​Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) spoke Wednesday during the Farm Laborers Wage Board’s hearing on a proposed reduction of the farm laborer overtime threshold, speaking passionately against the proposed reduction. During his testimony, Hawley described in detail why such a reduction would be perilous to the existence of farms throughout New York state and why the proposal would be harmful to the farm workers its proponents intended for it to help.

“Farms cannot operate on a less than 60-hour work week, and the failure to recognize that
fact will lead to the loss of our beloved family farms and all the jobs they provide,” said Hawley.

They are riding bicycles and skateboards. The caller says a neighbor is one of the people whose sign was replaced.

City police responded to the area but with "negative results" -- the youths left.

UPDATE 1:30 p.m.: A caller to dispatch reports a group of kids on bicycles are in the area of Chase Park and Elm Street "with a large amount of election signs." An officer is out with the juveniles now.

Local Republicans opened their campaign headquarters on Saturday at 214 Ellicott St., Batavia.

Local Democrats were pleased, elated, really, with the turnout Thursday night at Moon Java for a Meet the Candidates event.

Nate McMurray, running for the NY-27 in the anticipated April 29 special election, and three candidates vying for the nomination for the 61st State Senate District in the June Democratic primary were on hand for the event.

Moon Java was filled to capacity to hear from the candidates.

Micheal Plitt, chairman of the Genesee County Democratic Committee, said local Democrats have a record number of volunteers signed up for this campaign season.

"I think the blue wave will continue," Plitt said.

“It is vital that we continue to have a strong, conservative voice representing the residents of New York’s 27^th Congressional District and elect a candidate who will defend President Trump’s agenda," Ortt said. "I am the only candidate in this race who has proven that they are willing to do both.

"It is time that we send a battle-tested patriot to Washington who will stand up for our district, stand up to the Party of Impeachment, and push back against the radical socialists running our nation’s Democrat Party.”

Rep. Chris Collins paid a visit Thursday to the Child Advocacy Center in Batavia (more on that later) and after his visit we spoke with him about his campaign plans and his criminal case.

The chairwoman and other members of the board need to know what the 65 dues-paying members (at least on paper) want to see happen this year. Are there changes that ought to be made? What can be done to boost participation? Do you know what the club's purpose is?

It's aim is to encourage candidates to run for office; help them get endorsed; and support their candidacy for office.

But that is getting harder to do.

The notice sent out last week about the 6:30 meeting at Oakfield's Community & Government Center cited low attendance at last year's spring breakfast and the summer cancellation of the Lucky Numbers basket raffle fundraiser at T.F. Brown's because of lack of interest.

"It is becoming more and more difficult to continue this Club with little to no participation or support," the notice said.

Haacke knows that problem is not uncommon for volunteer groups, particularly with people's tight schedules, regardless of whether the groups are focused on partisan politics, civic or religious purposes, sports or hobbies.

"We've had the same five people, with one or two migrating in or out for the last 10 years," Haacke said, an untenable track.

The echo chamber and self-interest bubble perpetuated and fostered by social media is perhaps part of waning real-world participation in many groups, she acknowleged.

"People are at one end of the spectrum or the other," Haacke said.

And fewer young people are taught about the virtues of volunteerism, she said, and many equate volunteering with punishment: wrongdoers are often given community service in lieu of a harsher penalty.

The irony is that Genesee County is solidly red territory in a blue state, and the GC Women's Republican Party is having trouble pulling off a breakfast when Democrats and Progressives say it's "standing room only" at their events these days.

Asked if Trump's treatment of women or his language concerning them is causing Republican females to go missing in action, Haacke said unequivocally and 100-percent "No. Trump is not a factor."

Any awkwardness in his oratory is because he's "not a politician" but "he tells the truth."

"If we want to get to where we need to be as a Christian and God-loving people, we need to support Trump and the Republican candidates," Haacke said.

Naturally, Erica O'Donnell, chairwoman of the City of Batavia Democratic Committee, sees things differently, but she does sympathize.

"Political or not, all organizations struggle with participation at times, with the busy lives we lead," O'Donnell said. "But we decided to come out of the closet and do more community involvement -- be in parades, go to community events, be at Picnic in the Park (for the 4th of July).

"We are the party of inclusion and acceptance. We should have a big tent."

O'Donnell said that women's participation increased in Democratic and Progessive politics here and elsewhere after Bernie Sanders lost the primary and after the 2016 election.

And O'Donnell thinks Trump is not resonating with a growing number of Republican women, so they are sitting on the sidelines.

"The way he treats women, the way he talks about them," O'Donnell said. "I don't want my daughters exposed to that."

The 11th annual Night ot the Races will be attended by Hawley and Republican candidate for governor Marcus J. Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive and a former mayor of Tivoli.

The fun starts at 6 p.m.

Cost is $80 per guest, or $150 per couple.

There will be a two-hour open bar, a special buffet dinner, racing and $20 in Free Play at the casino per person.

RSVP by Oct. 13 by calling (585) 356-0686.

Sponsorship opportunities are available:

• $1,000 -- Triple Crown Level: 10 tickets, race named for sponsor, special gift, tote board and program recognition, group picture with "Triple Crown" race winner and Assemblyman Hawley;
• $800 -- Kentucky Derby Level: 8 tickets, program recognition, special gift, group picture with "Kentucky Derby" race winner and Assemblyman Hawley;
• $600 -- Belmost Stakes Level: 6 tickets, program recognition, group picture with "Belmont Stakes" race winner and Assemblyman Hawley;
• $400 -- Preakness Stakes Level: 4 tickets, program recognition.

Friends of Steve Hawley -- State Assembly 2018: mailing address is 7768 Oatka Trail, Le Roy, NY 14482. Visit www.hawleyforassembly.com

Nate McMurray, the Democratic and Working Families Party Candidate for New York’s 27th Congressional District, today responded to the launch of Chris Collins’ so-called campaign comprised solely of TV attack ads:

“Right out of the gate, Chris Collins’ so-called campaign has nothing to do with Chris Collins. There’s a reason: there’s nothing to brag about while their guy is out on bail. This ad is desperate, it’s untruthful, and no one’s going to fall for it. I can’t believe they thought it was a good idea to start with this.

“I won’t shy away from the fact that I speak a foreign language, that I’ve been on the front lines of the trade war that’s redefining our economy, and that I’ve been fighting FOR American workers. Do you think I’d have the support of the local and national labor community if I was going to ship jobs to Asia? Of course not.

“I’ll use every experience I’ve got to fight for this district. No can play me in Warsaw or Washington, Beijing or Batavia.

“If this is the best they’ve got, bring it."

In 2003, Nate was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study the development of democracy in the Constitutional Court of Korea. He worked to represent U.S. farmers and U.S. manufacturers ensuring that they had an opportunity to feature their products in Korean stories, helping create jobs back here at home.

About Nate McMurray

Nate McMurray is a native of North Tonawanda. He’s a family man, an Eagle Scout. He is also one of seven children raised by his widowed mother when his father died of cancer at the age of 39. Nate worked his way through community college, earned a bachelor’s degree at SUNY-Buffalo, then went on to law school and a successful career in business.

For the last two years, he’s served as town supervisor of Grand Island, a conservative community in Western New York, where he has been instrumental in bringing fiscal responsibility to local government and millions of dollars in new business investment to the town. For more on Nate McMurray and his campaign for Congress in NY-27, visit www.votemcmurray.com.

We Libertarians constantly hear from Republicans that having our candidate in the race will take votes from their guy and ensure a Cuomo re-election.  I’m writing today to tell everyone why that’s a false argument.  We heard the same thing in 2014 and in 2010.  If the Libertarian vote totals were close to the margin of victory Andrew Cuomo won by, it would be true.  However in 2010 Cuomo received 2,910.876 votes, Republican Carl Paladino got 1,547,857.  In 2014 Cuomo got 2,069,480 and Republican Astorino – 1,536,879.  We did not have nearly the votes to make the difference either time.  The Republican vote total didn’t change very much, the Democrats lost over 800,000 votes and you still weren’t close, and those votes didn’t go to anyone else, far fewer voters voted.  Let’s face it, the Republican won’t win. Those are all the votes he will get.

Larry Sharpe, the Libertarian candidate cannot win by just getting Libertarians to vote for him. There are simply not enough of us.  He will need Republicans and Independents and unhappy Democrats voting for him to win.  Currently, Cuomo is polling at around 48 – 50% statewide, the Republican Mr. Molinaro is at around 25-28%.  These are close to the numbers at this point in the cycle from 2014.  I predict a similar ending again this year. Paladino was a bit higher, around 38 – 40% in 2006, probably because of his outsider and business background, which is why he got more votes too.  Larry Sharpe is also an outsider with an entrepreneurial background, while Molinaro is a lifelong career politician.  It’s hard to know where Larry is in the polls, because they won’t include him, but he is gaining recognition and momentum daily.  Is Molinaro?

Here’s what I propose the 8 Republican County Chairmen discuss when they next meet to address the debacle of running a Congressman for re-election knowing there was a chance he could be indicted, and now have to finagle a way to dump him.  They could avoid a loss again in November by collectively asking the certain loser Molinaro to suspend his campaign and asking the Republican Party Faithful to vote for Larry Sharpe.  Mr. Sharpe surely has a better chance of winning than does Molinaro.  It’s obvious.  These esteemed gentlemen are going to ask the same Republican Faithful to either accept an absurd process to replace Collins on the ballot or ask them to vote for him and trust that he will resign if he wins and then appoint someone whom they would have voted for.  That’s quite an assumption, in my humble opinion.

They could do something bold, something for the people of Western New York.  Change NY’s political landscape.  Lord knows it needs it.  Larry Sharpe can win, but he needs more exposure and better name recognition.  The cachet of 8 Republican County Chairmen’s endorsement would do that.  History will show them as having acted to save NY when we needed them.

Endorse Larry Sharpe.

Come On, Do It.

Dave Olsen, Libertarian, Basom, NY