Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are pleased to announce that we will now be able to accept at-home Covid-19 tests.
“We have developed an online form for residents to report a positive test result after taking an at-home Covid-19 test,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health.
Positive test results are to be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours of completing the at-home test. Individuals can visit the GO Health website Covid-19 Testing page under Emerging Issues (GOHealthNY.org) and choose the appropriate Home Test button for their respective county.
Individuals should complete the at-home tests according to the directions provided. When the test is completed, individuals should take a picture with the individual’s name, the date and the time they took the test legibly written on the test within 15 minutes of reading the results. Towards the end of the online form, the individual will be required to upload the picture on the website and attest to the authenticity and truth of the form. If there are any missing sections that are required, the form is invalid. At this time, individuals do not need to report negative at-home test results.
Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 is to self-isolate for at least 10 days. A case investigator will contact the individual to determine any potential contacts, check on the individual’s health and provide guidance on their isolation. Please answer the phone and be able to provide information regarding potential contacts when called. Also note, depending on our case load, it may be a day or two before you are called.
It is important to continue with self-isolation from household members as much as you are able. If you must share space, make sure all in contact with you are wearing masks covering their nose and mouth and frequently shared items/surfaces are sanitized often.
Please note home testing may not be accepted for travel or events. Check with your travel/event planner for what is acceptable.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2021 at 11:03 am
The State Education Department has cancelled the High School Regents in January due to the Covid-19 pandemic, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced on Tuesday.
No decision has been made about the Regents in June and August, or any other state assessments.
“Educators, school staff, communities, and families have taken painstaking efforts to ensure a safe and healthy school year,” Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said in a statement. “Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, the recent acceleration in Covid-19 infections, and continuing upheaval the virus has caused in schools across the state, this decision is the right one. New York’s students will continue to have access to high-quality coursework while allowing districts to prioritize the health and safety of our school communities.”
Due to the cancellation of the January examinations, the State Education Department will ask the Board of Regents to approve modifications to the assessment requirements that students must meet to earn high school diplomas, credentials, and endorsements, Rosa said.
These modifications apply to all students who are completing a secondary-level course of study or make-up program in January and are scheduled to participate in one or more of the January Regents.
“New York set a daunting record last week with more Covid-19 cases reported in one day than ever before,” Rosa said. “Once again, the January Regents Exams cannot be safely, equitably, and fairly administered across the state. We will continue to work with our schools, districts, and stakeholders to ensure they have what they need to provide academic, social and emotional, and mental health supports for our students.”
The New York State United Teachers issued a statement in support of canceling the Regents next month.
“Given the unevenness of this school year with the pandemic still ongoing and the acute social-emotional needs of our students, canceling the January Regents exams is the right choice,” the United Teachers said in a news release. “We thank Commissioner Rosa, Chancellor Young and the Board of Regents for recognizing that our educators are still assessing their students, preparing them to receive their diplomas and setting them up for success after graduation without this round of state exams.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2021 at 9:49 am
Canceling $3,292 will help village revitalize abandoned site
File photo by Tom Rivers: The county’s move to cancel back taxes at 89 Public Square removes another obstacle in trying to redevelop the site.
UPDATED: An earlier article stated the county was forgiving $11,426.91 in back taxes on the building, but it instead is forgiving $3,292 in penalties and back interest.
HOLLEY – The Orleans County Legislature is forgiving $3,292.44 in penalties and back interest at 89 Public Square in Holley, a building the village has been trying to revitalize.
County legislators said the former Odd Fellows Hall “is a historical structure in the heart of the Village of Holley.” The structure was built in 1890 and is at the northeast corner of the historic Public Square.
The Village of Holley Development Corporation has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant Program to put a new roof on the Odd Fellows Hall.
But the county started a foreclosure on the property and wanted the back taxes. The VHDC paid 11,426.91 in back taxes on Monday. The county agreed to cancel the other $3,292.44 owed in back interest and taxes.
Legislators on Monday said canceling the back interest and penalties will allow the VHDC to move forward with the roof replacement.
The Odd Fellows Hall in 2019 was named to the “Five to Revive” list by the Landmark Society of WNY, an annual list that tries to bring funding an attention to important sites in the region.
The VHDC owns the building after the previous owner gave it to the village. The previous owner bought it at the county tax foreclosure auction. The owner bid online from Florida. She saw it as an investment, but no tenants or new buyers emerged.
The village stepped in, not wanting to see the building fall in disrepair and have to be torn down.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2021 at 8:49 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: COVA Ambulance heads out for a call in November 2020.
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature in early 2022 is expected to form a task force to find solutions to an EMS system that is in crisis locally, with too few responders and not enough ambulances, often resulting in delayed responses.
County Legislator Skip Draper said a draft of members of the task force will be put together “in the next few weeks.” Those members will represent a cross-section of stakeholders, likely including officials from ambulance providers, fire departments, the Emergency Management Office, and town, village and county governments.
Draper said the larger group on the task force may be divided into smaller groups to look closely at all the issues.
The local government leaders discussed the issue during the Oct. 26 meeting of the Orleans County Association of Municipalities.
The county’s Emergency Management Office reviewed recent data showing increased dropped calls and slower responses, especially in eastern and central Orleans.
The western end of the county, which is primarily served by the Medina Fire Department with career firefighters, isn’t plagued by the issues.
Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of Emergency Management Office in Orleans County, said many of the paramedic and EMT positions require extensive training, but don’t pay very well with little fringe benefits. The pay isn’t much better than working in fast food or minimum wage jobs, without the training and responsibilities.
The shortage of responders has long been a concern among local officials, but in recent months the response times have grown longer with more dropped calls in central and eastern Orleans, Niederhofer said at the meeting.
The ambulance providers are fiscally challenged with low reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, and many patients who keep the insurance checks rather than turning them to the ambulance companies, Niederhofer said. There are also many patients without insurance resulting in little revenue for COVA, Monroe Ambulance and other providers.
The new task force will look for ways to strengthen the local EMS, and one solution may include creating some paid positions through the county government to help improve response times and service to residents in a health crisis. Some other counties have added ambulances and staff to supplement services and fill gaps in EMS coverage.
“There are 12 broken pieces to the puzzle,” Dale Banker, the county’s emergency management director, said at the Oct. 26 meeting.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 December 2021 at 8:28 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Diane Mazur, left, and Sherry Tuohey fill boxes at the Grove United Methodist Church for families who applied for assistance at Christmas.
MEDINA – Volunteers at the Grove United Methodist Church packed 75 boxes of food, gifts, toys and clothing, which were delivered to families on Saturday by local firefighters.
This year’s applicants were slightly higher than last year, said Sherry Tuohey, who chairs the annual MAAC-sponsored event.
Boxes this year will provide Christmas to more than 100 children and 32 senior citizens, Tuohey said.
Volunteer shoppers pack box of toys and gifts at the Grove United Methodist Church for delivery to needy families.
After firefighters collected the more than 40 red barrels from throughout the community, they were brought back to the church, where volunteers sorted the contents, according to age and gender. Tables were piled high with toys, gifts, hats, scarves and mittens. With a family’s wish list in hand, volunteers with shopping carts went down the aisles, picking out an appropriate item or items for each person on the list.
After the boxes were packed and sealed, they were stacked along a wall according to the street on which the family lives. Then, on Saturday, the firefighters loaded them in their vehicles and delivered them to the homes who had applied.
This year, donations to the MAAC red barrels will result in Christmas for 200 individuals in all.
Toys, gifts and clothing are arranged on tables by age and gender at the Grove United Methodist Church, ready for volunteers to fill Christmas wishes.
Dennis DuBoi tapes a box of Christmas gifts, ready for delivery by local firefighters.
Graduation celebrated at new conference center at Bent’s Opera House
Photos courtesy of Kelly Kiebala: The new graduates of Leadership Orleans are shown together after completing the program that explored many aspects of life in Orleans County.
Press Release, Leadership Orleans
MEDINA – The Leadership Orleans Class of 2021 celebrated its graduation at Bent’s Opera House in Medina on Dec. 9.
The group of 24 is the fourth class to complete the program. They were recognized for completion of the program, which usually runs January through December, but in 2021 was condensed to run from April through December out of an abundance of caution due to the pandemic in the early part of the year.
In addition to the opening and closing retreats, the class participated in 10 “Day Sessions” covering the following themes, with learning outcomes identified for each: Legislative Affairs, Leadership Challenge, Community Health, Tourism & Recreation, Business & Culture, Economic & Workforce Development, Agribusiness, Volunteerism, Education, and Simulated Society.
Catherine Holland and Benjamin McPherson were picked by the class to be speakers for the ceremony.
The Class of 2021 includes the following leaders in our community:
Rebecca Alexander – Owner, Dubby’s Wood Fired
Richard Allis Jr. – Pastor, Light of Victory Church
Christine Ranallo – Manager, Cobblestone Country Fed. Credit Union
Robert Riemer – Chief Deputy, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office
Elissa Smith – Elementary Principal, Lyndonville Central School District
Sean Snook – Chief Operating Officer, Claims Recovery Financial Services
Scott Wilson – Superintendent, Orleans County Jail
In addition to recognizing all graduates, during the ceremony several awards were presented. Each year, the current class votes on two awards: First Impression – the site they visited that made the most significant impression on the group, and Presenter of the Year – the individual who was part of one of the day sessions and whose presentation was the most impactful.
Roger Hungerford, developer of the renovated Bent’s Opera House, addresses the class after being recognized as a distinguished leader in the community.
This year’s award winners were Orleans/Niagara BOCES Medina CTE Campus Center for “First Impression” and Gabrielle Barone with the Orleans Economic Development Agency for “Presenter of the Year.”
The LO class also votes on a speaker(s) to offer Class Comments during Graduation each year, and this year’s speakers were Catherine Holland and Benjamin McPherson. Class members Mourad Attar and Samantha Covis were acknowledged for their top performances in 2021 class challenges, as well.
Two individuals were recognized with special awards for their engagement and outstanding leadership in the community and unique roles in supporting the continued success of the Leadership Orleans program: Ken DeRoller as Alumnus of the Year and Roger Hungerford as Distinguished Leader. Remarks on behalf of Orleans County were offered by John C. Welch, Jr., Orleans County Administrative Officer.
Leadership Orleans Program Director, Skip Helfrich, along with Steering Committee Chair Kelly Kiebala and Committee Member Charlie Nesbitt presented the awards and congratulated 2021 LO Class members on their graduation.
Additional Steering Committee members include Delano Alvarez, Baxter Healthcare; Ellen Eaton, Takeform; Nadine Hanlon, Orleans County Clerk; Jerod Thurber, CommonaliTEES, LLC; Kathleen “Kitty” Maerten, Retired Superintendent, Alexander CSD; Laura Olinger, Bentley Bros.; Paul Pettit, Genesee & Orleans Counties Public Health Director; Barbara Shine, retired, GCC; Lisa Tombari, Takeform; and Patrick Weissend, Tompkins Bank of Castile.
The Leadership Orleans 2021 program was made possible with financial support from the County of Orleans and Talis Equity, as well as the Albion Rotary Club, APEX Clean Energy, Baxter Healthcare, Bentley Brothers, Brigden Memorials, Brighton Securities, Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Claims Recovery Financial Services, Farm Credit East ACA, Friends of Steve Hawley, Holley Rotary Club, Kast Farms, Keeler Construction/Barre Stone Products, Lyndonville Area Foundation, Medina Area Partnership, Medina Sandstone Trust, Orleans County EDA, Takeform Architectural Graphics, Watson Enterprises and Western New York Energy. Special thanks to Austin Carpenter of Concepts & Creations for the awards and Lynne Menz of Lynne Menz Designs for creative design.
The 2022 Leadership Orleans program is excited to kick off in January with a full complement of 26 individuals.
MEDINA – Girl Scouts in Troops 82007 and 82261 placed wreaths on veterans’ graves in Boxwood Cemetery in medina on Saturday as part of the Wreaths Across America program.
The Scouts joined other volunteers in placing wreaths on the graves of 315 veterans.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 December 2021 at 12:17 pm
Ken DeRoller and John DeFilipps helped push many projects
Provided photo: Orleans County legislators John DeFilipps, left, and Ken DeRoller, far right, were presented with a State Senate proclamation on Monday evening during a retirement reception in their honor. State Assembly members Steve Hawley, second from left, and Mike Norris, second from right, joined in recognizing the two county legislators. State Sen. Robert Ortt is in center.
ALBION – Two Orleans County legislators who joined the Legislature together eight years ago attended their final meeting as legislators on Monday.
Ken DeRoller of Kendall and John DeFilipps of Clarendon were both praised for their high-energy in pushing through many projects.
“These two legislators committed themselves full-time to the position,” said Lynne Johnson, County Legislature chairwoman. “You have served with dedication and commitment.”
The two were presented with plaques from the county for their service on the Legislature. State Sen. Robert Ortt also presented both with framed proclamations from the State Senate.
DeRoller and DeFilipps both opted to retire rather than seek re-election. DeRoller’s spot in January will be filled by John Fitzak of Carlton and Ed Morgan will take DeFilipps’ place on the seven-member board.
DeFilipps said he was grateful for the many friendships he made around the county in his role as legislator.
“I met a lot of good people, been to places I probably wouldn’t have gone,” he said during Monday’s Legislature meeting.
DeRoller sees progress on many fronts for the county.
He cited the $17 million transformation of the Holley High School, which is now 41 apartments and the Holley village officials. That project is a major improvement at one of the gateways into Orleans County along Route 31.
New homes are being built as part of the Cottages at Troutburg, a former Salvation Army camp in Kendall.
DeRoller was on the committees that pushing for waterfront revitalization plans for the Lake Ontario lakeshore towns of Kendall, Carlton and Yates. He also pushed for the waterfront revitalization plan for the Erie Canal communities.
DeRoller said those plans have identified many projects and initiatives to better utilize that waterfront property for residential, recreational and business development.
“This will give us some opportunities for the future,” DeRoller said about the plans.
He also noted major projects to better withstand high Lake Ontario water levels, projects identified by local and state leaders for Yates, Carlton and Kendall. The shoreline is now better protected to fight flooding, DeRoller said, and the Oak Orchard and Johnson Creek harbors have been dredged to allow better passage for boaters.
He also thanked the team of county officials for moving forward with broadband expansion that will close the internet gaps in Orleans, a project that has been about a decade in the works.
He also praised a digital literacy initiative led by the Orleans County United Way over the next five years to equip residents to use technology. And he cited the Cooperative Extension for its push to create a robotics garage at Fairgrounds, teaching students to use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“It’s been a pleasurable trip,” DeRoller said. “The journey has been challenging and rewarding.”
He offered a “special thanks” to all of the county employees, legislative clerks and the staff at the Orleans Economic Development Agency. DeRoller and DeFilipps both have served on the agency’s board of directors.
“Together we achieve more,” DeRoller said. “Thanks for listening. It’s been a pleasure.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 December 2021 at 9:53 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Staff at Takeform in Medina, Medina merchants and winners of a holiday contest pose in front of a new gratitude panel created by Takeform and erected in Rotary Park for the Christmas season. At left are Mike and Kara Zambito, Decorate Medina chair Jaye Sullivan, and Jordan and Brett Grollnes with son Patrick, who won Takeform’s contest. At right are Ryan Scaja, engineer at Takeform; Shannon Dent, designer; engineers Jesse Follman and Doug Robertson; and Andrew Szatkowski, operations manager at Takeform.
MEDINA – When Takeform employees learned they weren’t going to have a float in this year’s Parade of Lights, they knew they had to do something else, said Takeform director of operations Andrew Szatkowski.
“We really missed working on a float, so we started thinking about it and ideas just snowballed,” said designer Shannon Dent.
They decided to have a booth at the Parade of Lights, where they would ask the crowd to take a slip of paper and write down what they were grateful for. To encourage people to their tent, they gave away Christmas ornaments, said Szatkowski.
Three hundred and fifty people participated.
At the end, one winner was drawn, 8-year-old Patrick Grollnes, whose answer was, “My family and friends.”
Patrick, 8, who won Takeform’s contest at the Parade of Lights, poses with Santa Claus, his mother Jordan and sister Adeline in Rotary Park, where his reason for being thankful is one of those engraved on the Gratitude Wall designed by Takeform employees.
As winner, Patrick and his family, parents Brett and Jordan and sister Adeline, were treated to dinner by Mike and Kara Zambito of Zambistro’s in their popular outdoor igloo.
It was pretty cool, Patrick said.
“Patrick is a big eater, so he really enjoyed having a multi-course meal,” his mother said. “It was a real nice treat the week before Christmas.”
Meanwhile, Takeform had contacted Jaye Sullivan, chair of the Decorate Medina Committee, who said they could erect their display in Rotary Park. The layered display features an 1880’s picture of Medina’s downtown with an acrylic overlay engraved with the messages of those who filled the slips at the parade.
This wall of Holiday Gratitude and Greetings will stand in Rotary Park until about the first of February. It features a background picture of 1880’s Medina with a plastic overlay engraved with reasons why hundreds of people who attended the Parade of Lights are grateful.
Reasons for giving thanks included many who said “family and friends and good health.” But others were thankful for their community, for small towns like Medina, Godzilla, deer season and one said, “Everything I have.”
Dent said it took her about 10 hours to lay all the comments on the plastic.
The Takeform group said the display is most beautiful at night when it is lighted.
It will remain up until about the first of February, Szatkowski said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 December 2021 at 8:52 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jeanne Crane, Orleans Community Health Foundation president, presents a poinsettia to North Wing resident Elizabeth Atwell, who is surrounded by her family.
MEDINA – The North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital is all decked out for the season to help residents enjoy the Christmas holiday.
Recently, Jeanne Crane, president of the Orleans Community Health Foundation, presented each resident with a poinsettia.
This is a tradition started by the Twig Association many years ago, and then handed off to the Orleans Community Health Foundation.
North Wing resident Rose Plummer gets a poinsettia from Jeanne Crane.
From left, Orleans Community Health Foundation director Heather Smith, OCH president Jeanne Crane and CEO Marc Shurtz pose amid holiday decorations in the North Wing of Medina Memorial Hospital.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 December 2021 at 8:27 am
ALBION – Orleans County is spending $10,482 in a $150,000 regional campaign to boost vaccination rates to slow the increase in Covid cases.
The County Legislature on Monday agreed to spending, which will come from a portion of the federal American Rescue Plan money sent to the county.
One Legislator, Don Allport, opposed the move because he didn’t want “government to go after individuals” who have decided not to get vaccinated.
Allport said everyone knows about Covid which has dominated the news for nearly two years.
“It’s hard to believe anyone doesn’t know what’s going on with Covid,” he said. “Whether it’s federal, state or local money, it’s taxpayer money.”
Legislator Ken DeRoller said there is much misinformation and “a political twist” about vaccines and fighting Covid.
“We’re not getting good information,” he said.
There are also hard to reach populations, including the Mennonites and Amish communities.
DeRoller said the campaign will highlight the effectiveness of vaccines and their local availability.
Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson and County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch join other county leaders from the nine-county Finger Lakes Region in frequent calls about fighting Covid.
The $150,000 campaign will be focused on the rural communities, and will target zip codes with low vaccination rates.
“This resolution coordinates advertising strategy to promote people to get their vaccines,” Johnson said.
Welch said the state has put lots of resources into outreach campaigns in urban areas, but not too much in rural communities.
“We’re trying to get a fair communication message out so they can make an informed decision,” Welch said.
In the resolution, legislators said new cases, hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 infections continue to rise within Orleans County and throughout the region. The county last week reached 100 deaths from Covid since March 2020.
The marketing and outreach strategy will be conducted by Common Ground Health and Causewave Community Partners. The campaign will include advertising in a number of local and regional outlets, earned media, and targeted direct mailings to particular populations within the region.
Orleans County recently had the highest percentage of positive Covid tests in the state. That has started to decline but the county still had over 200 active Covid cases on Monday.
Orleans has made some gains in its vaccination rate. It had the lowest vaccination rate last spring, but now is ahead of 12 other counties.
In Orleans, 57.1 percent of population has had at least one vaccination dose, and 66.1 percent of population 18 and older with at least one dose.
That compares to 76.7 percent of total population in state with at least one dose, and 88.0 percent who are 18 and older in state with at least one dose.
The 57.1 percent in Orleans with at least one dose is ahead of Allegany at 47.9%; Tioga, 50.2%; Lewis, 52.2%; Fulton, 53.1%; Cattaraugus, 54.1%; Seneca, 54.2%; Chemung, 55.4%; Steuben, 55.5%; Wyoming at 55.5%; Yates, 56.4%; Delaware, 56.7%; and Herkimer, 56.8%.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 20 December 2021 at 9:47 pm
MEDINA – A Medina native and Nashville entertainer return home for Christmas and give a concert Dec. 30 at the Medina Theater on Main Street.
Brandon Noreck is a 2009 graduate of Medina High School, where he sang in the choir, played in the jazz band and was a member of the Mustang Marching Band from seventh grade through high school.
Brandon Noreck
“Mrs. Roessler, who led the choir, was a big inspiration to me,” Noreck said. “Mr. Doctor pushed me to be a vocalist. He urged me to audition for a school musical. I didn’t want a featured spot, but I ended up as Tony in ‘West Side Story.’”
Noreck’s parents still live in the area – his father Jim on South Lyndonville Road and his mother Lisa in Amherst.
“I’ve loved music all my life,” Noreck said in a phone call from Nashville last week. “I started playing piano when I was 5 years old.”
In his senior year of high school, he and his mom took a trip to Nashville, and he was hooked.
“I fell in love with the city,” he said.
Noreck attended Fredonia State College, where he graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in sound recording technology.
Initially, he wanted to be an engineer in sound recording technology, he said.
Not only is he an engineer, but a song writer, singer and instrumentalist. He plays piano, guitar and trumpet. While he has knowledge of woodwind, brass, percussion and choral arrangements, his specialty is RnB/Soul/Pop.
Music is one of the most important things in his life, he said.
After moving to Nashville in 2013, Noreck did freelance sound recording, but after a couple of years he realized his biggest passion was to sing. He started attending sessions called Writers’ Rounds, where musicians and singers meet and perform for each other.
Noreck has written several songs and really enjoys performing his original stuff, he said. He has had a couple of his songs cut and released. He has also done jingles on the radio.
Click here to hear “I Just Want You” by Brandon Noreck.
When a family friend, Tim McPherson of Medina, learned Noreck was coming home for Christmas, he thought how great it would be if the singer could perform for his home town crowd. McPherson contacted Joe Cardone and arranged to use the Medina Theater for a concert. This will be his first time performing for his home town.
Noreck will sing and play from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 30 at the theater. Admission is $10 at the door.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 December 2021 at 9:19 pm
The number of active Covid cases in Orleans County is going down, from 241 on Thursday to 216 today, while the state set a new pandemic high for new cases.
The state has set a new record high for new Covid cases each of the past three days, capped by Sunday’s 23,391. That surge is driven by a big increase in New York City which had 15,245 new cases on Sunday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“The winter surge in Covid-19 cases is a reminder that we must stay vigilant in our fight against the pandemic,” Hochul said today. “Make sure you are using all the tools that we know work in reducing the risk of transmission and serious illness: get vaccinated if you haven’t yet and get the booster if you have, mask up indoors and exercise caution when in large gatherings. Let’s make sure our loved ones and the most vulnerable among us this holiday season are there with us for the next and many more to come.”
Orleans County is reporting 81 new positive cases of Covid since Thursday, and 103 more recoveries or previous positive individuals who completed their 10-day isolation and have been removed from mandatory isolation.
Genesee County’s active cases are on the rise, up from 217 on Thursday to 275 today. The county is reporting 209 new cases and 150 more recoveries.
Orleans County currently has 12 residents hospitalized due to Covid and Genesee has 35 in the hospital from Covid.
BUFFALO – Today, Assemblymen Joseph M. Giglio, Steve Hawley, Jake Ashby, Angelo Morinello and Mike Norris held a “No Surrender” Veteran Initiative: Making PTSD a Priority roundtable event in Buffalo.
The event, one of several regional roundtables being organized by the Assembly Republican Conference, was aimed at addressing the pervasive issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) facing veterans, as well as law enforcement, health care and emergency service personnel.
“Gatherings like the one that took place here today give an outlet to those who may not have otherwise had an opportunity to discuss these complex issues with experts, counterparts and lawmakers all at once. This forum gave our suffering frontline defenders a voice, and I am proud to have been a part of that effort,” said Assemblyman Giglio (R,C,I-Gowanda). “Mental health issues can be some of the most difficult to talk about out loud, and I am very happy to see so many brave men and women share their experiences here today. This is a great building block.”
“The overwhelming pressure and danger that comes with military service can shake a person to the core. I have seen too many of my fellow service members struggle to overcome that trauma and one of the reasons I decided to serve in the Assembly was to continue to support those who wear the uniform even after I took mine off,” said Assemblyman Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia). “This initiative represents our Conference’s effort to ensure support for those who lay everything on the line to protect us. I look forward to putting what we have learned here today to work.”
“Military personnel and frontline first responders are routinely exposed to emergencies and other circumstances that dramatically impact their mental health. Too often, these incidents create lasting mental health challenges that go largely unaddressed,” said Assemblyman Ashby (R,C,I-Castleton). “For that reason, I have introduced and co-sponsored several pieces of legislation to help address this issue, including a bill to make the Division of Veterans’ Services into its own independent state agency. This evening’s event in Buffalo was an important step toward reshaping our state’s treatment plan, and I am hopeful that with the feedback we have gathered we can better formulate short- and long-term strategies to adequately address mental health concerns.”
The Covid-19 pandemic exposed a number of flaws in the state’s health care system, especially as they related to individuals coping with anxiety, depression and PTSD. Those wishing to show their support for Assemblyman Ashby’s legislation (A.3725) are encouraged to sign a recently launched petition here.
“Our veterans made a decision to risk everything for the freedom of people they don’t know, devoting their lives to fight for peace and justice and a better tomorrow for all,” said Assemblyman Morinello (R,C,I-Niagara Falls). “As a veteran and someone who has experienced the horrors of combat I know the scars of war are not always physical. Many of our veterans suffer internally, and the sacrifices they have made for others often come with a price; PTSD, depression and anxiety. We can and must do better for all of the men and women who have given so much to us and we must be diligent in our commitment to giving each one of those individuals the support they need.”
“The men and women here today are some of our bravest citizens, not only because of their service to our nation but also because they have had the courage to share their stories and continue to fight on behalf of their communities,” said Assemblyman Norris (R,I,C-Lockport). “Our State owes them a debt of gratitude and I am determined to take their stories to the State Capitol with my colleagues to continue to craft our mental health policy that will help New Yorkers deal with complex issues like those we heard about today.”
The Conference is also advocating for legislation requiring the Office of Mental Health to conduct a study related to using therapeutic PTSD techniques (A.8377, Giglio, JM), among other measures, including:
A.3501, Ashby – Establishes a peer-to-peer mental-health support program modeled after the successful Joseph P. Dwyer Program for frontline health care workers; provides confidential, peer-to-peer assistance for individuals struggling with depression, anxiety or PTSD.
A.04646, Ashby – Allows first responders who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder to request line of duty sick leave.
A.03585, Ashby – Relates to establishing a green alert system for missing military members.
A.04999, Ashby – Establishes the “New York’s Own Combat Veterans Health Care Choice Program Act” to establish tax-free savings accounts to pay the health care costs of certain combat veterans until covered by the federal government.
A.03783, Norris – Establishes the New York State Volunteer Fire Protection Emergency Reimbursement Account.
A.5103, Reilly – Requires the Office of Mental Health, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and the Department of Education to create a behavioral health website which shall provide information on various behavioral health issues such as depression, eating disorders, anxiety, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder.
A.03506, Hawley – Relates to a leave of absence for military spouses.
A.05793, Palmesano – Enacts the “Omnibus Emergency Services Volunteer Incentive Act” to provide certain benefits to volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers.
A.04846, Miller, B. – Creates a veterans’ clearinghouse for purposes of identifying veterans eligible for benefits.
A.03782, DeStefano – Designates certain emergency and public safety dispatchers and operators as first responders.
A.07483, Ra – Relates to capital costs of construction, improvement, rehabilitation or reconstruction of facilities owned by veterans’ organizations; allows for state grants to be used for VFWs, American Legion Posts, etc.
The next “No Surrender” Veteran Initiative event will be held in the Finger Lakes Region on Tuesday, Dec. 21, from 6-8 p.m. at the Ontario County Safety Training Facility, located at 2914 County Road 48, Canandaigua, NY 14424.
SHELBY – Due to staffing issues because of Covid, the Town of Shelby Clerk’s Office will be closed on Wednesday (December 22) and Thursday (December 23).
There is a drop box by the front door that can be used for your convenience. We will also be closed for the Christmas holiday on Friday (December 24) and Monday (December 27).
The office will open on Tuesday, December 28. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
