Editor:

Report from the Covid-19 fight:  Here in the Lattin Road “bunker” our youngest  (name omitted for fake privacy) had the “Creeping Crud” six weeks ago and spread it to her Mom and me.  She called the State testing hotline and left information with no reply.

On Thursday the phone rang from a State worker in Crown Point NY saying that daughter was “selected” for testing.  After giving the worker a NY State geography lesson, Albany was nearest site!

Hoping to help, three of us drove to Albany yesterday (Thruway tolls all electronic, service area open with limited service). The vast SUNY Albany campus is now a closed National Guard camp.  Many thousands of cones, tents and guards. Flashing billboards for “Appointment Only” testing, “keep windows closed”. All for drive-up, in-car test.

Final result, test was a swab for current Covid-19 (Six weeks too late!).

Well, we tried. Drove home, ten hours.

Gerard M. Morrisey

Albion

Editor:

A letter writer to the Orleans Hub spewed misinformation. This writer tells us that Andrew Cuomo, who left HUD in 2001 was responsible for the 2008 financial crisis.

The letter writer does not tell us what “social justice policy was a big part led to the meltdown of 2008.” He gives no specifics, and no example of what he means, he just spews invectives.

Furthermore, the writer says Mr. Cuomo could have bought ventilators in 2015 for the 2020 crisis. I wonder, if the Governor knew five years ago we were going to have a pandemic, why didn’t President Trump know two months ago. More to the point, what the writer stated does not match the facts. Chris Churchill of the Albany Times Union wrote on 3/31/20: “As I’ll discuss in minute, the claims, (that Governor Cuomo could buy ventilators in 2015), about the report were terribly misleading, at best. I’d say they were blatantly dishonest.” PolitiFact wrote “Trump’s statement is inaccurate. We rate it False.” Saying that Mr. Cuomo could have bought ventilators five years before a crisis arrives is disingenuous.

The writer also criticizes the Governor for the STAMP project in Alabama N.Y. Let’s state the facts: the company, 1366 Technologies, withdrew from the project because it could not get proper Federal Financing according to the company spokesperson. Danny Spewak from WGRZ reported on 3/5/18 that “1366 Technologies CEO Frank Van Mierlo said in a statement that withdrawing from the federal loan guarantee agreement was “difficult.”

Mr. Spewak goes on to report that: “At the time, the state offered $56.3 million in economic incentives— but only if 1366 Technologies created at least 600 jobs. That clearly did not happen, so the state will no longer be on the hook for those incentives. No state or local taxpayer dollars have been paid out yet.”

The failure of STAMP project was not Mr. Cuomo’s but that of Mr. Trump’s federal government. I get it, you don’t like Governor Cuomo and you love Dear Leader Trump but please stick to facts, stop making things up and give specifics to support your position.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

This weekend brought to light much of the stress that we are feeling as a nation as a result of the global COVID pandemic. The demonstrations that occurred in numerous states are a grave reminder that issues of health are so closely tied to our social and economic well-being.

At Community Health Centers, we call these the “social determinants of health.” Access to healthy food, water, shelter, transportation, and positive family support, we have always known, are as meaningful to our health as the correct diagnosis and treatment options for disease.

One thing I have learned as a Family Physician, although you certainly don’t need to be a doctor to know, is everything in moderation. Extremism, based on belief that is unsupported by science, leads to the destruction of societies and things that we hold dear. We know this when we stop to think about 9-11, to which Mr. Cuomo compared to the present pandemic.

What scientists and mathematicians, who are often the most rational among us, have observed, is that in countries that have maintained social distancing, and hand and face hygiene, the virus has had the least impact. We have heard over and over what this means: stay 6 feet from those around you; wear a mask in public so that droplets do not spread, sanitize your hands whenever you touch an object or another person, sanitize surfaces and items that you bring into your home.

As often is the case with health prevention—these solutions are fairly simple, everyone can do them.

Please: stop and think about this. Are you doing these things? These are the most important. Politicians and public interest groups may speak about words like “essential” and “nonessential.” We should ask ourselves…essential for what? In the end, we are all “essential” for the virus to live. It is also essential for us to use our brains to think critically about what is going on, and to be a part of solving the problems that this pandemic has presented.

Some of our solutions will involve the use of new technologies and ways of working, and we will need to learn them in order to adapt. But, there are very basic things that we have in our power to do right now, to stop the virus from spreading or resurging.

Stay safe and healthy!

Nancy Ciavarri, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Oak Orchard Health

Editor:

There are actually people out there giving praise to Governor Cuomo. So let us never forget who this guy is and the complete failure his political career has been. His time at HUD was a disaster for this country. His social justice policies in a big part led to the meltdown of 2008.

His time before the virus as Governor of this state has been a complete failure, again his progressive social justice, economic justice and environmental justice policies have ruined this state, morally and fiscally.

Before going into this shutdown the state was 6 billion dollars-plus in debt and the Governor was handing out grant money to towns and counties like penny candy. Not to mention the billions on failed economic development projects given to his corrupt friends. People are leaving the state because of him in record numbers. A foul nanny state dictator with no regard for the people of upstate. He does not want conservatives in his state and he never thought America was that great. His words.

His handling of the virus has been a dismal failure. You wouldn’t know that by the fawning questions that the leftist globalist media give him on a day to day basis at his press conferences. Contrast that to the nasty gotcha questions that the fake press gives our great President Trump every single day. Thank God President Trump is in charge at this awful time. A leader and a man in charge. Governor Cuomo was completely unprepared for this pandemic.

This man in 2015 turned down buying more ventilators and masks and wasted the money on wind and solar projects. How’s that STAMP project doing for everyone? Which by the way, if green energy was all energy we were depending on right now to mobilize and fight, how many more would be dead? His vision for NY in the future is another dismal failure that must be quelled.

He was completely wrong about what he needed, yet our great president and the industrial might of the American worker and citizen not only got him the hospital ship Mercy and a 1,000 beds in record time. 10 days.

The Army Corps of Engineers built a make-shift hospital in the Javits Center with 2,000 beds and Franklin Graham brought in a mobile hospital into Central Park for free and the militant LGBTQ crowd gave him flack because of his Christian faith and wanted it gone.

None of this he needed, yet his fear mongering was met with action by the president. If it wasn’t for the direction of President Trump and all the help given, Cuomo’s failure would have been even more devastating to the people of NY City. He dropped the ball and he keeps demanding more. The crybaby tactics are not working. The people of this country are not going to stand for bailing out NY for Cuomo’s failed progressive economic policies. Help for the virus yes but not to balance his budget.

Governor Cuomo post virus will continue to be a failure to this state. Like all liberals and progressives, Cuomo sees everything backwards. Example, criminals are good, good people are criminals. So I do not trust this man to open up the state in a timely manner. It should be left to the county’s and the localities, and that’s legitimate 10th amendment “or to the people.”

One thing for sure. The Democrats in the House and Senate like Cuomo have been a disgraceful, anti-American failure. President Donald J. Trump’s handling of this country for four years has earned him four more years.

Paul Lauricella Jr.

Lyndonville

Editor:

I understand that there is a real and collective anxiety and concern among Western New Yorkers and it continues to grow with each passing day. We all agree that public health and safety is paramount in the fight against this virus that we’re still trying understand, but the economic impact of this shut down is very frightening and troubling for so many of us here in WNY.

Due to the collective spirit, perseverance, and selfless cooperation of all New Yorkers, the pandemic has slowed, however our goal now must be to find the right balance between maximizing New York State’s economic output while minimizing our public health risk.

Today, I am joining Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay and encouraging Governor Cuomo to prepare a phased in “Regional Re-opening Plan” to be released by April 30th, with anticipated time frames (subject to change of course based upon public health data), testing requirements, and detailed information of how our businesses will start up again (i.e. 25% in the beginning), all coupled with proper and continued social distancing measures for our Western New York region. At this time, based upon current infection data, I am not calling for a firm phase-in start date yet, but a plan to be released by April 30th so preparations can be properly made.

Leader Barclay’s recommendations provide for a broad-based panel of medical experts, business leaders in technology, manufacturing, entertainment, food service and agriculture should be convened to make detailed recommendations of a re-open plan that can be vetted and executed upon at the appropriate time.

I have heard from hundreds of businesses in my district that have already developed action plans to incorporate safe social distancing practices into their operations and are prepared to implement and/or maintain them throughout this pandemic. Businesses across the state are flexible, creative and deserve to know the details of a phased in program so they can reasonably anticipate and adapt as time moves on. Furthermore, if a plan is set forth now by the Governor, it will provide ample time for businesses and organizations to offer feedback so the plan can be modified if needed before full implementation.

Providing a comprehensive regional reopening roadmap that prioritizes low risk industries within low risk areas that have safety plans and protocols in place to protect both employees and the general public, will ease people’s frustration and allow for them to strategically plan.

As we gradually reopen our economy, I strongly believe our that businesses in Western New York are eager to meet the challenges of this “new normal” and look forward to the opportunities that it will undoubtedly present.

State Assemblyman Michael Norris

Norris represents the 144^th Assembly District which includes Shelby in Orleans County, and parts of Niagara and Erie counties.

Editor:

Governor Cuomo’s disdain for upstate/western NYers has never been so evident as in his coronavirus update of 4/20/2020.

He calls for the federal government to provide a “50% bonus” to essential workers – 50% of what, Mr. Cuomo? Since the majority of these essential workers are state employees, does the state not hold that obligation? Maybe New York could have used the millions of dollars you have wasted in ill thought-out programs that never bore fruit.

The rest of his proposals are targeted specifically to downstate.

Coronavirus testing for NYC public housing residents. None for upstate. Upstate first responders, doctors, nurses, and hospital/nursing home staff apparently don’t matter to “our” governor. They are having an extremely hard getting tested. In reality the same goes for cloth masks and hand sanitizer. He says for public housing in general, but the number of items available for distribution will not allow for that. There will be 400,000 masks made available. There are more than 400,000 residents in NYC Housing Authority’s 326 public housing developments.

The creation of a task force to “improve systems in downstate NY once the state is no longer on PAUSE.” Again, we lose out. But as always, we will pay for it.

And upstate Democrats continue to vote for him. I honestly do not understand that.

Bob Harker

Clarendon

Editor:

In just a little over a month, I have seen great strides made in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak in this state and country. From volunteers giving their time and spare resources to those in need to community leaders and members rallying to support our counties, I can’t be more proud of the work that has been done and the selflessness that has been shown during this pandemic. That being said, with news of declining cases in the state of New York and the reality of our economic crisis becoming more and more prevalent, we need to start preparing for what comes next.

As Deputy Minority Leader, and in concert with the Assembly Republican Conference, I am advocating for a regional re-opening of the state to allow our workers to get their lives back, one step at a time. The proposal I am making is that starting April 30th, the state government should begin to allow more leniency in its lockdown rules where it can be allowed, particularly in districts and counties where the number of cases is not as high.

The goal is to slowly reopen society, beginning with 25 percent of employees returning to what was determined as non-essential work, and gradually increasing that number over the course of two-week periods. This strategy aims to follow social distancing guidelines and public health guidelines while at the same time getting ahead of helping people to return to work and jump-start the economy.

Some of the initiatives I am hoping to implement to get us going again include requiring face coverings for newly reopening businesses, ensuring businesses maintain 6-foot buffer zones, prioritizing online payments over cashiers when feasible, and making hand sanitization/hand washing stations available to employees and customers. These steps are far from simple, and the key to making this work will be in the combined collaboration of local communities with each other. That being said, I believe these steps, among others, will go a long way toward helping individual districts begin to economically recover.

I recognize that this is a very delicate time. Our leaders in state and federal governments are correct in saying that this period, on the downswing of cases counted, is where things can either go well or poorly. And while I can appreciate that caution and careful nature that larger bodies want to abide by, I also have to recognize that the need to get people back to work so they can support themselves and their families is a priority. I encourage you to read the full proposal attached, drafted by the Assembly Minority Conference, and to reach out to me with any comments or questions you may have.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Batavia

Hawley represents the 139^thAssembly District which includes most of Orleans, all of Genesee and part of western Monroe counties.

Editor:

There is no rational reason for closing Glenwood Lake Park in Medina. People need a quiet, peaceful place to help settle their minds.

Strange that hundreds of people can go in and out of Walmart daily, but a few dozen people can’t go sit alone in an open air park. The pandemic is horrific, but I am confident our healthcare professionals will get it under control, hopefully soon.

However, the “Infodemic” may cause more lasting damage and there will never be vaccine. Open Glenwood Lake Park!

Paul J. Hartigan

Medina

Editor:

Provided photo: This is one of the “Evan Strong” signs made for Evan Valentine.

My husband and I stood on the side of Route 31 today waiting for Evan Valentine and his Mom and Dad on their way to Strong Hospital. Evan is on his way to Strong for another bone marrow transplant in his fight with cancer.

All along the route from his home to the hospital were people with orange T-shirts, saying “Evan Strong,” holding signs and waving to him. Cars carried good luck messages for him.

We could hear the sirens coming and then around the curve, with lights flashing and sirens blaring, came fire trucks, ambulances, sheriff’s cars, from Holley, Clarendon, Hulberton and Brockport. All escorting Evan from his home to the hospital. Evan had a huge smile on his face, waving from the car window.

How amazing. In this day of hatred, sickness, fear, being polarized and poisoned 24/7 from the media, to find in a small town, such support for a sick teenager.

There is such good in this world. It is not all bad. I wish everyone could have seen what I saw today. Such caring and support being shared.

We love you, Evan. You and your family. We wish you the best. We are your church family, your school family, and your community family and you are in our prayers, our thoughts and our hearts.

We applaud your strength and your courage. We are here for you. God bless you all and all those who took time out of their day to encourage this family in their struggle to get well.

Dorothy Morgan

Holley

Editor:

Greetings to Sean Pogue, Town of Barre Supervisor, the Town Board of Barre and residents of Barre. I’m asking that you please put an agenda on the Town of Barre website for the phone meetings as per Pages 36 & 37 in the Town Law Manual (The Association of Towns of the State of New York).

The residents need an agenda to be properly advised of what the board will be discussing. As usual, the Town of Barre Meeting was taped and will be placed on The Town of Barre’s website.

I felt that Lance Mark, the town attorney, did a good job explaining the law on the moratorium during the April 8 meeting.

Why the phones were not open for questions, leaving no choice but email or text you? Texting and email are not an option for some people. Texting often runs up fees, and some people, particularly the elderly, do not use computers.

I feel it necessary to bring something to your attention. The Better Barre Committee (of which I am a member) does nice things for the community, but so does many other communities within the Town of Barre that you rarely mention. Are you pushing the Better Barre Committee, so the members stay in the limelight for a political office in the future? Many residents feel you did this with the bicentennial event.

Most of the members of the Better Barre Committee are landowners with wind turbine leases, including the president and vice president. We have church groups, Vet group, Clear Skies Over Barre, Barre Rural Home Owner, Citizens for a Better Barre within The Town of Barre. These organizations do excellent work and deserve recognition. Please review some of the great things these committees do for the town and give credit where it is do.

Furthermore, you fought to allow the town to permit the Better Barre Committee to have an insurance rider on the town’s insurance policy. There should be a written statement that all committees have the same right in the referendum.

If the town is going to allow the rider to committees on a per committee request, then guidelines must be created and made public that allows the rider and so state what is disallowed.

Kerri Richardson, a member of the Town Board, is a true credit to our community who thinks out the pros and cons of situations. I must say Mrs. Swan, Mr. Hill, and Mr. McCabe you did right by standing with Kerri and taking a look at the bigger picture and not being bullied into doing something that may not be in the best interest for all the community.

The Town Supervisor is planning to conduct a workshop meeting on April 22 at 6 p.m. This meeting is to discuss the UB report on Wind turbines and the Barre Wind Laws.

There is a call out to the Attorney General’s Office to see if this is considered a necessary meeting to run the Town of Barre.

Respectfully,

Robin Nacca

Barre

Editor:

Recycling and the environment have been forgotten in the current virus crisis. Plastics are polluting our waters, littering our shores and contaminating our food.

Why is this happening? Because most plastics are not recyclable. The manufacturers are deceiving the public.

Only those plastic items that are marked 1 and 2 are recyclable but many are rejected due to their size and shape.  All the others are not: 3, 4, 5 and 6 – a marketing ploy by the plastics industry.

Plastics are promoted by the oil industry in response to lower gasoline sales.

Do what you can: Use less, recycle what you can and let your government representatives know that you do not like being deceived by plastic manufacturers.

David Drake

Medina

Editor:

The Trump administration is leaving to the states much of the response to the coronavirus pandemic – from obtaining ventilators for patients in critical conditions to personal protective equipment (PPE) for essential workers.

Not only is the Federal government not helping provide supplies, they are also not providing financial support. Kaiser Health News reported, (4/10/20 writers Jay Hancock, Phil Galewitz and Elizabeth Lucas), “HHS confirmed Friday it would give hospitals and doctors money according to their historical share of revenue from the Medicare program for seniors — not according to their coronavirus burden.”

The report further states that: “States such as Minnesota, Nebraska and Montana, which the pandemic has touched relatively lightly, are getting more than $300,000 per reported COVID-19 case in the $30 billion, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis. On the other hand, New York, the worst-hit state, would receive only $12,000 per case. Florida is getting $132,000 per case. KHN relied on a state breakdown provided to the House Ways and Means Committee by HHS along with COVID-19 cases tabulated by The New York Times.”

Western New York needs a voice, a representative, in Washington that will provide equitable distribution of funds and stop the waste of this administration. Billie Owens in The Batavian wrote (4/4/20) “The false tweet about 30 ventilators being confiscated from a Buffalo area hospital comes on the heels of Jacobs voting against paid leave for workers that lost their job due to the coronavirus crisis. The Jacobs family business, Delaware North, also placed almost 2,000 employees on temporary leave.”

Western New York needs Nate McMurray in Congress to support our essential workers, provide equitable funding and stop the misinformation and fearmongering. Thank you.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

On Tuesday, April 7, a male American kestrel was seen 4 miles west of Albion. That afternoon, Mike Elam helped put up a kestrel box on a nearby pole. The next day, both a male and female were seen going to the box. It was—of course—a box meticulously handcrafted by out of “work” Albion Betterment Committee gas pumper, “Wink” Winkelmann!

“Wink” has made numerous wood duck, kestrel/screech owl, bluebird and chickadee boxes.  The bigger ones are often put up with the help of people such as Mike.

But there are no guarantees. A kestrel was spotted on the light pole at Hojack’s that same week. The box that went up on that pole was quickly taken over by invasive starlings. Most bluebird boxes are occupied by opportunistic, invasive house (English) sparrows. Of our six boxes, only one has a bluebird nest. Bluebirds are, by the way, identifiable by their flight pattern and their vocalizations.

One thing can be counted on. Speed kills. It kills people and innumerable animals, including birds. I can provide a long list of those I have found.

So . . . if you cannot uplift your spirits by providing cover, leaving things such as staghorn sumac standing, thoughtfully feeding the birds and erecting nest boxes for cavity nesters*, at least slow down and be considerate of things with wings that can uplift us in many ways.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

*such as nuthatches, chickadees, wood ducks, American kestrels, woodpeckers, titmice, screech owls and Eastern bluebirds

Editor:

This letter is in response to Jim Hoffman’s letter published on April 13. I am writing in shock and disbelief that someone would oppose donations to community organizations during a time that is bringing so much uncertainty and tragedy to the world.

Hundreds of people are dying every day across our state while millions are out of work and don’t know how to pay their rent/mortgages or provide meals to their family. I am a supporter of Heritage Wind, but to be frank, I could care less where the money is coming from as long as the money is going to people in Orleans County that need it.

I am also perplexed as to why Jim is so concerned about Heritage Wind and the town of Barre. Barre residents, including members of the town board, have asked many times for SOS and other non-Barre residents to please stop involving themselves in this issue. I am once again asking the same thing.

There are a few other points from Jim’s letter that I would like to address.

Jim says that Apex “operates in secret with leases and easements and the associated gag orders and other multiple restrictions.” I don’t think anyone would want to sign a lease with a company that makes all the agreement details public.

I am a leaseholder for Heritage Wind that not only appreciates my privacy but also put a lot of time and review with attorneys into my decision to do business with Apex. If it was so restrictive as implied, I would not sign such an agreement in the first place.

Plenty of people sign lease agreements for cell towers or rent their land to other farmers. Do they need to make all of that information public as well? Two parties honoring confidentiality is not a gag order and the insinuation over the years from various groups that it is, is getting old. As far as I am concerned, the details only pertain to Apex and the landowner.

Jim also speaks against a PILOT agreement that would benefit the town of Barre. Is he suggesting that all other businesses in the area that rely on PILOTs should not get them? Jim’s town of Somerset reaped the benefits of a hefty PILOT from an industrial coal plant for many years. I don’t see why Heritage Wind should be treated any differently as other utility scale energy projects. It is Barre’s turn to receive a financial benefit.

I will not speak for Somerset and Yates since I am not a resident, but I will speak for the town of Barre as a long-time resident. Heritage Wind will bring millions of dollars to Barre and has already done plenty for our community over the last few years. I ask people from other towns to please not stand in our way.

Chris Loss

Barre

Editor:

In the middle of all the chaos, confusion and conflict surrounding the current health crisis in America and especially New York State, the only solution is found in the Bible in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14  (God speaking):  “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Even though this was given to the nation of Israel living in disobedience to God, the admonition can readily be applied to America today. As a nation and  as individuals, we have turned away from God especially those who call themselves Christians. We worship other gods including money, pleasure, recreation and self.

We have stood by silently and allowed abortion and perversion to reign in our culture. We wink at wickedness in our government and other institutions, including the church.

Somehow, we rationalize, “God will understand.” Well, He doesn’t “understand,” nor does He approve. He probably has condoned more than enough. Now we are paying the price.

Whether God sent or allowed this virus calamity to overtake doesn’t matter. What matters is “What are we going to do about it?” Will we ignore His warnings and hope everything will eventually work out? Will we repent of our sin and seek forgiveness from Him?

If and when this calamity goes away, there will be another one, probably even worse if we do not turn back to God. He has blessed us with the gift of a beautiful country – will we use it to glorify Him or for our own selfish pleasure, only watch it fall in disgrace and sorrow?

We should be supporting our President as he works diligently to make things right. No man is perfect, but he needs our cooperation and support. The President declared a National Day of Prayer on March 15, the same day a majority of churches in this area shut their doors.

Return to God, repent of sin, accept His forgiveness through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and He will bring healing to you personally as well as to our land.

May God Bless you and Bless America!

Wayne Lemcke

Waterport, NY