By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 April 2020 at 6:16 pm
Ministry offers food, takes prayer requests
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Hands 4 Hope ministry was in Medina today, set up in the parking lot at the MAAC Thrift Depot at the corner of Star and Orient streets. (The MAAC Thrift Depot is closed right now due to concerns with the coronavirus.)
The top photo shows Hands 4 Hope leader Jack Burris chatting with Ivy Schell of Medina.
Hands 4 Hope started on Jan. 20, 2016 taking the red truck to locations in Albion, Holley and Medina on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Hands 4 Hope offers a “share” of food, toilet paper, socks and some other supplies. The ministry has suspended accepting and offering donated clothing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hands 4 Hope for the first time next week will be expanding to Wednesday evenings, going to different sites than the current schedule on Saturdays.
Kevin Lemcke, one of the Hands 4 Hope volunteers, fills a bag with food. A typical share includes rice, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, crackers, corn, beans, dish soap, a bar of soap, 2 rolls of toilet paper and some other toiletries.
The new Wednesday schedule will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Hands 4 Hope will be in Kendall on April 8 and expects to be parked at the Town Hall parking lot. Burris said to look for the red truck.
On April 15, Hands 4 Hope will be outside the Yates Community Library in Lyndonville. April 22 will be in Waterport on Baker Road at the Heritage Meadow Apartments and April 29 will be in Murray at the Countyline Trailer Park, with a similar schedule in May.
Burris owns a carpet cleaning business. He has had to cut back due to the pandemic. It also has given him more time for Hands 4 Hope. He is committed to the Wednesdays the next two months and will then reassess if it continues.
The Hands 4 Hope truck is parked outside at the MAAC Clothing Depot today. The line was spaced more than 6 feet.
Hands 4 Hope has scaled back its crew of volunteers during the pandemic. Burris said many of the volunteers are 60 and older and he doesn’t want them out on the truck until the pandemic is over.
He also has marked spots spaced at least six feet apart for people to stand in line. The volunteers also aren’t hugging people, which Burris said is hard for everyone.
Ivy Schell of Medina has been coming to Hands 4 Hope for its monthly stop in Medina for about three years.
“It makes life a lot easier,” she said about the share of food and other supplies.
She gives Burris and the volunteers updates on her life and they will pray for her on the spot. Today the volunteers were joined by the Rev. Randy LeBaron for the prayer requests.
Ron Stewart also has been coming to Hands 4 Hope for more than a year. He remembers the group going in his neighborhood, knocking on doors to get the word out about the program.
“I appreciate the people that put this on, the heart and spirit of them,” Stewart said. “They’re here to help spiritually, emotionally and with the food, but the food is just the icing on the cake.”
Stewart commended the volunteers for continuing the ministry during the pandemic, and even expanding to the sites in Lyndonville, Kendall, Waterport and Murray.
Burris said Hands 4 Hope welcomes any donations financially or with food. Any checks can be sent to Hands 4 Hope, 243 South Main St., Suite 174, Albion, NY 14411. Donations can also be made through the Hands 4 Hope Facebook page or the Hands 4 Hope website.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 April 2020 at 3:15 pm
Beth Parlato
Beth Parlato, a former Darien town justice who is running for the 27th Congressional District seat, has started a petition at wnylivesmatter.com to push back on an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The governor on Friday announced that 20 percent of unused ventilators in upstate hospitals needed to be redistributed to other hospitals downstate and Long Island where there is currently the greatest need. The faceshields, gowns, N-95 masks and other personal protective gear also could be redistricted as part of the governor’s order.
The hospitals that share will get their ventilators back or be paid to buy new ones. They would also have access to the state’s stockpile of supplies if they are hit with a wave of Covid-19 cases, the governor said.
“Governor Cuomo issued an executive order that he is taking ventilators from upstate New York to bring to New York City,” Parlato said in a news release today. “He is deploying the National Guard to remove essential supplies from our hospitals to take downstate. We need these ventilators in Western New York to fight COVID-19! WNY medical professionals have been working tirelessly over the past few weeks, and they are running out of supplies.”
Many state legislators, elected officials and hospital leaders from upstate have told the governor they are concerned about his order, that it leaves their communities in a vulnerable position if the Covid-19 cases rise in their communities.
“It is critical that our needs are considered,” Parlato said. “The people of NY-27 deserve to have their voices heard. That is why we have launched a petition at www.wnylivesmatter.com for us to tell Governor Cuomo that no life is more important than another.”
By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 4 April 2020 at 3:00 pm
Korean War Memorial At Night
Let’s go on an adventure together … to Washington, DC!
As we learn to navigate through this new world of social distancing and staying at home, it is difficult to find ways to include adventure in our lives. We’re just beginning spring and thoughts of planning for trips and activities to enjoy as the weather gets better are put on hold. In fact, as of this writing, I was actually supposed to be on my way home from an overnight trip I had booked to Pennsylvania with a group – that trip, of course, was canceled. But, adventure doesn’t have to be a trip or a big outing with lots of people – it is as close as our imaginations. Currently, I’m reading a book that has me in the midst of the gourmet restaurant and summer beach scene in Nantucket and I’m loving every page as I imagine myself right there with the characters. I try every few days to just go for a ride – maybe sit in my car at Point Breeze watching the geese and dreaming of being out on the water with the warm sun on my face or driving around on some of our beautiful country back roads to see what’s going on in the world around me from the safety of my car. The internet can bring the world closer to us, as well – there are a lot of places around the world that are offering virtual tours and ways to see and participate in things you may never get to do otherwise. Or pick a place you’ve always wanted to go to and research it – learn all about it and take yourself on a creative journey.
Let me take you on a virtual adventure, today. Like the Golden Girls’ Sophia Petrillo would say: “Picture it! 2017, 2018, and 2019! Three small town girls in the big metropolis of Washington, DC…..”
Two of my traveling buddies and I decided we wanted to go to Washington, DC. I had never been and it was years since either of them had gone. So, we met up to talk about when to go and what we each wanted to see while we were there. We soon realized that if we did everything we were putting on our list, we’d have to stay for several weeks! So, we came up with the idea of making it an annual trip and limiting it to a few days each year until we’ve seen and done it all. And so, our annual girl’s trip to DC began.
Americans standing in bread lines – part of the FDR Memorial
We take the Amtrak train down on Monday, spend three full days seeing the sights, and return on the train on Friday. I love traveling by train! It is a long ride to DC – we catch the train early in the morning in Rochester, change trains in Penn Station in NYC, and arrive at Union Station in DC that evening. But, it is a beautiful and relaxing ride along the Hudson River in NY and on down to our destination. We always stay at the same hotel in an amazing location right downtown and within walking distance of just about everything and within a couple blocks of the Metro station for places that are further than we care to walk. Perfect!
If done right, DC can be a relatively inexpensive vacation. Most museums and points of interest are free – some things do, however, require advance booking, like the Capitol Building, White House, and some of the newer more popular museums, so check online before you go for more info. There are guided tours you can take that come in a wide range of prices or you can do it on your own and save the tour costs. DC is definitely easy to get around on foot and the Metro system is awesome – get a city street map and you’re good to go. One thing we discovered the first year is that there is a bus called the Circulator – you pick it up outside Union Station and it is like a hop-on-hop-off type bus without the HOHO ticket prices. It costs $1 each time you get on (sometimes it is free) or you can buy a day ticket if you think you’ll do a lot of hopping on and off. It takes you to all the major points of interest, including several stops along the National Mall. You can get off, spend as long as you want, walk as far as you want, and catch another bus at the same or different stop whenever you want. You definitely don’t need (or want) a car to get around.
Not to be missed, of course, is the National Mall. Plan to spend a lot of time wandering around the various memorials and monuments – they are amazing! We have spent time there every trip, so far. Each one is emotional and spectacular, so it is hard to pick a favorite. I highly recommend seeing the Korean War Memorial at night – the statues are so lifelike and seeing them at night totally took my breath away. I also found the WWII Memorial to be stunning. The FDR Memorial is more of a journey than a monument – it takes you through each of his administrations and all the turmoil our country was going through at that time. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is extremely impressive overlooking the tidal basin. Like I said – they are all incredible and well worth the time to see each and every one of them.
Cherry Blossoms and the MLK Memorial across the Tidal Basin
On our second trip, we visited the National Cathedral in Georgetown. The day we were there was the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was a distinct honor and emotional experience to be able to sit in on a Holy Eucharist Service where the priest included an abbreviated version of Dr. King’s last sermon – delivered there three days before his death. What a blessing! We were also able to listen to an organ demonstration on the Great Organ – one of 20 largest organs in the world, consisting of 189 ranks and 10,647 pipes. To say the sound that came from this amazing instrument took my breath away was an understatement! What a treat to be blessed with the chance to hear the sermon and the joyful sound coming from the organ.
That second year we were also lucky enough to get to see the cherry blossoms in full peak bloom! WOW! Cherry blossoms don’t last long and it is difficult to pick the right week when you have to plan ahead. But, we did it!!! The blossoms are all over the city, but the best place to see them is along the walk around the tidal basin in the National Mall. The basin is lined with cherry trees and when they are all in peak bloom it is incredible.
Some other highlights from our first three DC trips: I recommend booking a “DC at Night” tour – it is a double decker bus tour with an open top that takes you through the city and along the National Mall all lit up at night. It is amazing and well worth the cost and time. We also try to see a show every year. The first and second year, we attended plays at Ford Theater – the theater where Lincoln was shot. It is really surreal to sit there watching a play and looking at the box where he was sitting when he was assassinated. They also have a nice museum and gift shop downstairs. We also saw a delightful play called “Shear Madness” at the Kennedy Center – it is so funny, interactive, and family friendly (the kids really get into it). To avoid any spoilers, I won’t say why, but will tell you it is a joy to see multiple times – we saw it in our second and third trips. It is a thrill to be at the Kennedy Center – go a little early so you can see the sunset over the Potomac River from the terrace – awesome!
View from our seats in the front row balcony of the stage and the box seats where President Lincoln was assassinated.
Another wonderful side trip is Arlington National Cemetery – take the trolley ride tour to get all the information, history, and stories. We were also honored to see a burial off in the distance while we were there – very emotional experience. Of course, see as many Smithsonian museums as you can – the Holocaust Museum is heart wrenching, but amazing.
We have been in early May, early April, and late October – all were good times for weather and things to do, although it was pretty crowded the year we were there at peak cherry blossom time. We have not, yet, been to the Capitol Building or the inside the White House (we did see it from the outside). We had reservations to tour the Capitol Building last year, but it was the week that Rep Elijah Cummings passed away, so much of the building was closed to the public in preparation for his Lying in State, so we will try again next time. Given all that is going on, now, I’m not sure if we’ll go this year or skip it and return to our annual visits next year, but I do know we still have a LOT left to see and do!
Visit my Blog at www.thoughtsbykim.com for more on our first three trips (type “DC” in the search box on my page and it will bring up all three DC Adventure posts) and other adventures I’ve enjoyed over the years – search with key words or just scroll through the posts and see where I might take you.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 April 2020 at 1:24 pm
‘This stresses this country and this state in a way nothing else has frankly in my lifetime.’ – Gov. Andrew Cuomo
New York State saw its biggest one-day increase in Covid-19 confirmed cases and deaths, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.
The state today is reporting 10,841 new cases in Covid-19, and 113,704 cases since the first case was confirmed a month ago.
The governor also said 3,565 people have now died from Covid-19 in the state, up by 630 since Friday.
The 10 counties (areas) with the most cases in the state include: 63,306 in NYC, Nassau with 13,346, Westchester with 13,081, Suffolk with 11,370; Rockland with 4,872, Orange with 2,741, Duchess with 938, Erie with 808, Monroe with 512, and Albany with 293.
There are currently 15,905 people hospitalized with coronavirus (up by 1,095), with 4,126 in intensive care (up for 395). The state is also reporting 10,478 patients have been discharged from hospitals, up from 1,592.
New York accounts for 40 percent of the 287,216 cases in the United States and 46 percent of the 7,752 deaths.
“This stresses this country and this state in a way nothing else has frankly in my lifetime,” Cuomo said at a news conference today. “It’s stresses us on every level. The economy is stressed, the social fabric is stressed, the social systems are stressed, transportation is stressed. It’s right across the board. The most difficult level is the human level. It is for me anyway. It’s every day and it’s everywhere. My brother catches the virus. That is stressful.”
The governor said he continues to push to increase the number of ventilators, masks, respirators and other personal protective equipment health care workers.
The governor said the state had a contract with China to purchase 17,000 ventilators. But China can’t meet that demand and will be coming through with 2,500.
The governor on Friday issued an executive order for hospitals across the state to turn over 20 percent of their unused ventilators. Cuomo said that should yield 500 ventilators where they are most needed, and they would be returned or given money to buy new ones.
Cuomo also announced foundations in China have donated 1,000 ventilators and the State of Oregon has loaned the state 140 ventilators.
“We’re all in the same battle here, which is stopping the spread of the virus,” the governor said.
The governor said he is eager for the pandemic crisis to be over. He urged New Yorkers and Americans to work together and “find your better self” during what has been “a painful disorienting experience.”
“This is so emotionally taxing,” he said. “You can’t even quantify the effect on society and the effect on individuals, and the burden that we’re dealing with. So yes I want it over. If there is anything I could do to accelerate it being over I would.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 April 2020 at 9:34 am
ALBION — The school district will celebrate a virtual spirit week from April 6-10, which will be the fourth week students are out of school due health concerns with the coronavirus.
Albion students are encouraged to show their school spirit and dress up for the different theme days Monday through Friday. The photos should be posted each day by 5 p.m. to the High School Student Council’s Instagram account – @albionstuco. The Student Council will then post the photos by 6 p.m.
“All entries must be school-appropriate,” according to a flyer from the Student Council. “Have fun and show us your ACS spirit!”
The schedule for virtual spirit week includes:
• Monday – Creativity Day: Show your creative outlets by sending in a picture or a video of your own innovative work, which could anything music, art or literature-oriented.
• Tuesday – Self-Care Day: How do you like to spend your free time? How do you choose to de-stress? Send us a picture of your preferred method of self-care.
• Wednesday – Wacky Socks Wednesday: Send us a picture of you wearing your wackiest pair of socks.
• Thursday – Pet Appreciation Day: It’s always a good time to appreciate your furry friends. Send us a picture of your pet(s).
• Friday – Generosity Day: It’s an important time to be kind to others. While you are at home, do something generous for another or others, and tell us about it!
By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 4 April 2020 at 8:29 am
“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 6, No. 13
I received two friendly phone calls from Bill Lattin and Betsy Hoffman (Town of Carlton Historian) last week correcting last week’s article (v. 6, no. 13). Although the information was correct, the photograph is of a hotel that once stood at Knowlesville. So as a correction, I thought it would be worthwhile to write a short piece about the hotel in the photograph!
Isaac Signor’s Landmarks of Orleans County, New York notes that the earliest hotel in this area was likely kept by William Knowles in the first framed house built at that location in 1825. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 created the need for a stopping point at this location, a much-needed place for rest. An 1860 map of Niagara and Orleans counties shows the “American Hotel” situated on the property shown in this photography. The building was situated on the southeast corner of Knowlesville and Presbyterian roads and a storefront was connected the hotel to the north, which is visible on the left-hand side of the image.
Similar to the hotel at Point Breeze, this hotel was destroyed by fire on July 21, 1913. The July 22, 1913 edition of the Medina Daily Journal ran the devastating conflagration as its headline story; “KNOWLESVILLE VISITED BY A $27,000 FIRE LAST NIGHT.” Caused by an overheated chimney in the hotel’s kitchen, the fire spread quickly through the large frame structure. According to the paper, “…in a short space of time dense smoke was pouring from the windows, quickly followed by the licking, eager flames. With no immediate and adequate fire protection, the situation quickly became a very serious one.” A bucket brigade was formed as the community eagerly awaited assistance from fire companies in Medina and Albion.
Despite the efforts of the firefighters, the flames spread to the building of Dr. Edward G. Hall, which was occupied by Fred Hall’s drug store, Dr. Laverne Waters’ office, Frank Higgins’ barber shop, and Ross Achilles’ electrical office. While the fire raged in the hotel proper, nearby residents assisted in emptying the drug store, the attached post office, and removed several pool tables and other equipment from the hotel. The flames eventually spread to the transformers of the Swett Electric Company, forcing the shutdown of electricity to the community. This prevented the use of the lift bridge, bringing traffic on the Canal to a halt.
According to the Daily Journal, “Forty years ago this same section was devastated with a fire. Frame buildings were erected – a business block and hotel – and for over thirty years the little village has been left in peace.” The total loss included Harry Barnum’s Knowlesville Hotel ($15,000), the Hall Block ($10,000), Frank Hall’s Harness and Shoe Shop ($400), and private residences owned by John Whitwell, George Ames, and stores owned by John Whitwell and M. W. Tilden. Fire insurance in the area cost approximately $3.45 per hundred, which made adequate coverage cost prohibitive. The total value of the loss, not covered by insurance, was around $20,000.
The hotel was eventually rebuilt as the structure that now sits on the same corner.
A group of state legislators sent the following letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo today, after he announced an Executive Order to redistribute ventilators among hospitals in the state.
The governor said he wants to temporarily send ventilators where they are in greatest need. He said he would use his authority to take 20 percent of ventilators currently not being used by hospitals.
Dear Governor Cuomo:
We are deeply troubled by your Executive Order mandating the seizure and redistribution of ventilators and PPE in New York State. The Order poses a significant risk to the people of Upstate New York.
The semantics of “sharing” may render this Order more acceptable to the general public. But, we need to call it what it is: state seizure of private property (private hospitals) because the state feels it knows best how to use it. We believe this is a grave mistake that raises legitimate 4th and 5th Amendment concerns.
It is clear that New York City has become the American epicenter of COVID-19, and there is no denying the NYC region needs all the help it can get. We joined you in calling for financial, supply, and workforce assistance to those inundated by the pandemic. However, the fact is that COVID-19 has spread to every county in our state. People in every corner of New York will contract this disease and need ventilators.
You have indicated that this Order should be acceptable to hospitals because you will replace the ventilators when NYC is done with them. However, returning the ventilators to upstate hospitals after the crisis subsides is little consolation to upstate residents who will invariably need ventilators during this crisis, but will not neb able to get them because they have been moved downstate.
We also believe that this Order is based on the premise that upstate communities have plenty of “spare” PPE and ventilators because there are fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases in our communities. However, the state has directed almost all COVID tests downstate, so upstate communities likely have significantly more positive cases than we have positive results. Because the state has deprived upstate communities of proper testing, we have no way of knowing how much the virus has spread. This creates the illusion that medical resources are only needed in New York City, but our communities know better.
We have also seen how rapidly this virus spreads. Counties with a few dozen cases will have a few hundred soon; and a few hundred can become a few thousand. Even if communities are not using ventilators now, they may need them in another week. Your Executive Order does not make it clear when the ventilators will be returned, so hospitals who move them downstate could be out of luck when COVID peaks in their communities. We would respectfully request further clarification on what constitutes “extra” PPE and ventilators as well as the process of returning them to their facility of origin.
Sadly, this order simply places more value on downstate lives than upstate lives. Upstate residents currently need and will continue to need ventilators to weather this pandemic. Upstate medical personnel need and will continue to need PPE. While shifting these supplies downstate will assuredly save lives downstate, they will come at the cost of lives upstate.
We understand the significant strain all of our medical facilities are under, and we share your desire to make sure any New Yorker who needs a ventilator will have it. But, depriving some hospitals who are in need to minimize the blow to other hospitals in need is not the way to do it.
One’s odds of beating COVID-19 should not depend on their county of residence. We urge you to repeal this Order and allow hospitals to keep their equipment and continue to work in partnership with our state as opposed to under direction of our state. Please contact our offices if you wish to discuss this further.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2020 at 6:47 pm
This map shows Orleans on top, and Genesee below. The western section of Orleans includes the towns of Shelby, Ridgeway (Medina) and Yates (Lyndonville); Carlton, Gaines, Albion and Barre in the central section; and Kendall, Murray (Holley) and Clarendon on the eastern side. In Genesee County, the western end includes Alabama, Pembroke and Darien; the central section is Oakfield, Elba, Batavia, Alexander and Bethany; the eastern side includes Byron, Bergen, Stafford, Le Roy and Pavilion.
The Genesee and Orleans County Public Health Departments has a new online map that clearly tracks the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the two counties. (Click here)
The map shows the two counties and breaks the cases in three sections for each county: western, central and eastern. If there are many more cases, the Health Department may additionally break out which town the person resides in who has tested positive for Covid-19.
Right now, everyone should assume the virus is spreading in the community and is everywhere, said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for the two counties.
The map shows 9 cases in Orleans – 1 in the western part, 7 in central Orleans, and 1 on the eastern end. In Genesee, there are now 21 cases with 4 in the western section of the county, 6 in central Genesee, and 11 on the eastern end.
The case tracker online shows combined data for the two counties, and reports confirmed cases, 30; active cases, 27 (there have been 2 recoveries and 1 death from the virus).
The trackers also lists total tests administered at 381, total negative results at 351, people currently in precautionary quarantine at 16, people currently in mandatory quarantine at 51 and people currently in mandatory isolation at 27.
Pettit in an online news conference today strongly urged the community to practice social distancing. Staying six feet apart is one of the best weapons in preventing the spread of the virus. He urged frequent hand washing, wiping down common surfaces and staying home as much as possible especially if you’re feeling sick.
The Genesee and Orleans Health Departments today issued the following information:
Operational Updates
• Be on the lookout for “GO Health Minutes.” These short video clips will feature different guests within the health departments as well as legislative members, businesses, organizations and some of our neighbors to highlight important information pertaining to COVID-19.
We will frequently be releasing new videos so be sure you are subscribed to our GO Health NY YouTube channel and check our websites and our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• Social distancing must be practiced in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. This means canceling events such as parties, celebrations, and neighborhood gatherings where people congregate together.
This also means that children and adults should not play contact sports. These are temporary requests that will help stop the spread of the virus so that we can resume normal activities.
If you must go to the store, always maintain at least 6 feet of space between you and other people and wash hands frequently. Stores are not to be utilized as a social event. It is important people limit their trips to the store, choose a designated shopper and if at all possible leave the children home. Keep a 6 foot distance between other shoppers.
Take out/food trucks are not a gathering place. Keep 6 feet of space between other customers.
Stay Home
• Please remain home if ill, even if a person has a negative COVID-19 result it is important to continue to limit physical contact. Flu and COVID-19 are still transmittable and people should continue to remain home and limiting contact with others.
• If you work with a vulnerable population, self-monitor prior to going to work, if you become sick while at work, contact your supervisor immediately and leave the premises to decrease the risk of contact with others. When not working, follow social distancing and limit time in public.
Medical Concerns
• If you feel you may have COVID-19, call your primary care provider or healthcare facility ahead of time. DO NOT GO DIRECTLY THERE, CALL AHEAD TO GET GUIDANCE. Swabbing will be based on those who are in higher risk categories – elderly and immune compromised and those with underlying health issues.
Swab sample results are coming back slower than expected – some are over a week or more. With more testing, we expect this will continue. Whenever anyone is swabbed for potential COVID-19, self-isolation is advised until the test result is back.
Scam Alert
• Older Adults: Be alert for scams, including government grant scams. What to look for: Do not accept unsolicited phone calls or e-mails from someone claiming to be an official from the Federal Grants Administration, which does not exist, or a nonprofit organization like the National Residential Improvement Association offering grands or funding for repairs.
• Don’t click on social media messages or posts from people excited to share thousands of dollars, free grants, etc.
• The scammers may try using utility companies to access your information. Contact the utility using the number you have on your monthly bill not what the potential scammers have given you.
• Let calls you don’t recognize go to voice mail, most scams won’t leave a message, however, don’t return unsolicited calls. Write down the number and check online or have someone check for you to make sure it is legitimate. If you are unsure, or if it sounds too good to be true, ignore it and talk with a family member, the Office for the Aging, the Better Business Bureau or your local police.
Helpline
• Anxiety, Depression, Fear: If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, fear about this outbreak call the Care + Crisis Helpline at 585-283-5200, text 741741 or call the NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 884-863-9314. They have trained listeners available 24/7 to help you through this.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2020 at 5:24 pm
Gov. Cuomo’s executive order to take excess ventilators from hospitals upstate is deeply concerning to Paul Pettit, the Public Health director for Orleans and Genesee counties.
Paul Pettit
The two counties don’t have very many ventilators among their hospitals, only 13 with two at Medina Memorial Hospital and 11 at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.
Pettit said the local Covid-19 cases are rising, with 21 in Genesee and 9 in Orleans. He expects the numbers to continue to go up.
Covid-19 can cause a serious respiratory infection for some people that contract the virus, and they may need a ventilator to stay alive.
“This could put us in a very precarious situation,” Pettit said about the governor’s executive order. “This is very concerning to myself.”
The governor’s order also extended to each hospital’s supply of personal protective equipment – the N-95 respirators, gowns and face shields. Pettit said the local providers are going through the PPE at a fast rate each day.
“The last thing we want to do is not have enough when our peak comes,” Pettit said about PPE and ventilators. “I don’t want our communities to be in a precarious position.”
The governor said he would give a hospital back their ventilators and PPE if they face higher demand. The downstate hospital systems are facing the brunt of the cases right now in the state.
Cuomo sees the apex hitting downstate and then moving across the state. He would then redeploy the ventilators.
In his executive order, he said he will send the National Guard to get the equipment.
Pettit said the local hospitals and Health Department are pushing back through local state legislators.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, issued this statement:
“I am absolutely dumbfounded at the steps the governor has taken today to leave upstate New York as vulnerable as downstate has been during this health crisis,” Hawley said. “Not only will upstate hospitals now be left with fewer ventilators for our citizens who need them, but an increase in transport of coronavirus cases to upstate almost certainly means the virus will spread even quicker in our districts. It’s the worst possible management of this crisis I have seen thus far, and I am asking the governor to rescind his Executive Order. Upstate and Western New York lives matter.”
State Assemblyman Michael Norris, R-Lockport, issued this statement: “The Governor’s Executive Order to take ventilators and health care equipment from our WNY hospitals puts our community and health care professionals at great risk. Once they leave our region there is no guarantee they will ever come back. The lack of testing for WNY makes this action an even greater concern, as we don’t have the full scope or handle of how far this virus has spread within our community. The Governor has mentioned a ‘rolling apex’ however we do not know when the apex for Western New York will be. The citizens of Western New York are rightfully concerned and the Governor needs to reconsider his executive order.”
State says it would redistribute 20% of unused ventilators
The Governor’s Office late this afternoon issued this statement from Rich Azzopardi, a senior advisor to Gov. Cuomo:
“In addressing the coronavirus pandemic, it is essential that we all work together. While the pandemic is primarily in downstate New York now – it is projected to peak and reduce in downstate and the increase in upstate. It is essential that we all help each other and the Governor is asking upstate hospitals to loan 20 percent of their unused ventilators to struggling downstate hospitals.
“Ventilators literally save lives. They will be returned or reimbursed to those hospitals. Moreover, when the pandemic wave hits upstate New York, the Governor will ask downstate hospitals for similar help. We are not upstate or downstate we are one state and we act that way.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2020 at 2:33 pm
‘I’m not going to let people die because we didn’t redistribute ventilators.’ – Andrew Cuomo
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is issuing an executive order and sending the National Guard to take excess ventilators from upstate hospitals and send them to downstate hospitals overwhelmed by people infected with the coronavirus.
The governor also said he will redistribute masks, gowns and other protective equipment from hospitals that have an excess supply to sites facing a dire shortage.
The governor said he has tried all other options for more ventilators. He is hopeful the executive order can yield several hundred ventilators for the downstate and Long Island hospitals.
“I’m not going to be in a position where people are dying and we have several hundred ventilators in our own state somewhere else,” Cuomo said at a news conference in Albany today. “I apologize for the hardship to those institutions. Ultimately there is no hardship. If you don’t get the ventilator back I give you my personal word we will pay you for the ventilator. I’m not going to let people die because we didn’t redistribute ventilators.”
The governor’s announcement met rebuke around the state from high-ranking Republican elected officials.
State Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, issued this statement: “The governor’s executive order to seize ventilators from Upstate and Western New York hospitals and move them to New York City endangers the residents, healthcare professionals, and individuals currently experiencing complications due to the COVID-19 virus here in Western New York.
“As the virus spreads across New York, with cases in Upstate and Western New York on the rise, the confiscation of these stockpiles for shipment downstate will leave our healthcare system dangerously low when our apex arrives.
“Monetary reimbursements for these life-saving pieces of equipment will not do our healthcare professionals nor our residents any good if there are no ventilators or PPE available for purchase. I understand the current emergency facing the residents of New York City; however, the health and safety of Upstate and Western New York healthcare workers and residents are just as important as those living downstate.”
Congressman Tom Reed, R-Corning, represents the 23rdCongressional District. He made this statement on Twitter: “We stand together opposing the Governor’s very dangerous and reckless action of taking our ventilators. He is leaving our communities in a terrible position which will cost lives.”
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, represents the 21stCongressioanl District in the North Country.
“I am very concerned about the Governor’s announcement regarding shifting ventilators from Upstate to Downstate,” she posted on Twitter. “I represent demographically the largest number of seniors of any District in NY. This is the most vulnerable age group facing #COVID-19 & needs to be considered.”
Cuomo said hospitals will have ventilators come back if they face their own need. He urged the state to work together during this crisis.
“Several hundred ventilators could represent several hundred lives,” Cuomo said. “Am I willing to deploy the National Guard and inconvenience people for several hundred lives? You’re damn right I am.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2020 at 12:51 pm
MEDINA – The Medina school district was planning a Mustang Motorcade today, to let students know they are missed. But the district decided against it, not wanting to encourage a crowd of kids and their families to gather.
So the district instead did a virtual parade, with more than 100 teachers and staff sending in photos for a 12-minute video. Many of the teachers and staff are wearing Medina Mustang shirts or crazy outfits.
The district encouraged students to “Stay happy, Stay healthy, Stay strong!”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2020 at 11:19 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this morning the state had its biggest one-day increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases with 10,482. That pushes the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 102,863.
The state also is up to 2,935 deaths, up from 2,373 a day earlier.
New York has more than 40 percent of the 245,658 confirmed cases in the United States. New Jersey has the second most cases among the states with 25,590.
There have been 1,041,126 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the world, resulting in 55,092 deaths. Johns Hopkins University is tracking the cases and reports that 221,262 people have recovered from the virus. (Click here for more information.)
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 April 2020 at 10:16 am
Provided photo
BARRE – Jodi Antsey and her family made this sign thanking people in different careers for continuing to go to work during the coronavirus pandemic.
The family displayed the sign in front of their house on Johnny Cake Lane in Barre on Wednesday.
Antsey said people are invited to drop thank you notes in a tote box by the sign for people in the different occupations. When the pandemic is over, she will deliver the cards.
Antsey is a school bus driver who currently isn’t driving a bus because schools have been closed.
She asked her friends on Facebook to list some of the occupations where people still need to show up for work. So far, the sign includes firefighters, police officers, farmers, Postal Service employees and mail carriers, outpatient and inpatient treatment facilities, school bus drivers delivery food and schoolwork for students, grocery store workers, doctors and nurses, mechanics, retail store workers, garbage pick-up workers, nurses, military, dispatchers, Fed Ex and UPS delivery, electric/water/gas employees, daycare staff, state troopers, teachers and school employees, pharmacists and staff, hospital workers, corrections officers, social workers, drug and alcohol treatment staff, EMS staff, home health aides, assisted living caregivers, CNAs, gas station employees, warehouse employees, medical supply companies and restaurants providing takeout and delivery. (She also just added news reporters.)
The Renewable Energy Siting Law passed today has some minor changes from the governor’s original budget amendment. Community groups were added back in as possible parties. There are additional opportunities to request a hearing.
But the process does not give local concerns, local health impacts, and local environmental issues a chance against the looming “state energy goals” and the out of state industrial renewable developers who stand to profit from these projects.
New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) says the upstate grid is self-contained and cannot transport renewable energy downstate. NYISO also says currently planned transmission upgrades will be insufficient to transport renewable energy downstate. Since upstate electricity is 90% emission-free, New York cannot advance its renewable energy goals by adding more capacity upstate.
There are many ways to address climate change. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has chosen an upstate industrial path that will be expensive and ineffective, and he will do so with expanded authority to overrule local laws.
Local input has always been deemed necessary to properly review large-scale complex industrial projects before approvals are granted to build these projects. Local input is necessary to gauge impacts on a community’s health, environment, economy and safety. Historically these responsibilities have rested with local governments through their local laws. Under prior energy siting laws, the State has been reticent to waive them.
Now the Governor has tightened the vise to crank out many sprawling 400-million-dollar industrial projects in a year. This will be accomplished by removing the “pre-application” phase that offered the local community an opportunity to impact the application before it was filed – and by waiving local laws.
With the decision to waive local laws comes the erosion of protections for citizens and communities from harmful projects. This obligation cannot be subordinate to a political agenda or to private developers.
Unfortunately, this legislation seems to have been driven by such an agenda and the private interests behind it. Usurping home rule harms the health, safety, environment and economy of communities.
About Save Ontario Shores
Save Ontario Shores, Inc. (SOS), was formed in December 2014. We are a self-funded group of local residents and property owners from diverse backgrounds who share a deep appreciation for the unspoiled beauty of Somerset and Yates and the shoreline of Lake Ontario. We endeavor to protect the rural environment, wildlife, economy and its citizens by opposing the Lighthouse Wind encroachment of up to 70 mammoth industrial wind turbines that will soar more than 600 feet into the sky.
