BUFFALO – State Senator Chris Jacobs has introduced legislation (S8327) to protect the privacy rights of New York residents as the state begins to engage in contact tracing efforts as a key part of its reopening strategy.
“As we emerge from this crisis and seek to get people’s lives back to normal, protecting rights like privacy needs to be a top priority of state government,” said Jacobs.
State and national public health officials have been emphasizing the need for contact tracing to effectively monitor infected people as stay at home orders and restrictions imposed by New York’s PAUSE begin to loosen. Unfortunately, methods for conducting the tracing as well as analysis of the data create significant opportunities for a person’s privacy rights to be violated.
Jacobs’ bill would require that any person traced must voluntarily opt-in to the tracing program, and it provides that they can withdraw at any time with the assurance that their personal data is encrypted.
The legislation creates two new E felonies for unlawful dissemination of contact tracing information as well as unlawful use of a surveillance drone. It also establishes a cause of action enabling people to sue entities responsible for any violation of their right to privacy as it relates to contact tracing. Aggrieved individuals would be allowed to seek damages or declaratory or injunctive relief.
“Even the most ardent contact tracing advocates have acknowledged the concern over the potential of privacy rights being violated,” said Jacobs. “The bill I have introduced makes the protection of our civil liberties a priority by putting some teeth into our laws that will hopefully act as a deterrent.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 May 2020 at 10:32 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The sign in front of the Hoag Library in Albion on Monday evening notes the Orleans County response rate to the Census. The 48.4 percent rate is among the lowest in Western New York.
Orleans County has one of the lowest response rates to the 2020 Census in Western New York.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports Orleans County response rate is 48.8 percent as of May 17. That is below the state average of 54.3 percent and the national average of 59.6 percent.
In 2010, Orleans had a 66.8 percent response to the Census, which is required to be filled out by law every 10 years.
The county’s response rate is lagging particularly at the lakeshore towns of Yates and Carlton, where there are many seasonal residents. In Yates the response rate is only 33.5 percent and in Carlton it’s 38.5 percent. Residents were urged to fill out the form, which only take s a few minutes online, by April 1.
“The lakeshore remains more problematic,” said Jim Bensley, director of Planning and Development in Orleans County. “And the villages it’s also low. The villages tend to have more renters who can be hard to enumerate.”
Orleans County’s southern towns of Clarendon (62.3 percent), Barre (60.2 percent) and Shelby (57.9 percent) have the highest participation rates with the Census in the county.
Here are the response rates for the 10 towns and four villages in Orleans County:
Towns
Albion: 45.9 percent
Barre: 60.2 percent
Carlton: 38.5 percent
Clarendon: 62.3 percent
Gaines: 49.3 percent
Kendall: 43.8 percent
Murray: 50.6 percent
Ridgeway: 50.7 percent
Shelby: 57.9 percent
Yates: 33.5 percent
Villages
Albion: 43.5 percent
Holley: 51.7 percent
Lyndonville: 52.4 percent
Medina: 50.2 percent
Orleans is doing better than some counties in Western New York. Allegany County is at 41.4 percent and Cattaraugus is at 47.1 percent. But Orleans is at least 10 percent behind the rates of its neighbors: Niagara, Genesee and Monroe counties.
Western New York counties
Allegany, 41.4 percent
Cattaraugus, 47.1 percent
Chautauqua, 52.7 percent
Erie, 64.9 percent
Genesee: 59.6 percent
Livingston: 57.8 percent
Monroe: 62.3 percent
Niagara, 65.5 percent
Wyoming: 52.5 percent
Orleans County isn’t alone with a response rate below 50 percent. New York City is at a 49.1 percent response rate. Hamilton County in the Adirondacks is by far the lowest at 6.7 percent. Some other rural counties in upstate also have low response rates:
Sullivan, 26.9 percent
Delaware, 31.7 percent
Lewis, 33.8 percent
Jefferson, 40.1 percent
Yates, 45.3 percent
Otsego, 45.9 percent
Herkimer, 47.9 percent
Chenango, 49.0 percent
Schuyler, 49.3 percent
St. Lawrence, 49.8 percent
Orleans County is partnering with the four public libraries in the county to promote filling out the Census. The libraries have public access computers with staff willing to offer assistance with the questionnaire. But the library buildings and computers have all been off-limits to the public since mid-March.
Bensley said the Census will have people going door-to-door to have people complete the Census, but that might not be until the fall.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 9:49 pm
MURRAY – The Town of Murray voted against changing the town ordinance to allow for a senior housing district for people 55 and older.
Town officials in a meeting over Zoom said there isn’t an application for a project yet. Local resident David Paul has pushed for the zoning change so he could pursue senior housing for land on Gulf Road. The zoning amendment would have also included land for senior housing on Lynch Road; Route 31, east of the Village of Holley; and on 31, from the Fancher Curve to Paddleford Road.
Paul told the town during a March 5 hearing the senior-only housing district would appeal to seniors and allow boost the town’s tax base.
During that hearing several residents on Gulf and Lynch roads voiced concerns about a high-density senior housing district in the rural community. Residents said the housing would take away from the wildlife resources and also wasn’t a good fit near a business district on Fancher Road.
Some residents also felt there was already a lot of traffic on Lynch Road, which leads to the junior-senior high school. One resident said many children walk along Gulf Road.
The Orleans County Planning Board on Jan. 23 recommended the town make the zoning change to allow for a senior housing district.
Normally, it would take a super-majority vote, at least 4-1, to override the county. But town officials said because it was a legislative action, and not a land-use action, a simple majority vote was enough.
Town Board members Paul Hendel and Lloyd Christ voted for the amendment change, while it was opposed by Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio and board members Randy Bower and Mike Mele.
In other action at this evening’s Town Board meeting:
• Town Supervisor Joe Sidonio said Murray needs to reduce water leaks in the water system, getting the water loss down to 10 percent.
The town could hire a contractor to help identify leaks in the system, Sidonio said.
The town highway and water employees are also working to identify sources of water loss.
• The town voted to start having monthly workshop meeting the second Wednesday each month at 7 p.m. Sidonio said he would like to make a plan for reducing water loss a priority at these meetings, as well as a plan for reducing town expenses due to the economic downturn from Covid-19.
• The town will have a public forum on June 2 about how to better capitalize on recreation and tourism opportunities in Murray. That meeting will be through Zoom videoconferencing with more details to be posted on the town website. The forum will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with assistance from Labella & Associates. Sidonio urged residents to attend the meeting through Zoom and share their ideas.
• The board appointed Town Councilman Randy Bower as Town Board representative to Assessor’s Office and Youth Commission.
• Town departments were urged to develop safety precautions for the reopening of the town hall, once Murray gets that approval. Town Clerk Cindy Oliver said she already has plans for emphasize social distancing of at least 6 feet in the building, wearing of masks or facial coverings by employees and visitors to the town hall, a hand sanitizer station and other precautions, including a possible Plexiglass barriers at the clerk’s office.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 9:00 pm
Ed Morgan
MURRAY – Ed Morgan, the Murray highway superintendent the past 30 years, has resigned, effective May 31.
The Murray Town Board accepted the resignation this evening. Morgan has been influential in the town’s expansion of public water service, and also helped construct the Holley Business Park.
In November, he was elected to another four-year term. His resignation comes too late in the election cycle for the usual petition process to become a candidate. The political parties in town can instead nominate a candidate to run this November to fill the remaining year of the term.
The parties have until July 23 to submit a certificate of nomination to the Orleans County Board of Elections. The Town Board is discussing if it should appoint someone to fill the remainder of the year as acting highway and water superintendent.
Morgan on Jan. 30 was recognized as the Public Works Leader of the Year by the Genesee Valley Branch of the American Public Works Association
Morgan was first elected highway superintendent in 1990. In the past 30 years the town constructed nearly 300,000 linear feet of water main to serve the residents of the community.
The highway superintendent also oversees maintaining about 30 miles of roads throughout the town, along with total winter maintenance on 17 miles of county roads and 16 miles of State roads.
Morgan and the Town of Murray Highway Department staff completed the replacement of the Highway Department flat roof with a new truss roof, built a large storage building and expanded the Town Hall to accommodate the expanding court system with accessibility for town residents and operational staff.
The Highway Department also built a 1,200-ton salt storage building and installed a computerized fuel system to accommodate not only the Town’s needs, but also service two fire departments.
Morgan also has served as President of the Orleans County Highway Superintendents Association several times over the past 30 years.
He is the fourth long-time highway superintendent to retire in the county. Larry Swanger of Clarendon (30 years), Ron Mannella of Gaines (26 years) and Mike Fuller of Shelby (44 years as employee including 14 years as superintendent) ended their careers on Dec. 31.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 6:25 pm
Federal CARES funding directs $46K to Orleans for added elections costs
ALBION – Registered voters in Orleans County this week should receive applications in the mail whether they want an absentee ballot for the June 23 primary and special election.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order on April 24 mandating that the New York State Board of Elections automatically mail every New Yorker a postage-paid application for an absentee ballot.
In Orleans County, the Board of Elections is mailing that application this week to about 24,000 registered voters.
They need to fill out the application and send it back in a postage-paid envelope to then receive an absentee ballot.
It will cost the county $1.95 for every application that is mailed and then returned by mail. The absentee ballots will cost $1.15 for the postage, sending it to each voter and then with the return postage.
The Board of Elections knows it has 24,000 of the ballot applications to mail. A big wild card is how many voters will return the application and want an absentee ballot.
“We have no idea how many we’ll get back,” said Kathy Case, an elections commissioner for the county. “We’re not even estimating.”
Voters still have the option of voting in person from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on June 23. There will also be early voting from June 13 to June 21 to cast ballots in person. Elections officials urge voters who go to the polls to wear masks or facial coverings.
The county has been approved for $46,022 in federal CARES funding to help with the added costs with the primary and election.
Those costs won’t be fully known until the BOE receives applications back in the mail. The BOE will pay the postage for returned applications. At that point, the BOE will also know how many absentee ballots it needs to send.
• Special election on June 23 will include the following candidates to fill the vacant 27th Congressional District:
Nathan D. McMurray – Democratic, Working Families
Chris Jacobs – Republican, Independence
Michael J. Gammariello – Green
Duane Whitmer – Libertarian
The seat was vacated on Sept. 30 with the resignation of Chris Collins, who pleaded guilty to an insider trading scheme.
• Democratic Presidential Primary: There will also be a Democratic Presidential Primary that day. The candidates include Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang.
• Republican Primary for 27th: There will also be a Republican primary on June 23 to see who gets the Republican line in the November election for a full two-year term. Jacobs, Beth Parlato and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw are pursuing the Republican line.
Local primaries include County Clerk, Republican Committees in Ridgeway and Murray
• Orleans County Clerk: There are two Republican candidates running for Orleans County Clerk. Diane Shampine is the current acting clerk. She assumed the post after Karen Lake-Maynard retired. Shampine was Lake-Maynard’s deputy clerk for 14 years. Nadine Hanlon, current clerk of the County Legislature, also is seeking the position. Hanlon is also a former Kendall town clerk. She is a current member of the Kendall Board of Education.
• Republican Committees in Murray and Ridgeway: There are also primaries to pick members for Republican Committees in Murray and Ridgeway.
In Murray, there are primaries for three of the districts, with three candidates seeking two positions in District 3, District 5 and District 6.
In District 3, the candidates include Kathleen Case, Anthony Peone and Kerri Neale.
In District 5, the candidates include Lynn Wood, Cynthia Oliver and Ronald Vendetti.
In District 6, the candidates include Kellie Gregoire, Robert Miller and Adam R. Moore.
In Ridgeway, there are three candidates for two positions with District 2 on the Ridgeway Republican Committee. The candidates include Virginia Nicholson, David Stalker and Ayesha Kreutz.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 4:35 pm
County has 2 more recoveries, bringing that total to 51
One more person at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation center has died from Covid-19, bringing the total deaths at the nursing home to 22 due to the coronavirus. The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments announced the death today.
Orleans County also has one more confirmed case of Covid-19,a person from Carlton in the 70s. That brings the total confirmed cases of Covid-19 to 167 in Orleans County.
The newly positive community case was not on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic, the health department said.
The county also has had two more people recover from the virus, bringing the total recoveries in the community to 51.
The health department also reports that 15 people from the county are currently hospitalized with Covid-19.
Genesee County has two new confirmed cases of Covid-19, bringing the county’s total to 172 cases.
One of the new positive cases resides in Batavia and other lives in Bergen. One of the individuals is in the 20s and the other is in the 50s. Both were not on quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.
Five of the previous positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation, bringing Genesee’s total recoveries to 104.
One Genesee resident remains hospitalized from coronavirus.
Click here to view an online map of Covid-19 cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The map shows there are 22 active community cases in Orleans County, 13 in Genesee and six in Wyoming.
More information form the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:
The facility breakdown is only showing those facilities from where the health department has received notice of a positive swab for Covid-19. Facilities will be added if there is a positive case of Covid-19.
Because the local health departments don’t follow the positive cases for facilities, we cannot report any recoveries from the facilities with positive cases of Covid-19. If a regulated facility from either of our counties is not listed, there are no positive cases of Covid-19. The local health departments do not have oversight with many regulated facilities, which may include nursing homes, correctional facilities, hospitals, etc.
• Social gatherings: We have plenty of guidance and criteria for businesses to safely open and encourage everyone to visit the ESD website, NY Forward and the Regional Control Room for guidance and to answer your questions.
• Un-PAUSING does NOT mean we can start having social events, even outside. The Executive Order bans gatherings of any kind, in any location, to no more than 10 people.
The more socialization that occurs the higher risk of transmitting the virus, especially to those who are most vulnerable. It is imperative we still restrict social/family gatherings until we are certain to have this under control and/or there is a vaccine.
• It is expected we will see an uptick of positive cases and mandatory quarantines as social interaction increases. If cases increase, it shows us people may be ignoring the orders to not have gatherings of 10 or more people, not social distancing, not hand washing/sanitizing, disinfecting shared surfaces often, and/or not wearing face coverings properly.
This can also impact our ability to continue the re-opening phases. We ask that you respect the guidance and continue to social distance.
• New York State on PAUSE: NYS on PAUSE will continue until at least May 28, regarding large and social gatherings. To assist local authorities with enforcement of these orders, the Governor established the New York State PAUSE Enforcement Assistance Task Force where individuals can file complaints regarding the operation of non-essential businesses or gatherings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here to file a complaint online. You may also call 1-833-789-0470. Businesses that are not in compliance with the Governor’s executive order may be penalized.
• Re-Opening Guidance with links to assist businesses:
• Link to the NY Forward Reopening guide: click here.
Synthetic marijuana and suboxone discovered in packages sent to inmates
Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association
In the latest of a string of drug seizures, officers seized over five ounces of synthetic marijuana and 95 strips of suboxone hidden inside packages mailed to inmates at the two western New York correctional facilities.
On May 13 and May 14, officers processing inmate packages discovered two ounces of synthetic marijuana, commonly known as K2, and 95 strips of suboxone, a prescription drug used to treat opioid addiction, at Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion.
At Attica Correctional Facility on May 16, an officer who was X-Raying canned food mailed to an inmate discovered 3 bundles wrapped in plastic inside the cans. Inside the plastic was a green leafy substance that tested positive for K2. The drugs weighed 3.8 ounces. It was mailed from an address in the Bronx.
“Staff are doing a fantastic job detecting drugs flowing into prisons on a daily basis right now,” said Mark Deburgomaster, Western Region Vice President for NYSCOPBA. “Even with those great efforts, drugs are still getting into the hands of inmates. Once again, it shows a glaring need for DOCCS to implement the Secure Vendor Program. Until then, this problem will continue.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 11:54 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today the Western New York can reopen for phase 1 on Tuesday.
Those five counties – Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany – weren’t able to reopen on Friday like the Finger Lakes and four other regions. (Orleans County is in the Finger Lakes region.)
Each region needs to meet seven criteria with hospitalizations from Covid-19, available hospital beds, testing capacity and tracing for people who may have been exposed to the virus, as well as other metrics.
Western New York had one remaining hurdle with tracing. The governor wants 30 tracers per 100,000 people. WNY needs 521 to meet the mark. Cuomo announced today the region will have 525 on Tuesday.
The governor also announced he wants the professional sports teams, including the Buffalo Bills, to begin planning to play games without fans. Those games can be televised in the short-term.
With Phase 1, here are the business sectors that can reopen:
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting
Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production
Other Animal Production
Other Crop Production
Support Activities for Animal Production
Support Activities for Crop Production
Support Activities for Forestry
Construction
Building Equipment Contractors
Building Finishing Contractors
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 9:43 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Main Street lift bridge is pictured Sunday evening in Albion. The canal is nearly full with water but didn’t open as scheduled on May 15. The State Canal Corp. has set a July 4 opening date for most the canal, including in Orleans County.
This week will be much warmer than recent weather in Orleans County. The high temperatures are forecast to be in the 60s from today through Thursday, with the highs in the low 70s on Friday and the over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
There will be some rain today before 1 p.m. The next few days have lots of sunshine in the forecast.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 May 2020 at 8:13 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The flag is lowered at the Martin-Linsin Residence for Hospice of Orleans County in Albion out of respect for the victims of Covid-19 in New York State. The total confirmed deaths in the state is now at 22,619 due to Covid-19, and 350,121 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the state. In Orleans County, there have been 22 deaths due to Covid-19 and 166 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
The number of weekly deaths in New York State continues to decline. New York State suffered 1,107 deaths from Covid-19 last week. That is down 29.4 percent from the 1,568 the previous week.
The state has seen a steady drop in Covid-19 deaths each week since hitting a high of 5,226 deaths during the week of April 5-11.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday announced 139 people in the state died from Covid-19 the previous day. That is down from April 6-11, when the death toll was in the 700s each day.
“Number of deaths are down, 139,” Cuomo said on Sunday. “At a different time and place, if I had that news to deliver, that would be incredibly shocking to people. Only in this environment is it not shocking. And relative to where we were, it’s good news.”
The state also is seeing a decline in hospitalizations and intubations from Covid-19. That is a good indicator the number of deaths will continue to decline. However, the state is beginning to reopen more businesses and allow more activities, which could result in more Covid-19 infections.
The state and 10 regional control rooms will keep a close eye on the hospitalization rate from Covid-19 as the regions reopen in phases. Cuomo said.
Orleans County is in the Finger Lakes Region, one of five regions that started to reopen in phase one on Friday.
“We just want to make sure we never go back to where we were,” Cuomo said. “The question is reopening, not reopening or not. Everybody wants to reopen. Nobody wants to reopen more than I do. The question is how.”
The 1,107 deaths last week is an average of 158 a day. That compares to the daily average of 224 the previous week, when there were 1,568 deaths. The worst week was April 5-11, when New York suffered 5,226 deaths to the virus, an average of 747 each day that week.
Week of May 10-16: (1,107 deaths)
• May 10, 161; May 11, 195; May 12, 166; May 13; 157; May 14, 132; May 15, 157; and May 16, 139.
Week of May 3-9: (1,568 deaths)
• May 3, 226; May 4, 230; May 5, 232; May 6, 231: May 7, 216; May 8, 226; May 9, 207.
Week of April 26-May 2: (2,176 deaths)
• April 26, 337; April 27, 335; April 28, 330; April 29, 306; April 30, 289; May 1, 299; May 2, 280.
Week of April 19-25: (3,097 deaths)
• April 19, 478; April 20, 481; April 21, 474; April 22, 438; April 23, 422; April 24, 437; April 25, 367.
Week of April 12-18: (4,484 deaths)
• April 12 (Easter), 671; April 13, 778; April 14, 752; April 15, 606; April 16, 630; April 17, 540; April 18, 507.
Week of April 5-11: (5,226 deaths)
• April 5, 599; April 6, 731; April 7, 779; April 8, 799; April 9, 777; April 10, 783; April 11, 758.
Photo by Darren McGee, Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo: Dr. Elizabeth Dufort administers a Covid-19 test to Gov. Andrew Cuomo today in Albany.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Cuomo announced that New York State has doubled testing capacity to reach 40,000 diagnostic tests per day, and encouraged eligible New Yorkers to visit a new website to find a nearby testing site.
Today’s announcement comes three weeks after the Governor announced an agreement for New York State to work with the federal government to grow New York’s daily testing capacity from 20,000 tests a day to 40,000 tests a day.
The state’s diagnostic testing criteria now includes all individuals who would return to the workplace in phase one of the state’s reopening plan. New Yorkers eligible for diagnostic testing now include:
Any individual who has COVID-19 symptoms;
Any individual who has had contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19;
Any individual who is subject to a precautionary or mandatory quarantine;
Any individual who is employed as a health care worker, nursing home worker or first responder;
Any essential worker who directly interacts with the public while working; and
Any individual who would return to the workplace in phase one of the state’s reopening plan.
The Governor also announced the launch of a new website where New Yorkers can easily find the nearest COVID-19 testing sites. New Yorkers can visit coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing and enter their address to view a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results. New Yorkers can search “COVID testing near me” on Google Maps to easily find the nearest testing sites.
“Throughout this entire pandemic, testing was key to controlling the virus and now it will be key to monitoring the virus as we begin reopening in regions across the state,” Governor Cuomo said. “New York has worked aggressively to build a massive statewide sample collection network and is now testing more than any state or country per capita, but our new problem is we have more sites and capacity than we’re actually using. The more New Yorkers get tested, the better – and we are going to ensure to all individuals who will return to the workplace in phase one of our reopening plan have access to testing, and we are launching a new website to make it easier for New Yorkers to find nearby testing sites.”
The Governor also announced New York State is partnering with CVS to bring testing to more than 60 CVS pharmacies across the state. Each site will be able to conduct 50 or more tests per day.
The Governor also reminded New Yorkers in need of emotional support to call the New York State Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 to schedule a free appointment with a mental health professional. New Yorkers can access additional mental health resources at headspace.com/ny.
The Governor also announced that the state has distributed over three million free bottles of NYS Clean hand sanitizer to date, including:
More than 275,000 bottles to the MTA
188,492 bottles to NYCHA
More than 117,000 bottles to food banks
32,512 bottles to farms via CCEs
24,060 bottles to BOCES
Finally, the Governor confirmed 1,889 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 350,121 confirmed cases in New York State.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2020 at 5:25 pm
Diane Conrad has recovered after more than week on ventilator
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Diane Conrad and her husband Kelly wait in front of their house on South Main Street this afternoon. Their family organized a motorcade of well-wishers for Mrs. Conrad. About 50 vehicles were in the motorcade.
Mrs. Conrad worked 13 years as an LPN at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion. She contracted Covid-19. She didn’t realize she had it until April 29, when she was taken to Strong West in Brockport after being short of breath and disoriented. Her oxygen levels also had plummeted to the 60s.
She was taken by ambulance that night to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. The next day she was on a ventilator. She came off the ventilator nine days later and continued to rebound. She was able to come home on Friday after 16 days in the hospital.
“Thank you all for your continued support,” she said before the motorcade started. “I made it this far with everyone’s prayers.”
The Sheriff’s Department led the motorcade that included some of Conrad’s co-workers at The Villages, her family and friends. Her son Dan is in the Albion Lions Club and many of those members joined the caravan of honking vehicles. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley also joined the group of well-wishers.
The Villages has been decimated by Covid-19 with 21 residents dying from the virus and 87 total testing positive. Conrad is grateful she pulled through the illness after being hospitalized.
She said it is painful to look at the obituaries and know so many people from The Villages have died.
“It breaks my heart,” she said. “I’ve lost so many friends.”
Her daughter Casey Conrad said her mother has made a remarkable recovery.
“I amazed because she couldn’t walk and spent over a week on a ventilator,” Casey said.
Conrad is waiting a few more days to make sure she is totally recovered from Covid-19. Once she is deemed to have defeated the virus, she looks forward to embracing her family. Right now, she is keeping her distance.
“When I can hug my grandchildren that will be my happiest day,” she said.
These well-wishers, including a dog in back, show some love to Diane Conrad.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2020 at 4:18 pm
There aren’t any new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans and Genesee counties today, the local health department is reporting this afternoon.
On Saturday, Orleans had 12 news cases and Genesee had two new cases. Combined, the two counties have had 337 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 171 in Genesee and 166 in Orleans.
But today the numbers haven’t changed. The health department urges no slacking in taking precautions against the spread of the coronavirus.
“We continue to encourage people to practice stay safe at home, social distancing, wear face coverings/masks when out in public, frequent handwashing and disinfecting frequently touched/shared surfaces, and stay home if you are sick as we move forward in Phase 1 of NY Forward to un-PAUSE,” the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said in a news release.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2020 at 12:17 pm
Orleans already facing $1 million revenue loss due to Covid-19 pandemic
Photo by Tom Rivers: The business district with many of the fast food chains on Main Street in Albion is pictured on a recent evening. Sales tax revenues plummeted in the county in April. Many local businesses are closed and restaurants that are open are limited to takeout or delivery.
ALBION – Sales tax revenues, an indicator of sales activity in the local economy, plunged in April across in Orleans County and across the state.
In Orleans, the local sales tax revenue dropped by $514,000, from $1.4 million in April 2019 to about $900,000 last month, according to the State Comptroller’s Office and the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
Jack Welch
That 36.9 percent drop was the second worst among 62 NY counties. Only Madison County, at a 40 percent drop, took a bigger hit. State-wide, the average decline was 24.4 percent.
Jack Welch, chief administrative officer for Orleans County, said plunging sales tax paints a dire picture for the county.
He was hoping the county would face about a $500,000 loss in sales tax for the whole year, not a month, during the Covid-19 pandemic. That was in a mild scenario.
The county receives about $17 million in sales tax a year. It shares about $1.3 million with the four villages and 10 towns in the county. Those municipalities can expect less money this year in sales tax, Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson advised them during a conference call on Saturday.
“I want the towns to realize it won’t be business as usual with making you whole,” she told the municipal leaders. “We cannot issue you checks for cash we do not have, so budget accordingly.”
Welch said he fears the economic damage will be worse than imagined only a few weeks ago. In addition to plummeting sales tax revenue, the state Office of Court Administration notified the county it wouldn’t be paying to have deputies provide security in the courthouse after June 30. The state provides about $350,000 to county for the annual security contract. The contract allows the county to pay the salaries and benefits of three deputies.
The state has also intercepted federal funding for job development programs provided by the county.
Welch said the shrinking sales tax, loss in state courthouse security contract and intercepted job development funds amounts to a $1 million hit to the county budget.
The county last month temporarily laid off 34 workers and isn’t filling 10 other vacant positions to ease some of the budget pain.
The county’s economy is suffering. In the past two months, 3,331 people filed unemployment claims in the county. That is 20 percent of the workforce.
Orleans is in the Finger Lakes Region, which on Friday started phase 1 of reopening the economy.
Johnson, the Legislature chairwoman, urged residents to adhere to social distancing, wearing face masks and washing their hands frequently to limit the spread of Covid-19. If the infections don’t spike, the county and region should be able to advance to the four phases of reopening the economy.
“We need to do everything we can to get our Main Street up and running,” she said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo also is pushing hard for a federal stimulus package that would help state and local governments in this time of plunging revenue. He is asking for $61 billion in New York for the state, school districts, healthcare systems and the local governments.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 May 2020 at 9:47 am
Provided photo: Pretty Sweet Bakery in Albion made these eagle cookies for a senior.
ALBION – The Albion community has been showering members of the senior class with gifts and treats the past month as part of an Adopt-A-Senior program.
Many community members leave baskets full of snacks by the front doors for students. It’s mostly anonymous.
“This community has such an outpouring of love for these kids,” said Sara Mathes, one of the coordinators of the effort. “It’s been amazing.”
Mathes has a daughter, Chloe, who is in the Class of 2020. She and her classmates haven’t been in the school building on March 13. The Covid-19 has forced students to do remote learning. It has kept them from seeing their friends and teachers in person.
The pandemic also has derailed the spring sports season, the school musical and other extracurricular programs.
A typical graduation ceremony is iffy. The district is considering a virtual graduation on June 26 with a larger ceremony possibly later in the summer if restrictions are eased. The senior prom has been moved from June 12 to Aug. 6.
Sara Mathes feels bad the students are missing many moments together and there is still so much uncertainty.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Sara Mathes holds one of the T-shirts for seniors.
She created a Facebook page, “Adopt a AHS Class of 2020 Senior.” She was inspired after seeing another district, Ken-Ton in Erie County, adopt a senior.
Albion has 136 members in the senior class. Mathes was nervous there might not be 136 people willing to adopt a senior, especially during tough economic times.
She didn’t need to worry about that. Numerous people stepped forward to adopt a senior, so many that each senior has two people or families that have adopted them.
Mathes assigned the students randomly to the people in the community. She asked students their favorite snacks, hobbies and other interests and passed on the list to the adoptive community members.
About three weeks the gift baskets and boxes started showing up at seniors’ homes. The items have continued since then and probably will right up to graduation in late June.
Mekhi Rivera, a senior, posted his appreciation on the Adopt A Senior Facebook page.
“I am so thankful to be a part of this adopt a senior thing we are doing!” he said. “Cassie and Brian Schomske and Debbie Prest made me so happy with these gifts! Thank you for doing this and ever body else that is doing this we are all thankful for the time and money you have put into us it means a lot.”
Provided photo: Mekhi Rivera has a big smile when he received a gift from an adoptive community member.
Some seniors know their adoptive community members, but many do not. Mathes has kept it anonymous, leaving it to the community members if they want to reveal themselves.
“Every June at graduation we pack the gym and cheer for them,” Mathes said about the usual commencement, which is attended by about 2,000 people in the high school gymnasium. “This is a way to keep doing that. They see that the community cares for them.”
On Friday, Mathes was at the gazebo by the Erie Canal in Albion, distributing “Senior Skip Day Champions – Class of 2020.” The community is covering the cost of the shirts for every member of the class.
The shirts were picked up by the adoptive community members to be added to the next gift basket or box for the seniors.
Debbie Liberti, a teacher’s aide and the cheerleading coach, adopted one of the students. Liberti has enjoyed showering the student, one of her cheerleaders, with love during a stressful time.
“I know some of the seniors are feeling bad,” Liberti said. “So this is for a good cause. These kids deserve so much.”
Lynn DiBella retired as an aide in the prekindergarten program last year. She organized the T-shirt effort. DiBella initially just wanted to get a T-shirt about skip day for her adopted senior. She put it on Facebook, seeing if anyone else wanted to go in on an order. It quickly gained steam for enough orders for all seniors.
Angie Wolfe, a kindergarten teacher, helped with the distribution on Friday. She is impressed to see the Purple Eagle community rally around the senior class.
“I feel bad the seniors are missing out on so much,” Wolfe said. “I just want to brighten their day.”
