkers who are earnestly waiting their turn for a vaccine, and they must step up to address the health inequalities and distribution failures. In order to succeed in the collective goal of public health, I am demanding that HHS fix its broken distribution plan and work with municipalities to get New Yorkers vaccinated ASAP.”

Senator Gillibrand said: “New York’s health systems have been stretched to the limits and as the virus surges across the state, federal support is necessary to effectively distribute and administer vaccines. The Trump administration’s lack of leadership has hampered our nation’s vaccine distribution and resulted in doses of vaccine expiring before reaching Americans.

"Even in the final days of this administration, it’s crucial that they enact a robust federal plan to allow the incoming Biden administration to quickly reach every American in need of the vaccine. The Biden administration should not have to start from scratch to form close partnerships with state and local governments in order to deliver detailed guidance and essential resources to speed up vaccine administration.”

Schumer and Gillibrand underscored that a successful plan must include guidance and best practices on taking the vaccine from distribution to administration, provide all necessary resources to state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments and other jurisdictions, account for the significant challenges jurisdictions face in scaling up their workforces, and act to ensure vaccine distribution efforts also combat health inequities.

The senators also called for HHS to launch a massive public facing campaign to promote vaccine confidence and help people understand where, when and how to get vaccinated.

In the coming weeks, the senators emphasized that HHS must engage with states to proactively identify and address challenges to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably distributed and administered across the country.

Additionally, Senator Gillibrand recently called for the passage of the Health Force, Resilience Force, and Jobs to Fight COVID-19 Act to address the nation’s lagging vaccine campaign by investing billions in local public health infrastructure and recruiting, training and employing hundreds of thousands of Americans to administer and distribute vaccines, particularly in underserved communities.

Community-based public health jobs and resources, like those created by the Health Force, are known to improve local vaccine education, outreach, and vaccination rates. The Health Force proposal would ensure the federal government has a proactive and coordinated approach to vaccine distribution and administration –including delivering $40 billion a year, for the first two years, to meet the COVID-19 vaccine distribution needs and address the various public health challenges caused by the pandemic. 

Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, signed alongside 43 other senators appears below:

Dear Secretary Azar:

We write to you with concerns about significant challenges in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration across the country and to outline key actions the Trump Administration should have taken—and must now take—to address these challenges. With our health system and economy in crisis, and millions of lives at stake, we cannot afford for this vaccination campaign to continue to be hindered by the lack of planning, communication, and leadership we have seen so far.

President Trump tweeted on January 3rd that “the vaccines are being delivered to the states by the Federal Government far faster than they can be administered!” That should have been an indicator of a failed vaccine roll out, not a point of pride. It is the federal government’s role to ensure states, Tribes, localities, and the public are receiving the resources and support they need, rather than requiring every jurisdiction to manage on their own without the benefit of the national resources and perspective that only the federal government can provide.

Since July, we have been calling on the Trump Administration to work with states, Tribes, and localities, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, public health experts, congregate care settings, and other health care providers to develop a comprehensive, national plan for vaccines. Since September, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Operation Warp Speed (OWS) first published their playbook and strategy for vaccine distribution, state, Tribal, and local health departments have said that they need clear communication, transparent decision-making, evidence-based guidance, and financial resources to effectively implement vaccine administration plans.

Despite months to plan, the Trump Administration has failed to meet these needs or deliver promised doses to jurisdictions, and as a result of this lack of planning, only 36 percent of distributed vaccines have been administered.

We hope the recently announced efforts to scale up vaccinations in pharmacies will help to turn this tide but it is clear much more is needed. States, Tribes, and localities, providers, and the public are being left without federal support or clear, complete information about what to expect in the future as nearly 300,000 Americans fall ill daily from this virus. 

In order to avoid these failures, the Trump Administration should have issued and implemented a comprehensive national vaccines plan, including detailed guidance and an infusion of resources to support states. Federal responsibility does not end with delivery of vaccines to states, as you have suggested. Vaccine administration must be a close partnership between the federal government and state, Tribal, and local governments, with the federal government stepping up to ensure that all needs are met.

A vaccine allocated on a spreadsheet, or even a vaccine distributed and sitting on a shelf, is not enough to protect anyone. The metric that matters, and where we are clearly moving too slowly, is vaccines in arms. A comprehensive national plan should:

• include robust guidance for states, Tribes, localities and health care providers including on personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, vaccine administration prioritization, and best practices for taking the vaccine from distribution to administration;
• specify how the Federal government will support these entities with funding, supplies, information, and personnel—which thus far the Trump Administration has failed to do; and
• account for the significant challenges jurisdictions face in scaling up their workforces while continuing other lifesaving public health work, which may include providing increased support for mass vaccination clinics and mobile testing units, as well as supplementing the vaccination workforce including vaccinators, logistical support, and more. 

In the absence of this long-overdue national plan, it is all the more important that the Trump Administration actively engage with state planning efforts in the coming days, identify challenges across distribution and administration, and proactively address problems that arise in partnership with jurisdictions.

In order to support the efforts outlined in a comprehensive, national plan, the Trump Administration must also quickly provide robust vaccine distribution funding to States, Tribes, and localities. In advance of vaccine distribution efforts commencing, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had provided just $617 million in funding to states for vaccine efforts—this amount was woefully inadequate. In fact, the Trump Administration falsely stated as recently as November that States did not need funding for vaccine distribution.

Ultimately, Congress provided $8.75 billion for vaccine distribution efforts in the recently enacted COVID relief bill which will meaningfully help states execute their vaccine administration plans. The bill requires a portion of this funding to be sent to states within 21 days, and President Trump’s delay in signing this legislation should not further delay the distribution of these funds.

We recognize that the CDC announced the availability of $3 billion for states for vaccination activities, but we cannot afford a repeat performance of this Administration’s decision to sit on billions of dollars in testing funds when states urgently needed them.

The Trump Administration must ensure strong support reaches jurisdictions as soon as possible to support their critical work. The challenges we are seeing in vaccine distribution also underscore the need for robust and permanent investments in public health infrastructure to get us out of this cycle of crisis and response.

The Trump Administration must act to correct the lack of transparency and communication from the federal government around COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. Over the first two weeks of vaccine distribution, more than a dozen states found their actual vaccine allocations fell significantly below initial OWS allocation forecasts.

For several days, OWS denied these discrepancies, before ultimately admitting officials had provided states with flawed numbers. Even now, states are given just one week of advanced notice about the number of doses they will receive and have been given no information about distribution projections after February.

Local health departments are largely excluded from planning calls with OWS and CDC, even though they often ultimately receive and administer vaccines. There is no federal plan to publicly release sufficient data on vaccinations in long-term care settings, where more than 133,350 residents have died, accounting for 37 percent of all deaths from COVID-19.

The federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, which states expected to rely on to support vaccination of these particularly vulnerable populations, has administered only 17 percent of the vaccines distributed to these facilities to date.

Jurisdictions and health care providers are not the only ones in the dark; members of the public do not know when, where, or how they will be able to be vaccinated. CDC already supports a national portal to provide information to the public on where they can receive flu vaccines and other vaccines; the public needs this and more information when it comes COVID-19 vaccines, which should be broadly publicized.

Furthermore, while some states are taking steps to educate providers and the public to improve communication and build trust, the Trump Administration has failed to meaningfully address vaccine confidence, after spending months directly undermining such confidence by casting doubt on our nation’s world-class scientists and scientific agencies.

The Trump Administration should launch a long-overdue, large-scale public awareness campaign and work with leaders in communities across the country to provide science-based information to promote high vaccination rates. The federal government must play a proactive role in improving transparency and communication with public health departments and the American people.

Finally, the Trump Administration must also act to ensure vaccine distribution efforts combat rather than exacerbate the health inequities that have been laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic. A failure to plan strategically and proactively for vaccine distribution means communities of color, residents of congregate care facilities, rural communities, and other populations disproportionately at-risk will remain neglected in our pandemic response.

This is especially true for the millions of health care workers of color who provide the daily care and support for residents of congregate care settings and who provide home health care. We have seen the toll this pandemic has taken on vulnerable communities, and the egregious health disparities that have resulted from this pandemic, and we must act to combat these inequities.

Since FDA granted the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine, only 2 percent of Americans have been vaccinated. In that same time, the United States passed 20 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 and saw a new record in daily deaths from COVID-19 when over 4,085 Americans died on January 7.

Of the 20 million doses promised by the end of 2020, only 4 million doses were administered before the end of the year. In light of this failed vaccine rollout amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths, we urge you to finally take the steps necessary to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably distributed and administered across the country.

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced Thursday that after numerous discussions with President-elect Joe Biden and his team, his incoming administration’s FEMA will deliver roughly $2 billion MORE to New York State for COVID-19 relief.

Schumer said that while these funds are meant to help alleviate the mounting local costs associated with the pandemic, they will ultimately help New York State tackle COVID-related budget gaps.

The money, Schumer explained, is tied to the March 2020 FEMA Disaster Declaration declared by the Trump administration. Under that declaration and current policy, 75 percent of NYS COVID-related expenses are covered by a Disaster Relief Fund (DRF.) Now, the expenses covered will be 100 percent -- and this will deliver roughly $2 billion more to New York within the next several months.

“President-elect Biden is laser-focused on America’s economic recovery, and this recovery begins with tackling the costs states and local governments have incurred in managing the pandemic,” Senator Schumer said.

“For New York, the costs have been huge and will take years to overcome entirely, but achieving my goal of 100-percent FEMA cost share to New York will mean a sigh of relief for all New Yorkers because these critical dollars will help protect essential services and workers while we deal with badly burdened budgets that have been gut-punched by COVID. I am glad we could get this done even before the President-elect is sworn in because it shows how we will be hitting the ground running come January 20th.” 

Schumer has been pushing for 100-percent FEMA cost share since the crisis began.

Early on, in March 2020, Schumer wrote FEMA saying, “I write today to urge the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to wave the 25 percent state cost share associated with any coronavirus disease (COVID-19) work under the March 13 Emergency Declaration. As New York has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., I urge the FEMA to request this waiver from the President as soon as possible.”

Schumer spent the next month’s making more calls, speaking with President Trump and hammering home the critical need for 100-percent relief. His advocacy continued for months thereafter and included many meetings, calls, and additional letters.  

New York State has been responding to COVID since last March, spending limited funds on masks, extra nurses and doctors, temporary hospitals, and so much more. Because of Schumer’s earlier pushes, FEMA told the state that many of these expenses are covered, similar to insurance, under the COVID declarations.

Over time the state has submitted to FEMA a log of these expenses and FEMA has assessed those expenses. For every dollar spent, FEMA and federal government currently cover 75 cents and the state provides the remaining 25 cents. Now, after Schumer’s push, the incoming Biden administration’s FEMA will cover 100-percent of eligible expenses, delivering roughly $2 billion more to the State of New York.

Press release:

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued a statement applauding the Department of Labor’s final rule modernizing the H-2A visa program:

“This final rule streamlining and modernizing the H-2A visa process will go a long way in ensuring American farmers have access to a stable and skilled workforce, all while removing unnecessary bureaucratic processes," Secretary Perdue said.

"USDA’s goal is to help farmers navigate the complex H-2A program that is administered by Department of Labor, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department so hiring a farm worker is an easier process. These modernizations make the Federal government more responsive to our customers, ensuring American agriculture continues to lead the world for years to come.”

Background

The final rule will streamline the H-2A application process by mandating electronic filing of job orders and applications. These elements are designed to bring the H-2A application process into the digital era, by harnessing the power of the FLAG electronic filing system to share information with other federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security while also sharing information with the State Workforce systems and domestic farmworkers.

Additionally, the final rule will provide additional flexibilities to cut down on unnecessary burdens on the agricultural employers that use the program. These flexibilities include the ability to stagger the entry of workers into the country over a 120-day period and allowing agricultural employers the flexibility to file a single application for different dates of need instead of multiple applications. 

Press release:

This week, Rochester Regional Health began providing the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to its primary care patients who are age 75 and older. The system is directly calling patients in this group to schedule appointments at COVID-19 vaccine clinics located throughout Greater Rochester. One of Rochester Regional’s clinics is located outside United Memorial Medical Center’s Jerome Center and it began vaccinating patients in this group today.

The clinics are by appointment only. The health system has been selecting, at random, patients age 75 and older who are enrolled in primary care practices owned by or affiliated with Rochester Regional Health. When a patient is selected, a Rochester Regional Health representative calls the patient and schedules their vaccine appointment.

“By randomly selecting patients from the eligible age group, we are ensuring fair and equal access,” said Stephanie Dodd, RN, director of Nursing for Rochester Regional Health. “It also makes it easier for patients. If you go to a primary care practice owned by or affiliated with Rochester Regional Health and you are in the eligible age group, someone from our central office will call you when the vaccine is available to you and help make your appointment.”

This week, Rochester Regional is on track to administer 1,200 vaccinations for patients age 75 and older.

Per the latest guidance from New York State, Rochester Regional Health will expand this process to include patients age 65 years and older beginning next week.

Patients in this age group are part of Phase 1B in the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) prioritization guidelines. Community members who are not enrolled with a Rochester Regional Health owned or affiliated primary care practice, and/or are younger than 65, but are still eligible under Phase 1B for other reasons (including educators, first responders, public safety workers and public transit workers), are encouraged to call the New York State vaccination hotline at 1-833-NYS-4VAX (1-833-697-4829) or use the New York State “Am I Eilgible?” app.

Key reminders:

• Rochester Regional Health COVID-19 vaccine clinics are by appointment only. If you are 65 or older and enrolled with a Rochester Regional Health primary care provider, you will receive a call to schedule your vaccine appointment. 
• Rochester Regional is selecting patients at random from the list of those who are eligible under state guidelines. This is to ensure fair and equal access to the vaccine.
• If you are not a Rochester Regional Health primary care patient 65 or older, but think you may be eligible, call the New York State vaccination hotline at 1-833-NYS-4VAX (1-833-697-4829) or use the New York State “Am I Eilgible?”app.
• Please do not call a hospital directly about making a vaccine appointment.
• If you have medical questions about the vaccine, call your primary care doctor.
• Rochester Regional Health patients can sign up for the MyCare app as another way to stay updated.

As more community members become eligible, Rochester Regional Health will share additional information about expanded vaccination efforts.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is announcing a webinar hosted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to discuss the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant.

“I first want to commend the SBA for their tireless work to support our small businesses and our communities," Jacobs said. “One of my top priorities since taking office has been to deliver economic relief to support millions of American small businesses.

"When we passed the most recent COVID-19 aid package, not only did we deliver $284 billion to support the Paycheck Protection Program, but we also enacted additional provisions such as the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act that continue to represent our commitment to a strong American comeback."

This legislation allocated $15 billion to the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which offers up to $10 million in grant funding to eligible organizations. The webinar will take place on Jan. 14th at 3 p.m. EST, and will cover eligibility, accessibility of grants, and the application process. 

Please be advised this webinar will fill up fast, if additional sessions become available an update will be provided.

To register for the webinar, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shuttered-venue-operators-grant-webinar-registration-136050549857?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery  

In addition, the Paycheck Protection Program is currently open to both first time recipients and applicants seeking a second draw. The funding is being distributed through Community Financial Institutions.

To be eligible for a second loan, a borrower must meet the following criteria:

1) Received a first-time loan and has or will use the full amount for authorized uses;

2) Has no more than 300 employees, and

3) Can demonstrate at least a 25-percent reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020.

For more information on the Paycheck Protection Program, please visit: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program.

Press release:

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo scholarship application process for the 2021 – 2022 academic year is now open. Applications are due by May 1 and must be submitted online.

All students, including Say Yes Buffalo applicants and scholars, that meet the following eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a current resident of one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming);
• Have a minimum of a “C” average or a GPA of 2.0 or greater;
• Be admitted to a nonprofit 501(c)(3), U.S. Department of Education accredited school for full-time study beginning in the fall 2021 semester. 

Scholarship awards typically range from $1,000 to $6,000.

More than 200 individuals, families, foundations and organizations have established scholarship funds through the Community Foundation. In 2020, the Community Foundation remained as one of the region’s largest scholarship providers, awarding scholarships totaling $3 million to more than 3,000 Western New York students. 

For more information on the Community Foundation’s scholarship program, including application instructions, please visit www.cfgbscholarships.org or text SCHOLARSHIP to (855) 213 - 4426.*

* By taking this action you are affirming that you will receive recurring Scholarship Deadline alert text messages from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. Please click here for our Privacy Policy. Text STOP to opt-out, HELP for more information. No purchase necessary. Message & data rates may apply.

Submitted image and press release:

There wasn’t a dry eye in the parking lot of the hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 12, as one hardworking United Memorial Medical Center employee received a life-changing gift.

Catherine Weatherbee has worked as a secretary at the hospital for 20 years. She thought she was going out to lunch for her 60^th birthday, until she was greeted by six cameras in the hospital parking lot. Next thing she knew a 2016 Subaru Legacy with a big red bow on top was pulling up beside her.

Dr. Nicholas Loffredo, Orthopedic surgeon at United Memorial, got out and yelled “Surprise!” as he walked toward her to hand her the car keys. Weatherbee’s astonished response, “No, you didn’t?!”

Ever since her car broke down two years ago, Weatherbee has been receiving rides to work by a friend or taking a cab. Her caring nature prompted Dr. Loffredo to start a GoFundMe for the United Memorial staff to donate money toward this gift. That goal was reached in mere days. 

Excitement grew as the big day approached, but there was a setback. A week before her birthday, Weatherbee got COVID-19.

“We were going to give this to her as soon as she got back and we’re just happy she’s back with us," Dr. Loffredo said. "She’s such a selfless soul and gives to everyone around her, you can’t help but love her."

Weatherbee said “I’m numb. I have no words to describe this. This is my family. I don’t have a family out in the public, but I have a family here."

She may have arrived to work in a taxicab Tuesday morning, but she went home in style.

From Laura A. Wadhams, P.E., assistant county engineer:

Fineline Pipeline is going to close Perry Road, between York Road and Dillion Road in Pavilion tomorrow. Jan. 14, between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. for water main installation. The road will be accessible to local traffic and emergency vehicles only.

The contractor will also close York Road between Perry Road and South Street Road in Pavilion starting tomorrow, Jan. 14^th, for two to three weeks. The closures are expected Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The road will be accessible to local traffic and emergency vehicles only.

The contractor will not be on site any days where weather conditions would make for unsafe work or travel conditions.

Submitted image and press release:

Genesee County honored their annual STOP-DWI Poster Contest and Top Cop winners a little differently this year. In years past, a luncheon would take place and all award recipients would be honored for their service and artwork.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we had to think of a way to still celebrate these students and officers for their hard work. Members of the STOP-DWI Board and Youth Bureau staff decided to have banners made in the winners’ honor and had the banners placed in front of their school or police agency.

In addition to the banners, each first-place winner, along with the Grand Prize winner, had their artwork displayed on brown paper bags that were donated to Tops Markets in Batavia to distribute to shoppers.

The Poster Contest award recipients are youth throughout Genesee County in grades sixth-12^th who submitted a STOP-DWI poster focused on the 2020 theme.

The idea was to spark creativity and come up with their own slogan of two things that do not go together. The example provided was “Drinking and Driving Go Together like Peas and Guacamole, Don’t Drink and Drive."

There are three categories: sixth through eighth grade; ninth through 12th grade, and Computer Generated Art. There is also an overall Grand Prize Winner.

All award winners will receive commendations from the Genesee County Legislature, a gift card to Target, and a T-shirt with the Grand Prize Winner’s artwork on it. They will also be able to keep their banner that was displayed at their school. The Grand Prize Winner’s artwork will also be displayed on a billboard on Route 5 in Batavia.

The sixth through eighth grade winners are:

• Third Place -- Logan Dryja; Logan is a sixth-grade student at St. Joseph Regional School
• Second Place -- Clayton Conrad; Clayton is a sixth-grade student at St. Joseph Regional School
• First Place -- Evianna Marts; Evianna is a seventh-grade student at Byron-Bergen Central School

Congratulations to our sixth through eighth grade winners!

The ninth- through 12th-grade winners are:

• Third Place -- Sarah Streeter; Sarah is a 12^th-grade student at Byron-Bergen Central School
• Second Place -- Zoey Shepard; Zoey is a 10^th-grade student at Byron-Bergen Central School
• First Place -- Skylar Sharpe; Skylar is a 12^th-grade student at Byron-Bergen Central School

Congratulations to our ninth- through 12th-grade winners!

The Computer Generated Art winners are:

• Third Place -- Savannah Heick; Savannah is a seventh-grade student at Byron-Bergen Central School
• Second Place -- Owen Coles; Owen is a 12^th-grade student at Batavia High School
• First Place -- Gavin Wagner; Gavin is a 10^th-grade student at Batavia High School

Congratulations to our Computer Generated Art winners!

And our Grand Prize winner is a team of two:

Grace Shepard and Brooke Jarkiewicz! Grace and Brooke are both 11^th-grade students at Byron-Bergen Central School.

Congratulations to our Grand Prize winners!

This year’s Top Cop Award was presented to four officers:

• Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy David Moore
• Genesee County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush
• Batavia Police Officer Peter Post
• Le Roy Police Officer Austin Steinbrenner

These officers received this award for going above and beyond with DWI arrests during a 12-month time period. Their dedication and contributions are appreciated by the STOP-DWI Board to ensure the safety of our community.

Congratulations and thank you to all recipients for their contributions. We look forward to holding the contest and luncheon again later this year.

Top image: Grand Prize artwork by Grace Shepard and Brooke Jarkiewicz. It will be displayed on a billboard on Route 5 in Batavia.

Press release:

The New York State Department of Health on Tuesday posted online the most up to date information regarding those who are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.  

Those who are eligible now includes a broader category of essential workers and seniors who are 65 years and older. The eligibility was previously 75 years and older.

Eligible essential workers and seniors should use the online tool to find a location as well as call the COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline for scheduling vaccination appointments at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).

Finally, and most importantly, Genesee and Orleans counties' health officials are urging patience as the supply of vaccine is extremely limited in the GLOW region and across New York State.

Currently there is only limited amount of doses of the vaccines available in both counties while the number of residents and essential workers now eligible to receive the vaccine is approximately 50,000.

From the county health department:

There are a large number of spots available for the free coronavirus testing clinic on Thursday, Jan. 14, at the Fire Training Center, 7690 State Street Road in the Town of Batavia, from 1 – 4 p.m.

Preregistration is required. Please click on the link to register: https://on.ny.gov/3beJV5T

Press release:

“The Constitution entrusts the Vice President and the Cabinet with the authority to invoke the 25th Amendment, and it is only intended to be used when a President is incapacitated – not as means of punishment. Congress has no place in this process and the Vice President’s decision not to invoke the 25th Amendment makes tonight’s vote no more than political posturing from Speaker Pelosi. At a time when our nation cannot bear more division, the Speaker should pull consideration of this resolution from the floor and instead work with us to heal the country.”

NOTE: Text of the 25th Amendment, Section 4:

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session.

If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.