Press release:
Genesee County Office for the Aging does not yet have the Farmers Market Coupons, due to a delay with the shipment.
At this time we will not be able to distribute coupons until after July 5. We will post updates as we get them.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Press Release
Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia has received a $60,000 grant from the Muriel H. Marshall Fund for the Aging of Rochester Area Community Foundation for continued operation of the Library Visits Program (LVP).
Since 1997, The Library Visits Program (formerly SAGE) has delivered library services to Genesee County residents 60+ years old who are unable to visit the library due to long or short term illness, disability, or lack of transportation.
Through personalized visits, LVP staff and volunteers bring the library to caregivers and older adults to increase social interaction and improve their access to needed resources. Visits can include any materials that may be checked out of the library in addition to technology assistance for home computers and mobile devices.
Library Visits Program staff also deliver rotating mini-library collections to 15 elder care and senior resident facilities in Genesee County. Overall, the program serves around 500 older adults in our community.
The Rochester Area Community Foundation engages philanthropists and community partners to improve our eight-county region by promoting philanthropy that helps to create an equitable community and strengthen our region’s vitality. Since 1972, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $590 million in grants and scholarships.
For more information, visit www.racf.org.
To apply for services or volunteer for The Library Visits Program, please call Richmond Memorial Library staff at 343-9550 Ext. 6 or email LibraryVisits@nioga.org. For additional information, go to https://www.batavialibrary.org/libraryvisits
Press release:
STOP-DWI Coordinator announced today that Genesee County law enforcement agencies, including the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of LeRoy Police Department will be participating in a coordinated effort with the STOP-DWI program to bring awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.
The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign will start Friday, July 1, 2022 continuing thru Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, food and fireworks, but all too often the festivities turn tragic on the nation's roads. The fact is this iconic American holiday is also one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to impaired-driving crashes.
While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the number of alcohol and drug related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.
You can make a difference by having a sober plan to get a safe ride because impaired driving is completely preventable – all it takes is a little planning. Visit www.stopdwi.org for more information.
Press release:
Shenandoah University is pleased to announce the 1,204 graduates who received their degrees or certificates during the 2021-22 academic year. These included 236 August 2021 graduates, 332 December 2021 graduates and 636 May 2022 graduates. Shenandoah's 2022 University Commencement took place on May 21.
The following students were among those who graduated from Shenandoah during the 2021-22 academic year:
- Emily Alvut, of Batavia, with a Master of Science in Athletic Training.
Press release from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce:
Today we helped celebrate the newest addition to Batavia, The House of Bounce!
Justina and Pat Rapone are local parents who saw a need for a children's indoor play space and birthday party center here in Genesee County. They were both born and raised in the Batavia area and are currently raising four children of their own. They wanted to provide an interactive space for children twelve and under to play, climb, jump, and explore!
They are located on the corner of The Harvester Center in Batavia and are now officially open for business! They can host private events, and birthday parties, and are also making the space available for open-play sessions.
Inside the facility, they have multiple bounce houses, ball pits, sandboxes, a rock wall and all sorts of other interactive equipment available for use. For parents, they have a private party room with tables and chairs that can be used for different kinds of events.
Welcome to Batavia, House of Bounce!
Find more information and how to book your experience at www.houseofbouncebatavia.com
Photos courtesy of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.
Press release:
GLOW With Your Hands is on the search for volunteers to help support the day-long, hands-on career exploration event for GLOW Region students on September 27, 2022.
Launched in 2019, GLOW with Your Hands is an annual hands-on career exploration event in which over 800 middle and high school students from 25 school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties learn about high-growth and high-demand career opportunities in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and the skilled trades among others.
Volunteers are needed in all aspects of the event including hard hat and student bag assembly, post-event clean-up, table and chair setup, and guiding students throughout the day. Volunteers ensure the event runs smoothly in a timely manner.
“The success of GLOW With Your Hands would not be possible without the help and hard work of our volunteers,” said GLOW Workforce Development Board Executive Director, Jay Lazarony. “Volunteers make the student experience worthwhile, educational, and enjoyable! There are many moving parts to the event, the more people helping us out, the better this day will be for our future generation.”
Annually, the event averages roughly 100 volunteers, with 50 – 75 individuals working directly with the students. Some volunteers will be paired with students individually for assistance. There are several vendors that rely on volunteers to facilitate a positive learning environment to make sure students are having fun and staying safe.
“Volunteers play an important role to encourage students to participate in hands-on career demonstrations and ask employers questions that can help them understand job opportunities in their own backyard,” said GLOW With Your Hands Volunteer Committee leader Karyn Winters. “We are a volunteer-based event, the people involved are invested in the future of GLOW region students and want them to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Volunteers must be at least 18 years or older. Additional information and volunteer applications are available here:https://www.glowwithyourhands.com/volunteer.
Additionally, GLOW With Your Hands leaders encourage community members to consider joining the program’s organizing committee and sub-committees.
“Our initial volunteers enabled GLOW With Your Hands to become a reality, and we welcome new leaders to support the continued growth of these opportunities,” Lazarony said. “Our organizing committee and sub-committees are always in need of new energy and new ideas as we build the best experience for our youth.”
Press Release
The City of Batavia announces the appointment of Erik Fix to the position of Assistant City Manager for the City of Batavia. Fix was selected following an extensive search for candidates and active recruitment campaign. Erik will assume his new role on Monday July 25th, 2022.
A Batavia native and life-long Genesee County resident, Fix holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Roberts Wesleyan College in Organizational Management. He is currently serving as the President of the Chamber of Commerce for Genesee County.
Fix has served the City during the Police Reform Stakeholder meetings as a moderator guiding the City management, police department and residents through a comprehensive review of the departments current policies, training and procedures. He currently serves as a board member of the Genesee County Youth Bureau, the United Memorial Medical Centre Foundation, Genesee County Business Education Alliance, a member of the Batavia Rotary Club, and GLOW YMCA G-Force New Facility Planning Group.
He also served as a member of the Local Planning Committee for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and continues to support tourism and economic development in the City of Batavia.
“Erik and I have known each other on a professional level for over a decade and I am thrilled that he wants to work for the City of Batavia and focus on housing and neighborhood issues in his new role as Assistant City Manager. He will be responsible for creating and implementing a new Neighborhood and Housing Transformation Initiative, community development, assisting with flood plain management, risk management, cultivating organizational values, public relations and information technology,” said Rachael J. Tabelski, City of Batavia City Manager.
Fix is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Genesee where the class choose him and Tabelski to be the designated speaker at the graduation ceremony.
Erik’s current position with the Chamber of Commerce has given him knowledge in the principals and practices of local municipalities. He has the ability to lead teams, execute on high-impact projects, and recognize the global impact of decisions on the community and region as a whole.
Erik, a graduate of Alexander High School, is currently the Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach of the Byron-Bergen Central School and lives with his family in the Village of LeRoy. He lives with his wife, Susan and his three sons Brady, Jackson, and Carter.
Photo: File photo from 2017
Press release:
Scout Dimick was happy to add a new microlite fishing pole with a 6 to 1 ratio reel and cork grip to his outdoor gear. This is the third pole in his collection. He started his collection after earning his Fishing Merit Badge at an Iroquois Trail Council Camp Dittmer Merit Badge weekend where he caught three fish in one, a fish inside a fish, inside a fish.
This year's Polaris Fishing Derby took place at Ellicott Creek Park in Tonawanda. The event took advantage of a DEC free fishing weekend. Scouts and guests were welcome, hosted by Greater Niagara Frontier Council's Troop 824 out of Sanborn, NY. The event provided lunch, bait and had BSA Merit Badge Counselors available to answer fishing questions and assist participants.
The Polaris Fishing Derby was scheduled on a DEC free fishing weekend so parents, grandparents and siblings age 16 and older could participate with youth competitors without purchasing a fishing license. The Derby provided seven competitor prizes consisting of fishing poles, reels and a 4th edition copy of Trout Salmon Steelhead Fishing in Western New York. A non-Scout (guest) won the door prize of a brand new bicycle. First place went to a Cub from Pack 193 for a 17" Rudd.
The Trout Salmon Steelhead Fishing in WNY book was donated by a local Cheektowaga chapter of Trout Unlimited. The book is a compilation of almost thirty fishing enthusiasts, detailing several WNY waterways maps, mayfly hatchings, water depth contour maps, twenty fishing flies, and a slew of fishing and conservation information. Trout Unlimited works to maintain the health of our waterways to protect the future of WNY fishing. The organization conducts presentations and classes about fishing to groups, including Scouts.
Scout Dimick was able to identify his catch using the free annual NYS Freshwater Fishing Guide booklet that is available at many outdoor equipment sales counters, local municipalities or directly from the DEC at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html. Sept. 24th & Nov.11th are the two remaining NYS DEC 2022 free fishing days.
National BSA awards require additional Scout accomplishments beyond earning specific merit badges. Participating in the Polaris Fishing Derby meets Scout Dimick's award requirement for the prestigious BSA Angler Award. The award also requires completing the Fishing, Fly Fishing and Fish & Wildlife Management Merit Badges.
Camp Dittmer will be offering the Fishing Merit Badge this summer at Merit Badge Weekends. Information can be obtained by calling the Iroquois Trail Council at (585) 343-0307. Camp Dittmer offers family camping throughout the year.
Submitted photos.
Press release:
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced the bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act has officially been signed into law. The bill extends child nutrition waivers that give essential funding and flexibility to schools, daycares, nonprofits and other meal providers enabling them to continue providing free meals to students this summer. Schumer explained Congress originally authorized the child nutrition waivers at the height of the pandemic to give school food programs the flexibility needed to feed as many students as possible, but the waivers were set to expire on June 30th, putting many school districts’ summer meal programs at risk at a time when kids often face the greatest food insecurity. Now thanks to this new legislation the waivers will be able to continue, ensuring an estimated 800,000 New York students receive healthy nutritious meals throughout the summer.
“No child should ever go hungry, and now schools will have the funding and flexibility needed to ensure kids stay healthy and fed this summer. Over 800,000 New York students and millions of children across the country depend on these waivers for daily meals, and this bill gives our schools the support they need to continue to provide free nutritious meals and the flexibility they need to operate amidst the ongoing supply chain challenges,” said Senator Schumer. “Summer is often the time of year when food insecurity is highest for children and this support comes just in the nick of time. I am proud to have led the Senate to ensure these waivers could continue curbing childhood hunger and giving our families the peace of mind they need to not worry about where their kids’ next meal is coming from this summer.”
Schumer explained that in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Congress authorized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive various school meal program requirements for school districts and increase reimbursement rates so that schools and meal program operators could continue to feed children. This allowed school districts across New York to make sure students got meals all year long, including during the summer and bolster food programs for those who need it most without having to worry about additional hits to their already strained school district budgets.
These critical child nutrition waivers, however, were set to expire this week on June 30, 2022. A recent USDA survey showed that 90% of school districts food programs are depending on these waivers to offer free meals, with 92% experiencing supply chain issues and a quarter experiencing staffing challenges for their nutrition programs.
The fully paid for Keep Kids Fed Act, which has now passed the Senate and has been signed into law by President Biden was first introduced by Senator Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Boozman (R-AR) and will now extend many of the flexibilities enacted during COVID over the summer, enabling schools to continue to feed students and provide schools increased support to address food insecurity and the ongoing supply chain disruptions facing nutrition programs.
Specifically, Schumer said the bill will:
·Extend flexibilities for summer meals in 2022 which will make it easier to feed all students, especially students in rural areas, during the summer months through options like meal delivery and grab-and-go.· Increase the reimbursement rate for school lunch and school breakfast to help offset the increased cost of food and operating expenses. Schools will receive an additional 40 cents for each lunch and 15 cents for each breakfast served.
· Help daycares and home providers in the Child and Adult Care Food Program offset increased costs by providing an additional 10 cents per meal or snack.
· Extend some of the administrative and paperwork flexibilities for schools through the 2022-23 school year to help schools streamline their meal operations and operate amidst supply chain disruptions
Press release:
Genesee County Office for the Aging will be handing out Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons throughout the county, beginning July 1, 2022.
The first location will be the Genesee Country Farmers Market, Alva Place, Batavia, every Friday in July from 10 a.m. to noon.
Next at the LeRoy Farmers Market, Trigon Park, LeRoy, Saturday, July 2, 23, and 30 during market hours.
We will also be handing them out at the Genesee County Office for the Aging, 2 Bank St., Batavia, every Tuesday in July from 10 a.m. to noon at our outside patio and in our Community Room if it is raining.
If you live in senior housing, a flyer will be posted in your building announcing when our staff will be there with coupons.
Press release:
After he won with Yankee On The Move in the first race at Buffalo Raceway on Sunday (June 26), Kevin Cummings eclipsed the $20 million mark in career driving earnings.
“It’s a big milestone and it felt good to get there. Especially while racing exclusively in western New York my whole career where the purses were pretty small for a long time,” said Cummings. “I learned the business from my father, John Cummings, and if it weren’t for him I would have never been able to achieve this.”
When the dust settled on Sunday, Cummings won three races and finished second in two more, bringing his current earnings total to $20,020,202.
Cummings first started in the business grooming for his father -- who was a long-time trainer and driver -- while in school and eventually started driving at age 18. After taking a few years to get established, Cummings' career really started to take off as a catch driver in 2000 and from there never looked back. He became one of the best in western New York, winning multiple dash titles over the years. From 2009 to 2018 Cummings annual earnings topped $1 million each year and just missed that mark again in 2021.
Aside from earnings, Cummings has also won 4,172 races with 3,940 seconds and 3,591 thirds from 24,362 starts giving him a lifetime universal driver rating of .310. His single best year was 2015 when he bankrolled $1,784,657 on the strength of 337 driving wins.
Cummings has spent his entire 34-year career in western New York and has excelled in both overnights and New York Sire Stake competition during that time, earning him the respect of everyone he has competed against.
Press release from the Automobile Association of America:
Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $4.90, down 8 cents from last Monday. One year ago, the price was $3.10. The New York State average is $4.96, down 5 cents since last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.15. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:
- Batavia - $4.88 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
- Buffalo - $4.86 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
- Elmira - $4.93 (down 4 cents from last Monday)
- Ithaca - $4.95 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
- Rochester - $4.95 (down 2 cents from last Monday)
- Rome - $4.97 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
- Syracuse - $4.93 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
- Watertown - $4.97 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
Lower oil prices have brought some relief to the pump. Crude prices have dropped amid broad market concern regarding the potential for economic growth to slow or stall due to rising interest rates and inflation. A lower economic growth rate than expected could cause crude demand to decline, leading prices to follow suit. This morning oil prices are at about $108 to $113 per barrel.
Meanwhile, the Energy Information Administration did not release gasoline demand/supply and domestic oil inventory levels data last week due to “systems issues,” but demand is expected to pick up this week as travelers head out for the Independence Day holiday. AAA predicts 47.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday weekend (June 30 – July 4). This is an increase of 3.7% over 2021, bringing travel volumes just shy of those seen in 2019. The biggest surprise – car travel – will set a new record despite historically high gas prices with 42 million people hitting the road. AAA reminds road trippers and air travelers to pack their patience and plan ahead to avoid hassles.
From Gas Buddy:
"With Independence Day a week away, gas prices have continued to fall for the second straight week as the price of oil has faltered, ushering in the drop we're seeing. The good news is we could also see a third straight week of decline," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "While prices will be at their highest July 4th level ever, they'll have fallen close to 20 cents since our peak in early June. Motorists should be wary that while the decline could continue for the week ahead, any sudden jolts to supply could quickly cause a turnaround, and risk remains that when the peak of hurricane season arrives, we could see a super spike at the pump."
Press release:
Spots are still open for Environmental Science Camp at the Genesee County Park & Forest! This hands-on outdoor camp is for students entering 7th – 10th grade. Camp meets Monday through Friday, July 18th – 22nd from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Interpretive Nature Center at the Genesee County Park & Forest. This week-long adventure includes survival skills, wildlife and stream studies, outdoor recreation, a field trip and more! Cost is $95/camper for the entire week. All materials and a camp T-shirt are provided. Transportation is provided from Batavia High School to and from camp each day.
To register, download the registration form (pdf).
Return completed forms with payment to:
Main Office
Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center 153 Cedar St.
Batavia, NY 14020For more information visit our website at http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/, or contact Shannon Lyaski at Shannon.Lyaski@co.genesee.ny.us or (585) 344-1122.
Press release:
Friday, Mario Fratto made the following statement:
Friday's Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade was a massive victory for the sanctity of life. President Trump promised to appoint justices that to the Court that would overturn Roe, and he did it.
This decision shows us just how important elections are. It’s imperative that we fight to protect the most vulnerable in our society, and nobody is more vulnerable than our unborn children. It isn’t enough to be pro-life just when it’s easy; we need representatives that will be pro-life when it’s hard.
Claudia Tenney voted to send millions to Planned Parenthood, knowing that they’re responsible for aborting more children than any organization in the country. Republicans promise to defund Planned Parenthood, but establishment politicians like Tenney send them millions of taxpayer dollars. Congressman Jim Jordan said that the bill Claudia Tenney voted for “is the worst bill I've seen in my time in Congress by far.”
I promise to never vote for such an abomination and to always fight for our conservative principles, with life being the most important of all.
Mario Fratto’s family has been in the district for five generations. He is an attorney and runs his family’s granite construction business. He is the only true America First conservative in the race and more information can be found at marioforcongress.com.
Fact Check: We wanted to confirm the claim by Fratto's campaign that Claudia Tenney voted to "send millions to Planned Parenthood." We invited both Tenney's campaign and Fratto's campaign to provide documentation supporting or refuting this claim. Only Fratto's campaign responded and provided links to two omnibus bills (bills that contain numerous legislative initiatives and are not single-subject). The first one passed on March 22, 2018, during the 115th Congress. It was supported by 145 Republicans and passed with a total of 256 yeas votes (77 Democrats voted no). The yes votes included Rep. Chris Collins, the first Republican in Congress to endorse Trump for president, along with seven other Republicans from New York. The second one passed on March 9, 2022, during the 117th Congress. For that omnibus bill, 155 Republicans voted yes and there were a total of 361 yeas. Eight Republicans from New York voted yes.
UPDATE 11:17 p.m., June 27: Claudia Tenney's campaign responded after seeing this post. A spokesman said he had not received our initial request. Here is the campaign's response:
Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after voting to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – a comprehensive gun safety package developed by a bipartisan team of U.S. Senators. With Jacobs’ support, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“Today is a historic day. For the first time in nearly three decades, the United States Senate and House of Representatives have reached a meaningful and bipartisan compromise to address the rising tide of gun violence plaguing our nation. Recently, we witnessed the racist massacre of 10 individuals in Buffalo and the senseless deaths of 19 children in Uvalde. Sadly, these events are not isolated. Gun violence has touched every state in our nation and too many families have been destroyed by it. The American people have rightfully demanded action and today Congress delivered.
“For too long, Congress has suffered from gridlock on this issue while both sides of the aisle faced intense backlash for even suggesting they were open to a compromise. We can honor our Constitution while also protecting our children and communities. We can protect the Second Amendment rights of every law-abiding American while also ensuring dangerous individuals do not access firearms. This legislation upholds these principles.
“The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act represents meaningful reforms that I believe will decrease gun violence and save lives. That is why the legislation is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement organizations. Some of the significant measures are
enhanced background checks for those under 21, funding for states who want to implement extreme risk protection order laws, closing the ‘boyfriend loophole’ which will help keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous domestic abusers, and greater preventions against ‘straw purchases’ which is a major source of illegal firearms on our streets. Aside from gun safety, this package also provides significant funding for more mental health resources and school safety – major Republican priorities to keep our children safe.“This legislation may not be perfect, and both sides may not have gotten everything they wanted, but it represents a major step forward in working across the aisle to accomplish meaningful and impactful change on the significant issues our country faces. It will save lives. I am proud to have supported this legislation and to be an advocate for action to decrease gun violence. I will continue to work to improve the quality of life and safety of every American in any way that I can.
This week, Rep. Jacobs also voted in favor of H.R. 7666 the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act. This bipartisan legislation authorizes numerous grant programs to address several areas of mental health, including substance abuse and services for children, to help communities confront the root causes of all violence.
Press release:
Dawn Hunter of Batavia, NY, (14020) earned Part-Time Honors at SUNY Canton during the spring 2022 semester. Hunter is a SUNY Canton Legal Studies major.
The college created Part-Time Honors to recognize students who earned at least a 3.25 GPA in 6 to 11 credit hours of course work. It stands alongside the college's Dean's List and President's List as one of the top awards given for academic success.
SUNY Canton offers extensive support for its part-time student populations, including prior learning assessments in addition to veteran and military services. It is currently recruiting non-traditional students and individuals who may have some college but no degree. The college offers online degrees and in-person completion programs which are designed to help meet the need of balancing work, family and other obligations.
Press release:
SUNY Canton recognizes approximately 600 students for earning a spot on the President's List during the spring 2022 semester.
"President's List is the highest recognition awarded for academic success during a single semester," said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. "I hope that you take great pride in this impressive achievement. I appreciate your hard work and I wish you the best in your future endeavors."
President's List recognizes full-time students who achieve a 3.75 or greater GPA. A complete list of all honor students runs on www.canton.edu.
The SUNY Canton President's List Includes:
- Zechariah Gowanlock, a SUNY Canton Emergency Management major from East Bethany.
- Tonya D. Dioguardi, a SUNY Canton Health Care Management major from Le Roy.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after text was advanced for the bipartisan Senate gun safety legislation.
"The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act represents meaningful reforms that I believe will decrease gun violence and save lives. This bill is thoughtful, balanced, and comprehensive. I will do all I can to advocate for this bill’s passage in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support."
Press release:
Congressional hopeful, Finger Lakes contractor and Canandaigua resident Floyd Rayburn, learned the fate of his campaign today, after court proceedings in which his petition signatures were challenged by Claudia Tenney’s campaign. He will not be on the Republican Primary ballot for New York’s 24th Congressional District. However, candidates with signatures from well outside the district will remain.
Rayburn promised supporters to fight for small business owners; to combat inflation, including soaring gas prices, ensure equal pay for all through skills-based wages and revamp the failing education system.
“I’m disappointed that I will not appear on the primary ballot,” said Rayburn. “We ran into some issues with some of our petitions, knocking us down below the required number of signatures. At the time same, I’m frustrated with the disservice being done to the residents of this district. I had only 17 days to collect and vet more than 1,000 signatures. My opponents, however, had 38 days to do the same. Unlike Ms. Tenney, I sought out the approval of district residents and received their signatures in support of my campaign to represent them. Her petition signatures are from an entirely different district: the one she had initially announced her run for.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their support and their hard work on my behalf. It is my sincere desire to serve this district, and my country, in Washington. Rest assured, I will mount another campaign in the future and deliver on my campaign promises. Our struggling residents need help. They need someone from the district who understands their issues and someone who has put in time building the community and raising a family in it as I have. Claudia Tenney, a known ‘carpetbagger’ and divisive politician, is neither.”
Rayburn is a lifelong resident of the Finger Lakes region, a contractor and a small business owner who has completed projects and created hundreds of jobs throughout the Finger Lakes and Western New York regions. For the last 40 years, he has owned and operated one of the most successful masonry businesses in Upstate New York, helping to build the district with his own hands. Born and raised in Bloomfield, Rayburn grew up working on his family’s dairy farm and also understands the difficulties of the state’s countless farmers.
While Rayburn got support from within the district – with only 17 days in which to collect signatures –Tenney collected signatures for the redrawn 23rd Congressional District she originally announced she would run for in Central New York and the Southern Tier.
When the maps were redrawn again, Tenney abandoned her bid and decided to run for the 24th District seat which includes most of Oswego County, parts of the Finger Lakes, and goes into Western New York’s Niagara County. She is now running for a different seat, in an entirely different region of the state, yet she was allowed to submit signatures that are not only from counties outside the district she is bidding to represent but nowhere close to it. Tenney does not live in the district, as Rayburn has his entire life, she garnered little to no support from actual residents of the district, nor has she spent any time representing it throughout her political career.
Similarly, Mario Fratto, another challenger for the 24th District’s Republican nomination, received many of his signatures from outside the district as he originally set his sights on another. In fairness, he does have signatures from within the district as he is a resident of Geneva, which was originally considered part of the district he first planned to run for – an entirely different situation than Tenney’s move to find the path of least resistance.
Regardless of the situation, both candidates had unfair advantages by having 38 days – compared to Rayburn’s 17 – to collect nearly the same amount of signatures and by being allowed to submit signatures from residents outside the district which they had already collected. This is a disservice to those who reside in New York’s new 24th Congressional District, as one of their own is now denied the opportunity to represent them.
Press release:
Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern announced today the appointment of Robert (Bob) Harker of Clarendon as the agency’s new Executive Director. Bob brings with him the skills the Board of Directors believes will promote agency growth, and expand services, allowing it to be of even greater service to people in need in the Genesee / Orleans County areas.
“I could not be more excited about the opportunity to help guide and grow Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern in its role as the “agency of last resort”. We strive to provide services to individuals and families that for one reason or another are not being served by more conventional community assets. ”
Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern was formed in the 1950s, serving immigrants that settled in the area. In 1968 the Ministry was incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and began serving the poor and working poor that are facing hardship or crisis. Donations are tax-deductible.
Donations, volunteers, and ideas are always welcome. Bob can be reached at (585) 589-9210.
https://ministryofconcern.org/
121 North Main St. Suite 311
Albion, NY 14411
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