news

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.

Press release:

Data Update – Due to the volume and rapidly changing numbers we are no longer reporting mandatory quarantine data.

• Genesee County received 79 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.
• Thirty-five of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Twenty-one of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Three of the new positive cases are residents at Genesee Senior Living.
• Two of the new positive cases are residents at the Batavia VA Medical Center.
• Two of the new positive cases are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center.
• Two of the new positive cases are residents at the New York State Veterans' Home at Batavia.
• We are saddened to report the loss of two residents who resided at Genesee Senior Living. The individuals were both over 65. We do not provide any further information to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families. Our deepest condolences to the families and friends during this very difficult time.

 

• Orleans County received 100 new positive cases of COVID-19 from Friday through Monday morning.
• 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, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
• Fourteen of the new positive individuals were on quarantine prior to testing positive.
• One hundred and 14 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation.
• Nineteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• One of the new positive cases is a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
• Two of the new positive cases are inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility and one of the new positive cases is an inmate at the Albion Correctional Facility.

Vaccine Information: We are currently scheduling Point of Dispensing (POD) mass vaccination clinics for Priority Groups 1A and 1B. To check your eligibility to either of these groups go to: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/phased-distribution-vaccine#phase-1a---phase-1b Links for preregistration are updated on a week to week basis based on vaccine availability.

If appointments become full, please check the state vaccine webpage: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ or the GO Health Vaccine webpage: http://bit.ly/39bfElNGOHealthVaccine or check with your primary care provider or pharmacy. Due to high traffic volume, the registration links may temporarily become unavailable.

Please continue to try again if experiencing any errors with registration. The process of getting the vaccine out to priority groups and eventually the general public is going to take many weeks, months.

For more information about the vaccine and access for those who are 75 and older who do NOT have internet access, please contact your respective Office for the Aging (OFA). For Genesee OFA please call (585) 813-2457 for COVID-19 Vaccine assistance between 9 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and leave a message and someone will return the call. For Orleans OFA please call (585) 589-3191 between 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail and someone will return the call.

The OFA offices can only assist with the NYS online tool as noted below. Individuals will need to call the COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline to make appointments at the listed providers.

The NYS Department of Health has set up various opportunities for vaccination. As of Jan. 11, New Yorkers in Phase 1a and segments of Phase 1b are eligible for the vaccines. ALL VACCINATIONS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

Eligible groups include doctors, nurses and health care workers, people age 65 and over, first responders, teachers, public transit workers, grocery store workers and public safety workers. Residents and staff at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities will continue to be vaccinated through a federal program, which the state is providing resources to accelerate.

• Health care workers who are part of Phase 1a will continue to be vaccinated at hospitals and other clinical settings.
• People age 65 and over will primarily be vaccinated at pharmacies and other sites that are part of the “retail network.” Use our online tool to find a location. Beginning at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11, the COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline will open for scheduling vaccination appointments for eligible New Yorkers: 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).
• Public employees (for example, police departments, public school teachers and MTA employees) will primarily be vaccinated through their groups’ relevant health programs or as organized by their unions.

To see who are currently included in the 1A and 1B priority groups go to: https://apps.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties?OpID=50500884

For Genesee County (585) 344-2580 ext. 5555 or e-mail Health.Dept@co.genesee.ny.us.

For Orleans County (585) 589-3278 or OCPublicHealth@orleanscountyny.gov. To check eligibility go to https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/.

The vaccine availability is limited and determined by the state. For more information on when it will be available for the general public keep checking our websites or the NYS Department of Health website: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/

Percent Positive 7-day average as of Jan. 3 (https://forward.ny.gov/percentage-positive-results-county-dashboard):

• Genesee: 12.4 percent
• Orleans: 9.7 percent

To review the raw positive data for each of the counties click the following link: https://covid19tracker.health.ny.gov/views/NYS-COVID19-Tracker/NYSDOHCOVID-19Tracker-Map?%3Aembed=yes&%3Atoolbar=no&%3Atabs=n

Click here to view the Genesee and Orleans County online map of confirmed cases.

A reminder the numbers listed as positive/active are current community cases. The recovered numbers are only for community cases and do not include non-county regulated facilities. The total positive cases includes community active/positive, community recovered, and all those from non-county regulated facilities.

Rapid Testing: Preregistration is required for rapid testing clinics.

Genesee County Drive-through Testing Clinic Results -- Jan. 7:

• Total # of Tests = 249
• Total Positive Results = 10
• Total Positive Orleans County Residents = 6

Please note if you have recently tested positive, please do NOT come and get tested again at these clinics. These clinics are to identify new cases, not to determine if you are now negative. It is important to understand that you may still test positive for weeks after initially testing positive.

Use the Rapid COVID-19 Test Intake Form for either the Orleans County or Genesee County COVID-19 Rapid Test Clinics. You will need one form per person being tested.

If you are filling out the form, please complete it, print it out and bring it with you. Click here for the form: http://bit.ly/GOHealthIntakeForm

Preregistration is required for all clinics.

To register for the Orleans County Testing Clinic on Jan. 13, please go to: https://on.ny.gov/35mHMRI

To register for the Genesee County Testing Clinic on Jan. 12 and Jan. 14, please go to:  https://on.ny.gov/3beJV5T

For both Genesee and Orleans to help the process please note the following guidelines:

• You must preregister for any of the county clinics.
• For anyone under 18 years of age they must have their parent or guardian with them in order to be tested. 
• If you have a printer, complete the GO Health Intake Form http://bit.ly/GOHealthIntakeForm and bring it with you. If you completed the Intake form online please print it out and bring it with you – if you don’t have a printer, the form will be provided for you at the clinic
• Make sure you have a pen in your vehicle, if you do not have a completed Intake Form, you will have to complete it before moving forward which may delay your test.

Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site.

• For those who are getting tested, for the most part, the person will receive a call within three hours, however, they may get a call fairly quickly from an unknown number -- please answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individual tested or the guardian of minor children. Hard copy results will be emailed within 48 hours if we have a valid email address.
• If the clinics are closed please check the NYS COVID-19 Drive through test sites:  Call New York State Department of Health Testing Appointments Call 1-888-364-3065 or

Monroe Community College – testing by appointment only:  https://www.monroecc.edu/index.php?id=29078

Niagara County Community College -- https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov/covid-19-screening/

Quarantine and Isolation Update

New guidance for those on mandatory and precautionary quarantine as long as you have no symptoms: for community members, travelers and healthcare personnel (with exceptions):

Consistent with recent CDC guidance, quarantine for individuals exposed to COVID-19 can end after 10 days without a testing requirement if no symptoms have been reported during the quarantine period.

• Individuals must continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14;
• Individuals must be counseled to continue strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including hand hygiene and the use of face coverings, through Day 14.
• Individuals must be advised that if any symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact the local public health authority or their healthcare provider to report this change in clinical status and determine if they should seek testing.

For those who work as healthcare professionals at Nursing Homes, Adult Care Facilities, certified as Enhanced Assisted Living Residences (EALR) or licensed as Assisted Living Programs (ALP):

Individuals can be released from quarantine after 10 days of being symptom free, however, they are still furloughed (not able to report for work) for the full 14 days.

Individuals will have to continue to self-monitor the entire 14 days.  Individuals must be counseled to continue strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including hand hygiene and the use of face covering, through Day 14.

• Individuals must be advised that if any symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and contact

These quarantine requirements are also applicable to travelers who are not essential workers and/or who did not complete the testing requirements described in Executive Order 205.2.

• If you believe you are a contact or have been notified you are a contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, it may take a few days for contact tracers to initially contact you due to the volume of contacts. Please self-quarantine, even if you are feeling fine. Stay away from other household members, use separate bathroom facilities (or sanitize after each use), have meals delivered. If you start to feel ill, contact your primary care provider and let them know you were exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19.

If you are being tested for COVID-19 it is important that you self-quarantine until you get your test results whether you have symptoms or not. If you are symptomatic, meaning you are coughing, have a fever or other symptoms, self-quarantine even if you are an essential worker until you get your results back, if you have COVID-19 you may be spreading it! That means to stay home and limit contact with other people, even in your household.

Press release:

"I don't know what I want to do, what would I major in?" quoted Lindsay Gerhardt, assistant dean of admissions and recruitment at Genesee Community College. "My recruiting team hears it all the time when we ask someone why they didn't enroll for classes. Sometimes, people just need more."

So, the Admissions team decided to do more.

Major Exploration Days at Genesee Community College were introduced as a way for interested individuals to learn exactly what the College's programs are all about. Taking it a step further, the faculty members from the various programs participate in these sessions so potential students learn what courses they would take, hear about the associated field experiences that are available and develop a clear picture of what their semester could look like!

In addition, these sessions provide opportunities for the students (and any friends or family members who are listening in) to hear about the transfer opportunities GCC has to offer specific to these areas of study. Naturally, Major Exploration Days also include discussions about the vast array of careers and jobs these programs prepare students for.

Each session has been designed to cover a group of academic programs and majors that tend to have some common interest amongst students and some potential career overlap. All of these sessions are open to anyone who is interested in attending GCC! The sessions are free and offered completely online for maximum convenience.

Anyone can attend any or all of these sessions based on the programs of interest:

• Thursday, Jan. 21 will cover Business & Commerce programs, Information Technology degrees and certificates, and a variety of Science & Technology programs! Specific programs include: Accounting, Biotechnology, Business Administration, CIS, CSN, Computerized Drafting and Design, Computer Repair, Fashion, Helpdesk Support, Medical Administrative Assistant, Tourism, Hospitality Event Management, and Web Design.
• Thursday, Feb. 4 will explore programs in Education, Human Services, Law and Criminal Justice! Specific programs include: Alcohol & Substance Abuse Studies, Childcare, Corrections, Developmental Disabilities Studies, Economic Crime Investigation, Forensics, Gerontology, Homeland Security, Paralegal Studies, Policing, Teacher Assistant, and a Teacher Education Transfer Program.
• Thursday, Feb. 25 focuses on Creative Arts, Health & Physical Education and will also include the vast opportunities available under the Liberal Arts umbrella! Specific programs include: Biology, Chemistry, Communication & Media Arts, Digital Art, English, Fine Arts, Fitness & Rec: Personal Trainer, History, Mathematics, Physical Education Studies, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Spanish, Sports Management Studies, Sociology, and Theatre Arts. If you have not yet selected a specific major, this is the session for you!

GCC recommends anyone considering an education or a career in any of these fields to register for any of these sessions by clicking here; emailing admissions@genesee.edu; or calling (585) 345-6800.

Press release:

A global coronavirus pandemic, racial injustice, economic hardship and political turmoil — although history may remember 2020 for the challenges faced, these difficulties have also proven an opportunity for long-lasting change that will have a positive impact on the lives of residents in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region. 

In its new two-minute Annual Report to the Community video, Rochester RHIO (Regional Health Information Organization) showcases how the dedication of employees, stakeholders and participants have led to even stronger health data collaboration and infrastructure across 14 counties. It is available here.  

Through the secure electronic exchange of vital health information, Rochester RHIO helps improve care for more than 1.5 million residents. RHIO has been at the forefront of health information exchange (HIE) technology, policy and implementation for more than a decade and its leadership and collaboration have regional, state and nationwide impact. 

“Our community has come together in new ways and RHIO has been there in support,” said Jill Eisenstein, CEO and president, Rochester RHIO. “We’ve helped public health officials track and manage the spread of COVID-19; launched a new advanced clinical query portal and expanded our work with emergency medical services providers and community-based organizations to benefit patients in our region; and, we will collaborate with our community partners to improve the region’s health equity by working to ensure that health information is free from racial bias.”

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE

Explore+ Advanced Clinical Query Portal
RHIO’s newly launched Explore+, is a redesigned advanced clinical query portal created specifically for the multiple and often complex demands of Health Information Exchange data environments, providing improved data characterization with options to view data by encounter, consolidated timeline and expression.

• COVID-19 Reporting 
  From the beginning of the pandemic, RHIO developed COVID-19 reports for each of the county health departments it serves. These reports sort, organize and simplify the data from over 50 laboratory sources for COVID-19 testing. Reports provide health officials with secure and quick access to new coronavirus data on a regular basis.
   
• Patients Benefit through CBO Connections
  More than 300 regional Community Based Organizations (CBOs), including social services, behavioral health organizations and long-term care facilities, are now connected to Rochester RHIO. By connecting, they can directly and securely access health information for Medicaid and uninsured patients, improving access to treatment.
   
• Racism is a Public Health Crisis
  RHIO is committed to improving how race and ethnicity data are recorded, collaborating with other regional healthcare agencies and experts to evaluate and reform policies and processes that deliver the most precise information possible.
   
• EMS Data Improves Patient Care
  A recently completed pilot program now makes it possible for emergency medical services to contribute patient data to the Rochester RHIO and the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY), enhancing individualized care and improving social services support.

The video and additional story vignettes are now being shared across the region. For more information, visit https://rochesterrhio.org/

About Rochester RHIO

Rochester RHIO is a secure electronic health information exchange serving authorized medical providers and 1.5 million residents of Monroe, Allegany, Cayuga, Chemung, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties in Upstate New York.

The service allows a medical care team to share records across institutions and practices, making patient information available wherever and whenever needed to provide the best care. Patients benefit from fewer repeated tests, easier second opinions, a reduced risk of mistakes caused by poor handwriting or incomplete records, and more informed care during office visits and emergencies.

It is a Qualified Entity of the Statewide Health Information Network of New York (SHIN-NY). Health care professionals and patients can learn more by visiting RochesterRHIO.org or by calling (877) 865-RHIO (7446).

Statement from U.S. Attorney for WNY James P. Kennedy Jr:

“Since late Wednesday, my Office has been working around the clock with both the Buffalo and Washington Field Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to pursue all leads, to gather evidence, and to bring to justice those who committed crimes at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Any suggestion, direct or implied, that there is undue delay, a political purpose, or race-based reason why charges have not yet been filed against any Western New York resident is incorrect, unfounded, and frankly, offensive.

"I think most people recognize the danger inherent in advocating for a criminal justice system that is more concerned with getting things done quickly than getting them done correctly. As U.S. Attorney, I have refused — and will continue to refuse — to succumb to political pressure or to serve any factional interest. My job is to do my best to get things right and to see to it that the law and justice are the only interests served by me and those who work so hard in this Office.”

Kennedy's statement last week:

“We have received a number of leads and tips regarding yesterday’s events at the Capitol Building. Working with our law enforcement partners, we are actively investigating the information we have obtained. Should we determine that there is a legal nexus between the crimes committed at the Capitol and our jurisdiction, we will not hesitate to charge those responsible.

"Violence is never an acceptable means of protest. We are one Nation, and as such, the unity which comes from a shared respect for both the rule of law and one another represents our only hope for lasting solutions to the challenges we face. Escalating hostility and violence diminishes us all.”

Police are looking for a vehicle and driver involved in a hit-and-run accident on Holmes Avenue in Batavia yesterday.

The incident was reported at about 11 a.m. Monday.

A resident described the suspect vehicle as a gray Jeep Cherokee that will be missing a front headlight.  

The vehicle struck a parked car and hit a mailbox.

Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation can contact Batavia PD at (585) 343-5000.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department is going to be repairing a water main leak in front of 142 Pearl St. on Wednesday Jan. 13. Work will begin at 8 a.m. and should be completed by 3 p.m.

The water will be turned off on Pearl Street. from 100 Pearl to the western City line.

Surrounding areas may have reduced pressure and discolored water.

City crews will make every attempt to restore water as soon as possible.

We appreciate your understanding while this repair is being made.

From Vickie Muckle, executive assistant to the county manager:

There are several spots open at the free COVID-19 testing clinic today at the Fire Training Center at 7690 State Street Road in the Town of Batavia.

Because the State system is down today, folks do not need to preregister they can just show up. We will be there until 4 p.m. today.

NOTE: Apologies for not posting this yesterday. We moved back into our house (from our fire in April) yesterday and it was a very busy day and evening, and has been crazy so far this morning).

Press release:

• Genesee County received 170 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.
• One hundred and 55 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Twenty-one of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Eight of the new positive cases are residents at the LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility.
• Sevenof the new positive cases are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.
• Two of the new positive cases are residents at the Batavia VA Medical Center.

 

• Orleans County received 100 new positive cases of COVID-19 for.
  • Orleans is only reporting the number of positive cases since late Friday through Monday. We expect the data will be updated in tomorrow’s report.
  • There will be no data chart for 01/11/21.

Judy Kaye Ward, 69, of East Park Road, Albion, is charged with criminal trespass. On Jan. 5 at 7:50 p.m. Genesee County Sheriff's Office was called to an address in the first block of Sunset Parkway in Oakfield for the report of a burglary. After an investigation, it was allegedly determined that the landlord of the property -- Ward -- entered the residence of the victim through a side door and remained unlawfully on the premises. She was arrested then released with an appearance ticket to be in Oakfield Town Court on Feb. 8. The case was handled by Deputy Kyle Tower, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.

Walter Bernard Hale Jr., 43, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: felony driving while intoxicated -- with two previous convictions within 10 years; aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree; use of a motor vehicle with an ignition interlock device; refusal to take a breath test; drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle while on a public highway; and having no front license plate. At 5:29 p.m. Jan. 9, Hale was arrested after a traffic stop on Ellicott Street Road in the Town of Pavilion. It is alleged that Hale drove a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and while his driver's license was revoked. He was jailed without bail after arraignment in Pavilion Town Court and is due in Genesee County Court on Feb. 8. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jordan Alejandro, assisted by Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush.

Mark L. Farley, 52, of Harvester Avenue, Batavia, is charged with: unlawful imprisonment; criminal obstruction of breathing; and criminal contempt in the first degree. He was arrested after a domestic incident at noon Dec. 31 on Harvester Avenue, arraigned in Batavia City Court, then put in Genesee County Jail with bail set at $1,000 cash or $2,500 bond or $5,000 partially secured bond. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kevin DeFelice, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

David N. Hanna, 44, no permanent address, Batavia, is charged with obstructing a government official and failure to obey a police officer. On Jan. 6 at about 2 a.m., Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis noticed a vehicle in the area of Jackson and Center streets driven by a person allegedly exhibiting suspicious behavior. After some time, McGinnis approached the driver to investigate the possiblity of intoxication. Hanna reportedly immediately attempted to flee in his vehicle from the officer, but was stopped short of doing so when other officers arrived on scene. "Hanna was highly uncooperative with officers and refused to get out of his vehicle." Hanna was arrested, arraigned in Batavia City Court, then released on his own recognizance. He is due back in city court on Feb. 16. McGinnis was assisted by Officer Arick Perkins in the case.

John A. Cabrera, 53, of Mill Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass and harassment. Batavia Police Officer Peter Post arrested Cabrera on Jan. 6 after the defendant allegedly pushed a person during an argument at 4:21 p.m. that day at a rooming house on Mill Street in Batavia. Cabrera was arraigned in Batavia City Court then released on his own recognizance. He is due back in city court on Feb. 25. Post was assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Linda A. Styer, 34, of Clay Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. She was arrested on Jan. 5 after she allegedly pushed a shopping cart into another person after an argument at 4:58 p.m. at a business on East Main Street in Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket for Feb. 23 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Sean Wilson.

Kyle A. Scheuerlein, 28, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested on Jan. 1 at a lower apartment on Washington Avenue in the City of Batavia after being observed at 3:50 p.m. New Year's Day at the residence of a person who has a stay away order of protection. The officers were investigating another incident at the time when they spotted Scheuerlein. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail on $7,000 cash bail or $15,000 bond or $25,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court Feb. 4. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissinger, assisted by Officer Samuel Freeman. 

Kyle A. Scheuerlein, 28, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. He was arrested on Jan. 1 at a lower apartment on Washington Avenue in the City of Batavia. It is alleged that on Dec. 18 he spit on a person during an argument at 10:55 p.m. He was processed, arraigned in Batavia City Court, released on his own recognizance but held on charges relating to a separate incident. He is due back in court on Feb. 4. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post, assisted by Officer Samuel Freeman.

Kyle A. Scheuerlein, 28, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt and second-degree burglary. He was arrested on Jan. 1 at a lower apartment on Washington Avenue in the City of Batavia. It is alleged that on Dec. 19 at 12:25 a.m. that he was observed at the residence of a person who has a stay away order of protection. The officers were investigating another incident at the time. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail on $7,000 cash bail or $15,000 bond or $25,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court Feb. 4. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Wesley Rissinger, assisted by Officer Samuel Freeman. 

Jason William Whitehead, 23, of Shady Lane, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested on Dec. 31 after an incident that occurred at 2:42 p.n. Dec. 30 on East Main Street in Batavia. It is alleged that Whitehead damaged another person's vehicle during an argument. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Feb. 16. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Peter Post, assisted by Officer Samuel Freeman.

Randy K. Wilmet, 44, of Bank Street, Batavia, was arrested Jan. 1 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court for allegedly failing to appear in court Nov. 10 on a charge(s) from a previous arrest (unspecified). He was put in jail after arraignment and bail set at $5,000 cash, $10,000 bond or $20,000 partially secured bond. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Peter Post.

Cassandra  M. D'arconte, 22, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. She was arrested after the investigation of a violation of an order of protection that occurred at 2:14 a.m. on Dec. 31 on North Street in the City of Batavia. She was issued at appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Feb. 23. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Sean Wilson.

Justin Thomas Stimson, 33, Hartshorn Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree. On Jan. 8, after an investigation into the alleged fraudulent placement of several firearms on a pistol permit, Stimson was arrested. The incident allegedly occurred on Main Street in Batavia on June 22. Stimson was arraigned in Batavia City Court and released on his own recognizance. He is due back in city court March 4. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Nicole Lee Cramer, 31, of Albany Street, Buffalo, is charged with petit larceny. At 10:02 a.m. on Jan. 6, Cramer was arrested on a warrant out of Town of Batavia Court for an incident reported at April 16 on Clinton Street in Batavia. She was taken to jail then arraigned in Genesee County Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Chad Cummings.

David Paul Haka, 57, of Bowerman Avenue, Scottsville, is charged with petit larceny. Batavia Police Officer Peter Post arrested Haka on a warrant out of Batavia City Court for an incident reported at 2:21 p.m. Sept. 28 on East Main Street in Batavia. Haka was arraigned in Batavia City Court then released on his own recognizance. He is due back in city court Feb. 24.

Frank James Morrocco, 64, of Grant Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested Jan. 4 on a warrant out of Batavia City Court. It is alleged that on March 14 that Morrocco stole merchandise from a business on West Main Street in the City of Batavia. He was arraigned in city court then released under supervision of Genesee Justice. He is due back in court on Feb. 25. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Press release:

ESL Federal Credit Union announces that applications for an ESL College Scholarship are now available for high school seniors throughout Greater Rochester. ESL will award 10 area high school seniors $2,000 each toward their college or university tuition this fall.

Applications are available at www.esl.org/scholarship.  

“ESL’s purpose is to help our community thrive and prosper, and that certainly includes helping local students who will be our future leaders,” said Celeste Kier, senior vice president/director, marketing and customer experience, ESL Federal Credit Union.

“We know a scholarship can have a tremendous impact for students and their families when it comes to college affordability, and ESL is committed to supporting and nurturing the success of young leaders in our Greater Rochester community.”

To qualify for consideration, high school students must meet the following requirements:

• Member in good standing at ESL Federal Credit Union;
• High school senior in the greater Rochester area during the 2020/2021 school year;
• Attending an accredited college or university in the fall of 2021.

Students applying for this year’s ESL College Scholarship will need to provide official copies of their transcripts, letter of recommendation from a school official or community/volunteer organization, a current resume and list of extracurricular activities and community service.

In alignment with ESL’s purpose, students are encouraged to write about how they help their community “thrive and prosper.” ESL will also consider the student’s alignment with ESL core values (accountability, caring about people, initiative, integrity and teamwork).

About ESL Federal Credit Union

With 100 years of locally owned history, ESL Federal Credit Union serves as a full-service financial institution to more than 374,000 members and 11,400 businesses. Founded in 1920, the company provides personal banking, business banking, mortgage services, and wealth management services through its locally based 22 branch network, telephone, mobile, online and live chat center.

The Rochester-based financial institution employs more than 860 people in in the Greater Rochester area and holds more than $8 billion in assets. Since 1996, ESL has paid out 25 consecutive Owners’ Dividends to its members totaling more than $170 million.

The company has appeared on the Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list for nine years since 2010. ESL Federal Credit Union is headquartered at 225 Chestnut Street, in Rochester, and can be found online at www.esl.org.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.32, up 6 cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.59. The New York State average is $2.39 – up 6 cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.73.

AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.31 (up 4 cents since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.33 (up 7 cents since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.35 (up 5 cents since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.36 (up 6 cents since last week)
• Rome -- $2.42 (up 4 cents since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.34 (up 6 cents since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.41 (up 5 cents since last week)

Pump prices are on the rise despite gas demand falling to the lowest level recorded since the end of May 2020. Domestic crude prices climbed above $50 per barrel while total refinery utilization increased from 79 percent to 81 percent leading to higher pump prices.

If crude prices continue to stay above $50 per barrel - WTI is $51.71 this morning -- alongside higher refinery utilization rates, drivers could see pump prices continue to climb, which is unusual given that low winter gas demand typically pushes prices to their lowest point of the year.

Crude prices increased last week after Saudi Arabia announced that it would cut its crude production by 1 million barrels per day in February and March after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met with its partners, including Russia and Kazakhstan, to discuss their ongoing production reduction agreement. If total domestic crude supply continues to drop, crude prices could continue to increase and push pump prices higher.

From GasBuddy:

"With oil's meteoric rally continuing, motorists continue to face gas prices that continue to advance. With a barrel of crude oil now at its highest level in nearly a year, there's no where for gas prices to go but up," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"In a normal year, this is the time we tend to see gas prices struggle, and according to Pay with GasBuddy data, gasoline demand is indeed seeing seasonal struggles, but that has not tempered the appetite of the market as many remain bullish over the continued rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine. How long we may be on this road relies on continued reduction in new COVID cases, but we may for the coming weeks seeing gas prices continuing their climb."

Press release:

Senator Ed Rath has been appointed as a member of the following New York State Senate committees: Budget and Revenue, Cities 2, Health, and Labor. Additionally, Senator Rath will be the ranking member on the Elections and Local Government committees.

“I am looking forward to being an active member of all of my committees," Rath said. "Working on behalf of the residents of the district to represent Upstate is extremely important. Being included on these committees will allow me to make our voice heard. I am eager to get to work on these committees."

A complete list of Senate Standing committees is available at nysenate.gov/committees.

Some members of Congress plan to introduce at least one resolution in the House on Monday to impeach President Donald Trump following a riot -- what has been called an insurrection or attempt to overthrow the government -- by hundreds of his supporters at the Capitol Building on Tuesday.

Rep. Chris Jacobs said he does not support impeachment.

“To carry out an unprecedented, politicized, and rushed impeachment proceeding with less than two weeks left in the President’s term would have catastrophic effects on the civil fabric of our nation," Jacobs said in a prepared statement. "President Trump has committed to a smooth and orderly transition of power and that should be our focus for the next 10 days."

Congress was in joint session at the time, meeting to certify the Electoral College votes confirming Joe Biden as the victor in the nation's Nov. 3 presidential election.

Trump has made numerous baseless claims of a stolen election. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud nor that he actually won by "millions of votes" as he has claimed. Trump and his team have filed 62 lawsuits claiming election irregularities and all but one of them have been dismissed by state and federal courts, including two that reached the conservative-controlled Supreme Court. In cases where Trump's attorneys were asked to produce evidence of fraud, they've admitted they have no evidence to present. 

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Trump staged a rally in Washington, D.C., inviting his followers to come to the nation's capitol to "stop the steal."

At the rally that morning, Trump said, "You'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength. You have to be strong."

There are news reports of Trump followers threatening the life of Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Police officers have reported finding off-duty police officers and military veterans among the protesters who came prepared for violence. 

Five people died during the riot, including a capitol police officer and war veteran, Brian D. Sicknick, who was reportedly bludgeoned to death with a fire extinguisher. Two Trump supporters died -- a woman from San Diego who was shot by Capitol police while she was part of a group trying to breach a section of the Capitol Building, and a Trump supporter who was trampled to death by other Trump supporters. 

Trump has condemned the actions of the rioters. 

"The demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy," Trump said. "To those who engaged in the acts of violence and destruction, you do not represent our country. And to those who broke the law, you will pay."

It's unclear what path the House might take leading up to a vote on articles of impeachment. If passed, the articles would be transmitted to the Senate. It would be up to the Senate to decide whether to hold a trial. Trump could only be removed from office if the Senate voted to convict him of charges in the articles of impeachment. Some legal scholars believe Trump could be potentially be tried by the Senate even after he leaves office.

If convicted, he would be barred from running for federal office again.

Here's Jacobs' full statement: 

“The events of this past week represent a dark period for our nation. The kind of reprehensible violence we saw has absolutely no place in our democracy, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. I cherish our First Amendment right to protest, but we must settle our differences peacefully, not with mob rule. Right now, many feel disenfranchised, our nation is divided, and tensions are high. The last thing our country needs is more division.

“To carry out an unprecedented, politicized and rushed impeachment proceeding with less than two weeks left in the President’s term would have catastrophic effects on the civil fabric of our nation. President Trump has committed to a smooth and orderly transition of power and that should be our focus for the next 10 days.

The Batavia Police Collaboration Advisory Stakeholders Group, formed in response to an executive order from the governor, is nearing the completion of its official task but that won't mean the end of an effort to improve relations between police officers and local residents.

A draft resolution and draft report expected to go to the City Council in a few weeks for approval says the city meets all of the state's requirements on a variety of areas the group needed to review, but it also says there will be efforts to increase communication between the Police Department and residents both broadly and individually.

That outcome wasn't explicitly called for in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order, which was intended to bring community members, local leaders and police officials together to discuss and review policies related to use of force, arrest, de-escalation, dealing with mental health issues, and how police officers are hired and fired.

Interim City Manager Rachel Tabelski said at Thursday's group meeting that she was impressed with how the group conducted its business.

"We came together because there was an executive order passed but I think and I'm really proud of this group," Tabelski said. "We've taken it beyond the executive order that we've looked at, the part we got through, all the policies we've got through, all the procedures that we felt that those were up to date, in my opinion, and that they were kept up to date and then we talked about the community and engagement. So the plan really moves us into strategies of community engagement and strategies of increased interaction with our community."

There's already been one focus group meeting -- members of the stakeholders' group, some other community members, and police leaders -- focused on issues related to interactions between police officers and people of color in the community. It's expected there will be other similar meetings. 

Chief Shawn Heubusch shared a preview of an app and a website he said will help the department communicate with the public.

There's strong support, too, for increased foot patrols, community events, and the development of personal relationships between officers and community members.

Thursday's meeting started with a review of a recent survey of residents about community and police relations.

Survey respondents seemed to generally have a favorable view of Batavia PD.  

About a third of the respondents indicated that their last interaction with the department was at a community event. Almost 80 percent rated their interaction with police officers as being professional or very professional, and only 8 percent deemed the interaction was unprofessional and or very unprofessional. 

"Interestingly enough, I was able to dive into that question a little bit," Heubusch said. "As you can see, the respondents who indicated that they were arrested by the department, every single one of those respondents stated that the officers treated them very professionally. I was very proud of that fact just to see, even though it's somebody that we dealt with, unfortunately, in a negative light or had a bad day for them, they still rated the department as very professional."

Respondents said the presence of police officers in their neighborhoods makes them feel safer and said the top three priorities for police should be engaging with the community, assigning more officers to work with youth, and assigning more resources to help people with substance abuse issues.

"I kind of alluded to the fact that the people responding to this survey want to see the officers out of the cars walking the beat, more bicycle patrols," Heubusch said. "They want to see their faces more. They want to have more personal interactions. And that's something that we talked about at the focus group, as well as having those personal interactions with the officers, aside from just the response to a call."

There is a lot of interest among group members for officers to be better equipped to deal with mental health issues, either their training, the ready availability of specialists, or officers on duty with that specific responsibility. 

There are officers who currently specialize in responding to mental health situations, Heubusch said, and there is also a group of civilians who are mental health specialists who assist in mental health situations. There is an effort underway in both areas to expand these programs.

"This (program) gives (officers) that added training to de-escalate and really intervene in those crisis mental health crisis situations," Heubusch said. "There's curriculum in the state right now that will certify you as a crisis intervention officer if you go through a certain number of hours of the training. It's a very competitive process. We were lucky enough to put three officers through that training a few years back with a grant that the county received."

The draft resolution and report have not been released to the public yet, but the video below contains a discussion of it and much of it is displayed on the computer screen used during the Zoom call.