MEDINA – The public is invited to visit Gwinn Street Park on Friday to help the Medina Tree Board and Village of Medina celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees.

Kathy Blackburn, chairwoman of the Tree Board, has arranged for the third grade at Oak Orchard School to participate. They will lead off the morning’s activities with the Pledge of Allegiance at 10 a.m.

Medina expects to plant 20 trees in the village in the next few weeks, said Mayor Mike Sidari. The village has also received about $4,500 in donations from the community for a “Releaf Medina” effort to plant more trees in the future, he said.

Press Release, Nadine Hanlon, Orleans County Clerk

ALBION – Orleans County residents may have recently received letters from various companies offering to sell them a certified copy of their property deed for $69.50 or any other dollar amounts they are indicating.

Please note that any company that makes these solicitations via mail, e-mail or by phone are not affiliated with or acting on the behalf of the Orleans County Clerk’s Office.  If you need a copy of a deed to property you own, this can and should be requested through the Orleans County Clerk’s Office or through your attorney.

You may obtain a copy of your deed directly from the Orleans County Clerk’s Office at a charge of no more than $1 per page. There is no need to pay the ridiculous price of $69.50 or any other amount they may try to obtain from you.

This is a scam!

Again, if you ever need to obtain a copy of your deed, please feel free to call the Orleans County Clerk’s Office at (585) 589-5334 and we will be happy to assist you.

There are 20 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported today in Genesee and Orleans counties, which brings the total to 7,954 in the two counties since the pandemic started in March 2020. There have now been 2,886 people test positive in Orleans and 5,068 in Genesee, the Genesee and Orleans County health Departments said.

In Orleans County there are 13 new positive cases and they are in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 80s.

Orleans is reporting 5 of the new positive individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The county has 11 more of the previous positive individuals recovered and removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 3 Orleans residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Albion Central School is reporting five students have tested positive for Covid, including one at the middle school, one in the high school and three in the elementary school.

The student from the middle school and one of the students from the elementary school were last in school on April 19. Due to the 48-hour look-back period, the Department of Health determined there was no need to quarantine any additional individuals.

The other two elementary students were last in school on April 27. The high school student was last in school on April 28. Those who were deemed to have been in close contact with the student have been contacted by the DOH.

At this time, no cases of Covid-19 have been transmitted through the school, the district said.

Medina Central School is reporting today that two students tested positive for Covid, including one at the high school and one at the elementary school.

In both cases the Department of Health has investigated in cooperation with the school and determined that no further quarantines need to take place.

In Genesee County there are 7 new positive cases reported today and they are in the Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 40s, 50s and 60s.

Genesee is reporting 15 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 9 Genesee residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Pop-up vaccination clinics: If a business or organization is interested in hosting a pop-up vaccination clinic, fill out the form and four-question survey by clicking here.

Vaccine update: Both counties are offering vaccination clinic registration via phone – these numbers are only for Covid vaccination registration. In Orleans, call (585) 589-3170. In Genesee, call (585) 815-7168.

For both numbers ask for the vaccine registration help line. The vaccine registration help line is not associated with either Public Health Department. The individuals who answer the phone can only assist with registering for a Covid-19 clinic, they cannot answer Covid-related questions.

For more information about the vaccine and access for those who are 60 and older who do NOT have internet access, please contact your respective Office for the Aging (OFA).

For the Orleans OFA call 585-589-3191 between 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail.

For Genesee OFA please call 585-813-2457 for Covid-19 Vaccine assistance between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and leave a message if you get voicemail.

The OFA offices can only assist with the clinic links as they are available.

File photo by Tom Rivers: These deer are pictured on Nov. 20, 2014 when they were close to the road on the west side of Route 279 in Gaines, just south of Route 104.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature voted on Wednesday to set a public hearing for 4:25 p.m. on May 26 to pass a local law allowing youths ages 12 and 13 to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow. Those youth would need to be under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter.

The state budget passed earlier this month gave upstate counties the right to opt-in and allow the 12- and 13-year-old hunters.

Youths those ages  already are allowed to hunt deer and bear with archery equipment and small game with firearms. Until now, New York was the only state that didn’t allow 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt big game with a firearm. The state is doing a pilot program until 2023 with the lower age.

Mike Donahue, president of the Orleans County Sportsmen’s Federation, urged the County Legislature to allow the 12- and 13-year-old hunters with firearms or a crossbow – under supervision. Donahue, a hunting safety instructor the past 40 years, spoke during Wednesday’s Legislature meeting.

Legislator Fred Miller, D-Albion, opposed setting the hearing. Miller’s district includes the towns of Albion and Gaines, which he said are populated areas on flat land. He is concerned about people hunting with rifles so close to the village and residences.

Press Release, American Bird Conservancy

A proposed wind energy facility in Orleans County, New York, is among the first projects proposed under the state’s new renewable energy development law.

This law ignores well-established best practices that would minimize impacts to birds, despite outcry from bird conservation organizations. Regulations to implement the law went into effect in March 2021, and developers are clamoring to shift to the streamlined permitting process.

“The Orleans County project is located in a major migratory pathway for birds, and adjacent to a high-biodiversity wetland complex that supports nesting Bald Eagles and many rare species,” said Joel Merriman, American Bird Conservancy’s Bird-Smart Wind Energy Campaign Director. “The project poses a high risk to birds, but the state’s new regulation may mean it’s on a glide path to approval.”

The wetland complex adjacent to the proposed Heritage Wind project site encompasses Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, as well as Oak Orchard and Tonawanda Wildlife Management Areas. Together, these properties and adjacent habitat are designated an Important Bird Area by National Audubon Society, as well as being identified as an important area for many species of concern, including the Sedge Wren, Short-eared Owl, and Black Tern, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has found that this area is a major migratory pathway for songbirds.

“It’s a bad place for wind turbines, plain and simple,” Merriman said. “It’s really unfortunate — this conflict could have been avoided, had the developer kept turbine locations away from this incredibly important area.”

After the Bald Eagle population crashed nationwide due to the effects of the pesticide DDT, the state worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to release young eagles at “hack sites,” including at the Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area.

“This area played an important historical role in re-establishing Bald Eagles in the state,” Merriman said. “Bald Eagles are particularly vulnerable to collisions with wind turbines, so it seems both tragic and ironic that this project should be proposed right at the edge of this important site.”

“New York has been a champion for birds in many arenas,” Merriman continued. “But where wind energy development is concerned, the pendulum has swung entirely too far. I understand wishing to speed the project review process, but in this case, far too much would be sacrificed.”

A hearing for the New York Heritage Wind project will take place on May 20 and written comments can be sent via email until May 21. ABC urges those concerned about the project’s threat to birds to voice their concerns at the hearing and share their written comments before the deadline.

“We need renewable energy to combat climate change,” Merriman said. “But we must not let our shared sense of urgency overwhelm our responsibility to protect vulnerable bird populations.”

About the American Bird Conservancy

American Bird Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation.

Press Release, NYS Association of Counties

A bipartisan group of county leaders from around the state on Wednesday joined with Congressman Tom Souzzi (D-Long Island, Queens) and the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) to call for an end to the cap on the deductibility of state and local taxes known as SALT.

Recently, NYSAC sent a letter to the New York Congressional Delegation encouraging them to insist on a full repeal of the limitation on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction set in 2017.

“Many people think that the cap on state and local tax deductions only affects the wealthy and that’s just not true, over 3 million New Yorkers benefit from SALT deductibility and they’re counting on that tax relief,” said Marcus Molinaro, NYSCEA President and Dutchess County Executive. “Middle-class New Yorkers are subject to an unprecedented double-taxation, the repeal of SALT deductibility is a devastating blow to the future of our state.”

(Editor’s Note: The SALT cap affects about a third of tax filers in the state, or 3,319,680 out of 9,614,110 with deductions of $73.5 million. In Orleans County, the SALT cap affect 3,860 out of 18,450 tax filers with deductions at $34,923, according to data from Congressman Suozzi’s Office.)

“The uncapped SALT deduction was the compromise established a century and half ago to create fairness between high and low-cost states. Unfortunately, that fairness was largely repealed in 2017. We strongly endorse congressional efforts to restore the balance and fairness of the tax code,” said Stephen J. Acquario, NYSAC Executive Director.

Acquario noted that the SALT deduction cap also falls disproportionately on a handful of states, requiring them to pay for the lion’s share of the 2017 tax cuts for corporations and individuals nationwide. Compounding the damage of the SALT cap is that funding formulas to support federally mandated programs like education, public health, and safety, maintaining critical infrastructure, implementing and monitoring environmental and labor laws are often based on the overall wealth of individual states.

“Our effort to restore the SALT deduction is gaining momentum. Together, Democrats and Republicans alike, we will advocate for the restoration of the SALT deduction and highlight the middle-class families who have been unfairly hurt by the cap,” said Rep. Tom Suozzi, SALT Caucus Co-Chair. “The cap on the SALT deduction has been a body blow to New York and middle-class families throughout the country. At the end of the day, we must fix this injustice.”

Legislator says county ‘35 years behind the times’ with some land use policies

This chart prepared by the Orleans County Department of Planning shows the number of building permits issued for new single-family houses in Orleans County since 2003.

ALBION — The Orleans County Legislature approved spending $5,000 on Wednesday for a housing market analysis that could show emerging trends to help guide development and also bring more people to live in the community.

The number of new housing permits for single family residences has dropped from 76 in 2004 and 83 in 2004 to below 30 every year since 2007. The county had 16 permits for new houses in 2017, 17 in 2018 and 19 in 2019, according to data from the Orleans County Department of Planning.

Legislator Ken DeRoller, R-Kendall, pushed for the study. He worries about a shrinking population in the county, particularly with student enrollment dropping by about 50 percent in the past 20 years, from 8,400 in all five public school districts to about 4,300 right now.

DeRoller believes the small towns and rural communities have more appeal to young families and senior citizens since the Covid-19 pandemic, but DeRoller said the county may not have the right type of housing to attract more people.

The market analysis from LaBella Associates will look at supply, demand, relevant demographics and community development.

DeRoller has been a part of local waterfront development committees along Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal. He said he sees big potential in particular for housing along the canal. The market analysis could lead to more development with the desired type of housing in the county, boosting the tax base and bringing more vitality to Orleans.

One of the seven county legislators, Don Allport, opposed spending the money for a market analysis. Allport, R-Gaines, said private developers should do their own analysis. Allport said the real estate has been selling briskly, often over the asking price in the past year.

“It is definitely a sellers’ market,” Allport said during Wednesday’s Legislature meeting.

In Orleans County, the average sale for single-family residences was up from $109,820 in 2019 to $122,313 in 2020, with an increase in buyers from Buffalo, Rochester and other metro areas. That includes 886 listings.

DeRoller said there isn’t enough inventory right now for housing in the county. The market analysis may show local governments need to modify some zoning regulations to facilitate new developments.

The county is “35 years behind the times” with some of its land use policies, DeRoller said.

“This $5,000 (market analysis) gives us a view into the future,” he said.

ALBION – The Village Board approved the 2021-22 village budget on Wednesday evening that increases the tax rate from $17.80 to $17.85 per $1,000 of assessed property. That represents a 0.3 percent increase. (For a home assessed at $80,000, that would be another $4 in village taxes and a total tax bill of $1,428.)

The budget is nearly $7 million at $6,981,799. That is nearly the same as the 2020-21 budget, where overall spending was $6,972,285.

The newly adopted budget includes $3,973,560 in the general fund, $1,715,124 in the water fund, and $1,293,114 in the sewer fund.

The board set the tax levy at $2,761,524, which is up 0.5 percent from the $2,747,669 in 2020-21.

The village saw a slight increase of 0.2 percent in its tax base or $343,777, going from $154,363,452 to $154,707,229.

Canal Concert series also returning for 4 events

File photos by Tom Rivers: Kiara Smith offers some pointers to Evan Kirby, then 7, in a game of badminton on June 26, 2019 at the start of Albion’s summer parks program.

ALBION – The summer parks program will be back at Albion this year in a reduced schedule.

The program, which normally runs five or six weeks, will be for four weeks, on weekdays from July 5 to July 30.

The Village Board approved the program on Wednesday, following a push from the Village’s Recreation Committee. John Grillo will continue to serve as the program’s director. He said there will likely be seven parks supervisors working from Bullard. There could be more depending on how many children sign up for the program which is free to children in the Albion school district. It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The parks program is back at Bullard after being cancelled in 2020 and being based at Veteran’s Park at the corner of Linwood Avenue and Brown Street in 2019. Bullard was off limits that year due to construction.

This year the new splash pad will be open for kids. That spray park area is expected to open in June for the first time.

Grillo said he will be meeting with the Orleans County Health Department to go over Covid-19 guidelines for running the program.

He thanked the Village Board for giving the green light to having the parks program for the four weeks.

Mayor Eileen Banker said she favors a scaled-down parks program because Covid is still spreading in the community.

“I just want to be sure the kids are safe,” she said. “I still get almost daily messages from the school that a kid is testing positive.”

Banker also said the village is looking to add security cameras at the park after recent vandalism, which included a broken bench and spray-painted obscenities on the former bathroom building, which is now used for storage.

“If we catch the people we will hold them responsible,” she said.

Doug Egling of Albion performs a solo on his saxophone with the Trellis Cooper Band, which was featured on June 27, 2019. Last year’s concert series was cancelled due to Covid.

The Village Board also announced the Canal Concert series will be back this summer. It will be for four Thursday evenings near the Platt Street gazebo area by the Albion fire hall. The tentative schedule includes the last two Thursdays in July and the first two Thursdays in August or July 22, July 29, Aug. 5 and Aug. 12.

Village Clerk Linda Babcock coordinates the concerts. She will work with the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council for the events.

Ron Albertson, a member of the Rock of the Park Committee, urged the village to shift the concerts to Bullard in the future, where there is a new amphitheater.

Banker said a grant that funds the concerts requires the village to hold them by the canal.

The village will go by the governor’s guidelines for outdoor events when the concerts are held. She said there is plenty of room to space people out for the concerts by the canal.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION — Mayor Eileen Banker on Wednesday evening presents a citation expressing “sincere appreciation and gratitude” on behalf of the Village of Albion and Albion Village Board to Harry Papponetti, who is stepping down next month as Albion fire chief.

Papponetti has served 51 years as an Albion firefighter, including three stints as fire chief, from May 1979 to April 1984, January 1998 to April 2003, and since May 2015. He has been part of the department’s leadership for the past 49 years.

“Your positive example of sacrifice and devotion on behalf of our community has taken many hours and sometimes days away from your own family,” the citation states. “This board, along with the residents of the Village of Albion, sincerely thank you!”

The citation is signed by Mayor Banker, and trustees Chris Barry, Zack Burgess, Stan Farone and Gary Katsanis.

Harry Papponetti, who is also Albion’s animal control officer, accepts the citation during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.

“I want to thank everybody on the past and present Village Boards,” Papponetti said. “They have all been very appreciative of the fire department.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Michael and Faith Smith thank Albion police officers Dillon Black, right, and Robert Wagner for their critical life-saving assistance of the night of March 21. They are shown outside the Village Board meeting room at the village office this evening.

Michael Smith, 58, and his wife were home on East Bank Street after a 7-mile walk.

Michael Smith presents a “lifesaver” award to officer Robert Wagner during this evening’s Albion Village Board meeting. Wagner has worked as an Albion police officer the past eight years.

The couple often walks along the village sidewalks and the canal towpath. They also are key volunteers at the Community Kitchen on Fridays at Christ Church. Mrs. Smith is the longtime coordinator at that site, and her husband is a cheerful presence and a hard worker at the kitchen.

The Smiths were home that night and Michael said he felt a warm feeling overwhelm him at about 10:30 p.m. It came out of nowhere, without any warning signs.

He tried to tell his wife he didn’t feel well, but he fell forward.

His wife came to him, and he was the color blue. The family called 911 and Mrs. Smith tried to do CPR. Her husband’s arms were in a locked position over his chest. She had to punch his arms out of the way to start compressions.

Within 2 minutes of the 911 call, Albion police officers arrived with a defibrillator. The Albion patrol vehicles all carry AEDs.

Robert Wagner and Dillon Black were able to get Smith’s heart beating again after shocking him with the defibrillator. They also did CPR until a crew from COVA ambulance arrived and took Smith to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Smith was at Strong for three days and came home on March 24, a Wednesday. Two days later he was back at the Community Kitchen.

He didn’t have a heart attack and his arteries are clear. He suffered sudden cardiac death or sudden cardiac arrest, which happens most frequently in adults in their mid-30s to mid-40s, causing 325,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Strong put in a biventricular defibrillator so if it ever happens again, Smith’s heart will be shocked back to a normal rhythm.

“I want the world to know that police officers are more than just the person who comes to arrest you if you do something bad and pull you over for a traffic violation,” Mrs. Smith said. “They are heroes to my family. Because of their quick response and determination my husband is alive and here with me today.”

Albion Mayor Eileen Banker presents commendations from the Village Board to Robert Wagner and Dillon Black. Albion PD Lt. David Mogle is at far right.

Banker credited recently retired Police Chief Roland Nenni for pushing to have each patrol vehicle outfitted with an AED and for having all of the officers trained in using them. The Albion PD responds to ambulance calls, and is often first on the scene.

Dillon Blank, a member of the Albion PD for two years, receives the “lifesaver” award from Michael Smith, who was revived with a defibrillator on March 21.

Faith Smith hugs Dillon Black during an awards presentation this evening at the Albion Village Board meeting.

“I thank you both for going above and beyond,” Mrs. Smith told the officers. “I am so thankful my husband is here today because of you.”

Active cases over 200 in two counties

Genesee and Orleans counties combined are reporting 39 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total to 7,934 in the two counties during the pandemic. That includes 2,873 in Orleans and 5,061 in Genesee, the Genesee and Orleans County health Departments said in a news briefing.

In Orleans County there are 21 new positive cases reported today, and those cases are in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Of the new cases, 8 were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans is reporting 6 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 4 of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Genesee County is reporting 18 new positive cases. The new positive cases are in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 40s, 50s and 60s.

Genesee is reporting 11 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee County continues to have IT issues and the hospitalizations will be updated as soon as the issue is fixed, hopefully in the next day, the G-O Health Departments said.

Active cases: The number of active cases is up in both counties since a week ago. Orleans is up from 91 to 97 from April 21, and Genesee increased from 69 to 107. Combined the two counties are over 200 cases, increasing from 160 on April 21 to 204 today.

Transient businesses will have to pay to set up in village; Board eliminates fee for replacing sidewalks

MEDINA – The Village Board set a new fee schedule for transient businesses on Monday, with the businesses having to pay a $100 application fee and then $25 for each day they are in the village, including on Sundays when they may not be open.

The board members say the fees will bring revenue to the village and provide some equity for the brick-and-mortar businesses that pay property taxes.

The board discussed the issue after hearing that Phantom Fireworks wanted to set up outside the Medina Lanes, a bowling alley on Maple Ridge Road, from June 20 to July 5 and sell sparkling devices and other legal fireworks.

“I worry about our hometown businesses,” said Marguerite Sherman, a village trustee.

The transient businesses do not include food trucks, or not-for-profits that set up for fundraisers. There are separate regulations for food trucks.

Mayor Mike Sidari said the fireworks sales is only the second time he can think of a transient business coming to Medina.

The other time was in 2013 when Transitowne set up for auto sales outside the bowling alley in a 10-day sales event.

Village Trustee Owen Toale said the $25 should include off days when the transit businesses may not be selling, but still have a tent and signs up promoting the business.

The board on Monday also decided to eliminate a $30 fee in the village books for people who apply to replace a sidewalk and need a right-of-way permit. A resident on Davis Avenue is planning to replace the sidewalks.

The village wants to encourage people to upgrade the sidewalks, Sidari said. The village DPW will continue to take away the old sidewalks.

MEDINA – The Village Board will meet this afternoon to adopt a village budget for 2021-22. The Village Board will look to reduce a tax increase that was at 2.6 percent during a public hearing on Monday evening.

“We think there is a little bit more we can for reductions,” Mayor Mike Sidari said during the hearing.

The tentative budget increases taxes by 2.9 percent, with the tax levy going up $92,060, from $3,197,059 to $3,289,119.

The tax rate would increase by 2.7 percent from $18.46 to $18.95 per $1,000 of assessed property.

The budget increases overall spending 2.9 percent or by $173,784, from $5,925,742 to $6,099,526.

The board will meet today at 4 p.m. at the Village Clerk’s Office to go over the spending plan and then vote on it. The budget needs to be passed by April 30.

Midnight curfew ends May 17 for outdoor areas and May 31 for indoor sites

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the 12 a.m. food and beverage service curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining areas beginning May 17 and for indoor dining areas beginning May 31.

Governor Cuomo also announced that the 1 a.m. curfew for catered events where attendees have provided proof of vaccination status or a recent negative COVID-19 test result will be lifted beginning May 17, with the curfew for all catered events set to be lifted May 31.

Additionally, the Governor announced that catered events can resume at residences beginning May 3 above the State’s residential gathering limit of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, as long as the events are staffed by a professional, licensed caterer, permitted by the respective locality or municipality, and strictly adhere to health and safety guidance, including social and event gathering limits, masks, and social distancing.

Also on May 3, the guidance for dancing among attendees at catered events will be aligned with neighboring states, replacing fixed dance zones for each table with social distancing and masks.

Finally, the Governor announced that starting May 3, seating at bars will be allowed in New York City, consistent with the food services guidance that is in effect statewide.

“Lifting these restrictions for restaurants, bars and catering companies will allow these businesses that have been devastated by the pandemic to begin to recover as we return to a new normal in a post-pandemic world,” Cuomo said. “To be clear: we will only be able to maintain this progress if everyone gets the Covid vaccine. It is the weapon that will win the war and we need everyone to take it, otherwise we risk going backward.”

Ortt: ‘Small businesses can’t afford to wait another day’

UPDATED 12:15 p.m.: State Senate Leader Rob Ortt issued this statement:

“While we are pleased that this long overdue action was finally taken by the Legislature today, there is still much more to be done – including the immediate elimination of the completely arbitrary curfew and capacity restrictions that hurt our bars and restaurants.

“The Governor may have announced that his arbitrary curfew will be lifted in a few weeks, but our small businesses can’t afford to wait another day.

“The Legislature should not only immediately repeal these nonsensical, non-scientific orders – we should also fully repeal the Governor’s emergency powers and restore local control to the officials who are best equipped to make decisions for the residents who elected them, and their local economies.

“New Yorkers are sick and tired of a Governor who transparently bases all of his decision-making on political science, not medical science. In the best interest of all New Yorkers, we must finally re-establish the Legislature as a co-equal branch.”