‘I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.’ – President Joe Biden

Joe Biden

Joe Biden took the oath as the country’s 46^th president today and called on Americans to come together to face daunting challenges, including a pandemic that has killed 400,000 Americans, an economy crippled by Covid-19, a warming planet and an “Uncivil War” where people from opposing views can’t see to simply disagree but see the other side as the enemy.

Biden, the former vice president and senator from Delaware, said the country needs its collective efforts to overcome so many challenges, including racism.

He asked people who supported Donald Trump for president to give him a chance while he strives to be a president for everyone.

“I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did,” Biden said. “For all those who supported our campaign, I’m humbled by the faith you placed in us. To all those who did not support us, let me say this. Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart. If you still disagree, so be it. That’s democracy. That’s America.”

Biden, at 78, is the oldest person to be sworn in as president. He vowed to defend the Constitution, democracy and America while pursing the “public good.”

The new president observed a moment of silence for the 400,000 Americans who have died due to Covid-19. The “once-in-a-century virus” has taken more American lives than the country lost in all of World War II, Biden said.

Covid-19 has also left millions of people out of work.

“To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words,” Biden said. “It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity.”

He pledged to “repair our alliances” in the world, end the isolationist “America First” approach under Trump.

Kamala Harris, the former U.S. senator from California, was sworn in as vice president, the first woman to serve in the role. She is also the first Black and first person from South Asia to serve in the position.

The inauguration outside the Capitol included Lady Gaga singing the national anthem, Jennifer Lopez performing “America the Beautiful” and Garth Brooks singing “Amazing Grace.”

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, issued this statement:

“Today’s inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was a demonstration of the American people’s resolve and optimism. While our nation continues to face an unprecedented public health and economic crisis, the inauguration was a moment of hope, and the start of a journey to not only recover from the pandemic, but to rebuild and strengthen our nation.

“To see my friend Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants, be sworn in as our nation’s first woman vice president and first Black and South Asian vice president, was a truly historic and unforgettable moment. President Biden will be a president for all Americans and I’m ready to work with him to lay the foundation for a brighter future.”

Congressman Chris Jacobs issued this statement on the inauguration:

“It was an honor to represent the citizens of the 27th Congressional District at the 59th Presidential Inauguration to witness the peaceful transition of power that has, and always will be, a cornerstone of our democracy. I wish President Biden and Vice President Harris well as they lead our nation and I commit to working with their administration to advance the interests of Western New York.

“This is a time to move our nation forward and unite. It is not the time for partisan agenda items – but actionable solutions that directly address the serious needs of the American people. We must work together to safely reopen our economy and schools, confront the national security threats facing our nation, and set a course toward future prosperity for small businesses, farmers, and workers.”

Funding supports 57 programs and services in WNY

Press Release, Catholic Charities

Provided photo: Bishop Michael W. Fisher speaks during the Catholic Charities kickoff on Tuesday at the Russell J. Salvatore Food Pantry and Outreach in Lackawanna, one of nine Catholic Charities’ food pantries. Catholic Charities funds programs in eight Western New York counties, including Orleans.

BUFFALO – Appeal 2021 was launched on Tuesday at Catholic Charities of Buffalo’s Russell J. Salvatore Food Pantry and Outreach in Lackawanna with a goal of raising $10 million by June 30. This year’s theme is “HOPE.”

“For 97 years Catholic Charities has been supporting the community with basic and crucial needs, providing a beacon of hope to our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet and those who are facing challenges with their health and well-being,” said Deacon Steve Schumer, president and CEO, Catholic Charities. “We are confident that in the days and weeks ahead, Western New Yorkers will once again show their generosity by supporting Appeal 2021 and giving hope to individuals, children and families in need throughout our region.”

The annual Appeal helps fund 57 programs and services administered by Catholic Charities across 80 locations, along with several ministries that benefit all parishes through the Fund for the Faith. Catholic Charities is the most comprehensive human services provider serving people of all faiths across all eight counties of Western New York.

Bishop Michael W. Fisher, in one of his first public appearances as newly installed 15th Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, spoke about the Appeal as being where the “rubber meets the road and how we demonstrate and experience the transformative love of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Programs and services provided by Catholic Charities supported more than 149,000 individuals, children, and families in 2020. These included basic emergency assistance such as food pantries, educational and vocational advancement services, family safety and stabilization services, immigration and refugee assistance, mental health and substance use treatment, and youth and family support services.

Once again, donors can designate their Appeal gift. Donors can choose from three options: give to the Appeal, which benefits both Catholic Charities and the Fund for the Faith; give to Catholic Charities only; or give to the Fund for the Faith only.

To donate to Appeal 2021, visit ccwny.org/donation or call 716-218-1400. To find help through Catholic Charities, call the Helpline at 716-218-1419.

(Editor’s Note: Last year’s Catholic Charities Appeal raised $8.4 million, $1.6 million short of the goal.)

Organizations representing highway superintendents, schools, agriculture and other industries are praising a budget Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget, which was presented on Tuesday. Cuomo said many of the proposals are contingent on the federal government coming through with aid for the state and local governments.

Cuomo is urging the Biden Administration and Congress to come through with $15 billion in addition relief for the state.

Here are some responses to the governor’s budget.

New York Farm Bureau: Broadband and Nourish NY are priorities

“Governor Cuomo’s proposed executive budget rests on many uncertainties facing our state’s fiscal future. Without additional federal support, agricultural programs and rural needs would undoubtedly suffer.

“The Governor’s budget address highlighted two priority issues for New York Farm Bureau, universal and accessible broadband and $25 million in additional funding for Nourish NY. Many rural communities are still lacking affordable and fast broadband which in turn slows down business activity and family necessities that many New Yorkers take for granted.

“Nourish NY has proven a lifeline for people in need as well as for many of our farms. When there were major disruptions along the food supply chain at the beginning of the pandemic, Nourish NY stepped in to coordinate a pathway to move food from the farms to food banks, compensating farmers for their products and reducing food waste at the same time. The program must continue.

“As we take a deep dive into the budget, we are pleased that Governor Cuomo has also extended the farm workforce retention tax credit of $600 per employee. Its purpose was to ease the burden of climbing minimum wage rates on the fragile farm economy. New York Farm Bureau will continue to monitor budget information as it rolls out, especially considering the mounting deficit the state finds itself in this year.

“We urge lawmakers to be careful how they spend money. The agricultural budget is a tiny fraction of overall state spending, but farms feed all New Yorkers and are an economic engine that returns state investment exponentially. Funding reductions for research, marketing, conservation programs and the like would place even larger barriers in front of the state’s farms and food system that would prove more costly to correct down the road.”

Highway Superintendents: ‘Essential to invest in local roads and bridges’

Statement from New York State County Highway Superintendents Association President Todd Gadd: “The New York State County Highway Superintendents Association is encouraged by Governor Cuomo’s continued focus on infrastructure. As detailed in the State of the State address, the governor’s ambitious agenda will create good-paying jobs and revive communities around those projects. As our leaders in Albany begin to rebuild the state’s economy, it’s essential that they invest in local roads and bridges.

“Restoring funding for important initiatives like New York’s Consolidated Local Streets & Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), BRIDGE-NY, PAVE-NY and other local transportation programs will put thousands of New Yorkers to work right away while ensuring the safety of motorists. Additionally, Governor Cuomo and legislators should increase the level; of funding for the state’s Extreme Winter Recovery program to $100 million. These are smart investments that will yield significant returns.

“Our organization looks forward to working with Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Beastie and all legislators to ensure significant funding for essential local roads and bridges. Together, we can get our economy moving again.”

School Boards: Budget should provide stability for education, not unpredictability and anxiety

Statement from New York State School Boards Association Executive Director Robert Schneider: “Governor Cuomo presented a budget proposal – or actually, two proposals – today that includes a lot of unknowns and uncertainty for school districts. The unusual design of his budget presentation – one that assumes a minimum level of federal assistance to New York and one that provides a fairer share – underscores the fact that the governor’s budget plan is, more this year than ever, a work in progress.

“We are heartened by the state’s success in paring back the projected budget deficit, though the gap still remains daunting. New York is in dire need of assistance from the federal government, and we join with the governor in calling for our state to receive its fair share of future Covid relief packages.

“We remain concerned with the governor’s proposals to help balance the state’s budget at the expense of school districts. Those proposals include: using federal money to offset state aid cuts, reducing and consolidating categorical aids, limiting reimbursement for the steps districts took to keep their transportation programs intact last spring and eliminating prior year aid claims.

“We fully support the governor’s call for the federal government to remove the “SALT” cap on state and local tax deductibility, which has hurt so many New Yorkers who support their local school districts with their property tax payments.

“On the heels of the unprecedented disruption caused by the pandemic, our schools and our students need and deserve a recovery that provides financial stability, not more unpredictability and anxiety. We are hopeful that, with sufficient federal help, our students and schools will thrive in the post-Covid recovery. We look forward to working with our state lawmakers to chart a course that provides the financial stability that our schools and students need.

Teachers: Don’t cut funding to schools, colleges and other public services

Statement from New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta: “This tale of two budgets is stark and a clear message to Washington that New York needs its fair share in additional stimulus funding. We agree. But, as we’ve said since last year, a two-pronged approach to the state’s fiscal crisis that includes additional federal funding for public services and new state taxes on the ultrawealthy is a long-term imperative.

“It’s a positive signal to hear that the governor’s best case scenario budget would turn fair funding from Washington into significant resources for K-12 education, higher education and health care. However, under the ‘worst case scenario,’ using federal money while reducing the state’s share of education funding — rather than supplementing state funding — is reminiscent of the Gap Elimination Adjustment we fought for years to close. As a state, we can’t afford to view cuts of any kind to public schools and colleges, public health care, and other public services funded by state and local governments as a default option — especially when the billionaire class has seen its wealth grow as millions of New York families have struggled during this pandemic.

“We look forward to reviewing the executive budget legislation in detail and amplifying the voices of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in education, higher education, human services and health care in Albany and Washington in the months ahead to fight for a budget that meets New Yorkers’ needs during this COVID crisis.”

Restaurant workers: Relief needed for restaurant industry

Statement from Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage, a national nonprofit representing subminimum wage workers: “One Fair Wage appreciates Cuomo’s singling out the restaurant industry, given the devastating blow it’s taken by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“However, we hope that the much-needed relief for the industry will include those struggling the most – restaurant workers – by eliminating the subminimum wage for tipped workers. New York restaurants cannot recover and thrive after the pandemic without their essential workers, and workers cannot return to work without One Fair Wage.

“With tips down 50-75% and instances of sexual harassment on the job increasing every day, the subminimum wage for tipped workers has changed from an issue of racial, economic and gender injustice to becoming an issue of life or death, not to mention a public health emergency.

“President-Elect Biden recognized this when he announced on Thursday that a $15 minimum wage and One Fair Wage – a full minimum wage for tipped workers with tips on top – would be part of his Covid-10 relief package that is moving quickly in Congress. We hope that Governor Cuomo can align with President-Elect Biden and make New York a leader in getting ahead of this federal legislation by making One Fair Wage a part of his Covid-19 relief package for small businesses and restaurants, in particular in New York.”

Press Release, New York Association of Counties

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Tuesday outlined the 2021-22 New York State Executive Budget, which calls on Washington to deliver state and local aid.

Counties have pledged to continue working with the Governor, State Lawmakers, and our NYS Congressional Delegation to urge Washington to provide federal funds for states and local governments. Without this aid, the Governor said he will be forced to make dramatic cuts, which would impact county budgets, place new burdens on local taxpayers, and jeopardize county health and human service programs for the New Yorkers most in need.

Included in the budget presentation materials supplied by the Division of Budget were several key proposals that counties proposed in November, including:

• Making local sales tax authority permanent and allowing all counties to go to 4% percent
• Collecting of local sales tax on recreational cannabis transactions
• Reducing in the state’s withholding of local aid – contingent upon the amount of federal aid
• Reducing the judgement interest rates to the market interest rate.
• Extending the authority to piggyback on contracts for 2 years
• Allowing shared jails between contiguous counties
• Providing flexibility in jail staffing
• Reforming Early Intervention to provide savings and greater flexibility
• Expanding investment options for local governments

NYSAC will provide more details from the proposed spending plan as they become available.

“While this state budget proposal includes plenty of unknowns, especially whether the federal government will provide state and local Covid response funding, we are optimistic that our county leaders can work with state lawmakers to finalize a budget that strengthens our communities and help rebuild our local economies,” said NYSAC President Jack Marren, who is chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors. “Our staff of legislative experts at NYSAC will be looking through the budget bills as they become available, and they will report on areas of direct and indirect impact on counties.”

“This state budget depends of federal funding from Congress and the new administration,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “Counties, too, have made the case for the over $2 billion in lost county revenues during this Covid-19 pandemic. We are confident that Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and New York’s congressional delegation understand the challenges facing our local governments, and they will work in Washington to ensure the passage of a federal stimulus packages that helps states and local governments as we fight to win this war against Covid.”

Orleans County representatives in the State Legislature are critical of the Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget proposal.

Cuomo on Tuesday said the state is in dire need of federal aid to close a $15 billion budget gap. Without that aid, the state would be forced to make cuts to education and critical programs, borrow money, raise taxes and put off capital investments, Cuomo said.

Here are the statements from the local state legislators.

State Sen. Robert Ortt (R-Tonawanda), who is also the State Senate Republican leader:

“(The) 2021 Executive Budget presentation was full of wishful thinking but lacked any sort of tangible substance. The Governor continues to shift blame to the federal government while Albany Democrats skirt responsibility and allow the Governor to make all of the decisions unilaterally. New York’s overtaxing and overspending far predate Covid, and it’s time for the state government to realize that on behalf of our struggling businesses and middle-class families. This is poor financial management and poor governing.”

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia):

“Over the course of an hour the Governor got on TV and continued to blame everyone and everything but himself for our state’s financial woes. Instead of threatening to sue the federal government if they don’t do enough to bail us out of the mess the Governor had a great deal to do with, he should be talking about what we can do ourselves to cut wasteful spending, because we can’t always rely on Washington to save us from our Governor’s bad spending habits.

“What New Yorkers needed to hear was a detailed plan to work with local governments to distribute vaccines effectively, save our small businesses and help families keep food on their tables, but all they got were a few helpful proposals mixed among a sea of wasteful ones, including a proposal to spend $10 million this year on helping illegal immigrants pay their legal fees. Now more than ever we need to tighten our belts fiscally and focus on what matters, and I am disappointed (Tuesday’s) budget address did neither.”

State Assemblyman Mike Norris (R-Lockport):

“After a week of State of the State speeches, New Yorkers need real action to move our state forward. I am ready to work together with the governor and my colleagues to get a fiscally responsible state budget passed. This year’s budget will be unlike any we have seen before, and while now is the time for restraint and prudence, it is also the time to focus on our economy, infrastructure and our schools.

“We cannot allow Albany to impose another tax-and-spend, policy-heavy budget on our state. New Yorkers need a simple, clear fiscal plan that will help our businesses, local governments and schools get back on their feet and move forward. For the better part of a year, through no fault of their own, the hardworking people of our state have been shut down and shut out of the discussion about their future in our state. Already over one million people have left New York and, if Albany doesn’t take action soon, more will follow.

“While I review the governor’s plan and work with my colleagues to oversee the budget process as a member of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, I will be focused on three important priorities for our Western New York community. First, infrastructure projects are needed in order to get our state up and running.

“Claims that 98 percent of our state has access to broadband internet are simply not true, especially in rural parts of our community. That must be remedied immediately. Our roads, bridges and sewers also need to be modernized.

“Secondly, our businesses need immediate help. The aid we anticipate coming in from Washington, D.C. must go in large part to helping our local employers before more of our businesses close their doors forever. People need jobs. We need local economies all across our state. This is an emergency of the state’s creation, and Albany needs to treat it as such.

“And finally, but certainly of extreme importance, are the organizations in our community that make living here truly home. Our schools need help, that’s without doubt. But our local volunteer fire companies are also in dire straits. Because of the shutdown, they were unable to fundraise for the necessary, basic operating capital they need to protect our lives and property during life threatening emergencies and natural disasters. Without them, how will we be protected?

“The state’s primary obligation is to ensure public safety, and it needs to step up to make things right by including provisions of my legislation to reimburse volunteer fire companies for lost operating aid as part of this year’s budget. I have fought very hard to advocate for our volunteer firefighters over the years, and I will continue doing so to make sure they have a voice during this budget.”

Photo from Governor’s Office: Andrew Cuomo presents his executive budget on Tuesday in Albany.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday presented his executive budget that totals $192.9 billion for the fiscal year 2021-22. New York will need the federal government to fill a $15 billion budget gap or else the state will have to make cuts, reduce reimbursements to local governments and non-profits, borrow money and raise taxes, Cuomo said.

“New York cannot manage a $15 billion deficit,” Cuomo said. “These numbers are all hard to put into context. The largest deficit in the State in history was $10 billion and I managed a $10 billion deficit. It was very, very hard. $15 billion in this environment is just impossible for a state to manage. It’s beyond what we can do. It is going to require assistance from the federal government. The question is how much assistance will we get?”

The governor said he believes the Biden Administration and Congress will come through with the aid and help the state get through their fiscal challenges that are expected to last through 2024, when the state anticipates the economy and jobs returning from the pandemic shutdowns. About half of the 1.9 million jobs lost are back, Cuomo said.

The lost jobs include 6,000 people on the state payroll, positions that became vacant this past year and were not refilled.

The state’s tax revenues have taken a hit from Covid’s impact on the economy and the federal government also has siphoned off revenue from the state, Cuomo said, calling New York “a political piñata for this federal government.”

Biden has proposed the American Rescue plan, a $1.9 trillion stimulus package to help the country recover from the cost of Covid. Part of the plan includes $350 billion for state and local financing.

“The question becomes how do they distribute that $350 billion?” Cuomo said. “How much of that funding goes to the New York State government?”

Some highlights of the executive budget include:

• Education – $31.7 billion, up from $29.6 billion or by 7.1 percent. This includes funding for school districts through School Aid, STAR, and federal funds to support operational costs of school districts that educate 2.6 million students statewide. Approximately 70 percent of these funds are targeted to high-need school districts.

The school aid includes $4.3 Billion in Federal Supplemental Funds. Given the extraordinary strain that the pandemic has placed on school districts, educators and students, the budget allocates funds to schools to support ongoing operational and pandemic-related costs.

Cuomo is proposing two new revenue generators that could bring in $800 million to the state.

•Mobile Sports Betting: A new mobile sports wagering market will provide more than $500 million for the state and grow what could be the largest sports wagering market in the U.S. into a profitable industry long-term, Cuomo said.

• Legalization of Adult-Use Cannabis: Cuomo proposes to legalize cannabis for adult use. Legalization will not only ensure public health and safety, but provide an opportunity for the state to generate more than $300 million in tax revenue.

• Reimagine the Erie Canal: Building on the findings of the Reimagine the Canal Task Force, the New York Power Authority Board, which now oversees the Canal Corporation, will invest $300 million over the next five years to integrate the Empire State Trail and Erie Canal into a new “Empire Line” system that will stimulate tourism and economic development, address environmental challenges unknown a century ago, and create an asset that will improve the quality of life in communities along the 360-mile spine of the Erie Canal.

• Affordable Internet for All Low-Income Families: Currently, a basic high-speed internet plan costs, on average, more than $50 a month. The Executive Budget includes first-in-the-nation legislation requiring internet service providers to offer an affordable $15 per month high speed internet plan to all low-income households.

To further bridge the gap, the State will partner with Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation to launch a new hardship fund to pay for internet subscriptions for our most in need students who cannot afford $15 per month during this crisis.

• Downtown Revitalization: The pandemic has kept New Yorkers at home to save lives, disrupting the flow of commerce in the downtown communities across the State. These areas need support now more than ever, Cuomo said. To that end, the budget provides $100 million for another round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which has been transforming downtown neighborhoods into vibrant communities where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live, work and raise families, Cuomo said.

• Enact the Pandemic Recovery and Restart Program: New York will establish three new tax credits and expand another totaling $130 million to help smaller businesses in the accommodation, arts and entertainment, restaurant and musical and theatrical production industries to recover from the pandemic and bring back jobs to New York.

• Small Business Return-To-Work Tax Credit: This provides up to $50 million in tax credits to support small businesses in highly impacted sectors in the hiring of additional workers through 2021.
• Restaurant Return-To-Work Tax Credit: This tax credit provides up to $50 million in tax credits to support restaurants hard hit by the pandemic through 2021.
• Tackling Food Insecurities: The Budget includes $150 million to tackle food insecurity, and adds $25 million to Nourish New York for a total $60 million investment. This critical program helps people who are food insecure to access the nourishment that they need, while providing a market for farmers to sell their products.

• Renewable Energy Projects: New York will contract for another 24 large-scale renewable energy generation projects in 2021, to bring the state’s total clean energy build-out to nearly 100 projects. The 23 solar farms and one hydroelectric facility will produce more than 2,200 megawatts of clean power, generating more than $2.9 billion of investment and creating 3,400 jobs in 16 counties upstate.

• Fund Body Worn Cameras: The budget includes funding to support recently passed legislation requiring all State Police officers on patrol to wear body cameras.

Cheyenne Farewell, 20, was shot during a Halloween party in Lockport on Oct. 17

LOCKPORT – Three people were arraigned in Niagara County Court today in the death of a Medina woman and for five others who were wounded at a Halloween party on Oct. 17.

Two adolescents were charged with second-degree murder of Cheyenne Farewell, 20, who was shot at the Halloween party in Lockport. The five other people who were wounded by gun shots include two current Medina High School students.

Two adolescents were arraigned for second-murder, District Attorney Brian Seaman said. The two adolescents also face multiple counts of assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Jonathan Frey, an adult, was charged with one count of hindering prosecution in the first degree for his participation in the offenses, Seaman said.

The two adolescents are being held on $500,000 bail. All three defendants remain in custody, Seaman said.

First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Hoffmann and ADA Mary-Jean Bowman are prosecuting the case. The next court date is Feb. 16 for a discovery compliance conference.

GCC will host vaccine clinics in Genesee County, beginning this week

Vaccine clinics will begin this week in Genesee County at GCC in Batavia and next week in Orleans County at the Ridgeway Fire Hall.

That doesn’t mean there is an abundance of vaccine locally. Paul Pettit, the public health director for Genesee and Orleans, said supply still is far short of demand.

He said doing the clinics at a lower volume in the beginning will have the two counties prepared when the vaccine supply increases.

GCC in Batavia will host the vaccine clinics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while Ridgeway hosts the events in Orleans on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Some of the details are still being worked out and Pettit said the local health Departments will release more information soon.

The Orleans County Health Department this week is expecting 200 doses of the vaccine, with another 100 at Orleans Community health, and additional supply at some pharmacies. Pettit said the registrations to sign up for the vaccines quickly fill up.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is trying to get more vaccines from the federal government, to then release to the regions of the state to distribute. He knows many people are frustrated by the process so far, with many people declared eligible for the vaccine, but not nearly enough is available to fill the need right now.

“We are doing the best we can with what we have been given,” Pettit told elected officials in Orleans County in a conference call this evening.

The public clinics at GCC and Ridgeway will be “vaccine pending,” Pettit said.

“If more vaccine becomes available we’ll be able to scale up,” he said.

The two counties combined this week expect to have 1,600 doses, which includes the pharmacy providers in both counties, the hospitals in both counties and both Health Departments. Some of the people vaccinated with the first dose also will soon need the second dose of the vaccine.

At this time all appointments are full, the Health Department said, but encouraged people to check in case people have canceled. People are encouraged to cancel their appointment if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the flu or a cold, and if they have been placed on mandatory quarantine because they are identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive.

To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) and his colleagues in the Assembly Minority have written a letter to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the chairs of the Assembly committees on Mental Health and Veterans’ Affairs demanding funds for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer-to-Peer Support Program be released immediately.

More than $4.5 million was allocated for the program in the 2020-2021 Enacted Budget for the program, which connects veterans struggling with mental health conditions with other veterans to help them adapt to civilian life one-on-one.

“As a veteran and somebody who has served on the Assembly’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee for 15 years, I can’t overstate how crucial this program is and the impact it has on the lives of our service members returning home from duty,” Hawley said. “The unprecedented times we’re living in have impacted us all, including our veterans, and it is critical we maintain this funding during a period when our mental health is more strained than ever.

“After working with them to fight back the Governor’s attempts to cut the program entirely last year, I am hopeful we will be able to work with the Majority again to insure this program continues helping our veterans.”

Active cases in 2 counties drops from 495 to 357 in past 7 days

Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 224 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the first update since Friday afternoon. The two counties combined now have had 5,371 confirmed cases since last March.

In Orleans County, there are 56 new positive cases of Covid-19 from Friday afternoon through Tuesday morning for a total of 1,918 positive cases, the Genesee and Orleans County health Departments reported today.

The positive cases reside 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, 70s and 80s.

Of the new cases, three of the people were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

The new cases include three residents of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina, and two inmates at the Albion Correctional Facility, and one inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility.

The county also is reporting that 147 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation. The number of active cases in the county has declined from 243 on Jan. 12 to 158 today.

There are 18 residents currently hospitalized with Covid.

In Genesee County, there are 168 new confirmed cases since Friday for 3,453 positive cases since last March

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). Two of the new cases are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Batavia.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

There are 220 more people who have recovered and been removed from the isolation list. The active cases in the county has dropped from 252 a week ago to 199 today.

There are 11 Genesee residents currently hospitalized with Covid.

Correction from the G-O Health Departments: 3 cases previously reported are residents at Leroy Village Green.

Correction from the G-O Health Departments: The following cases were double counted and have been retracted from the today’s total number of positive cases: A case in his/her 20s from Batavia, a case in his/her 50s from Leroy, and a case in his/her 80s from Batavia.

Correction from the G-O Health Departments: 14 recoveries have been retracted from today’s number as these individuals are nursing home residents. Persons reported recovered are community members only.

Covid-19 related fatality data: The G-O Health Departments said they are only able to report the number of Covid-related deaths that are provided to them by the hospitals, nursing homes and family members.

The hospitals and nursing homes are not required to report these deaths to the local health departments, but have been as they are able. Due to the number of cases over the last 10 months. data hasn’t been provided locally on a regular basis, the G-O Health Departments said.

“We do not have real-time fatality data provided by the NYS Department of Health which receives the data from death certificates, hospital and nursing home reporting. NYSDOH recently updated their Covid-19 related fatalities which has resulted in a significant increase for Genesee County as we previously reported,” the Health Departments stated in a news briefing today. The State updates the data as they receive it and can be seen by clicking here.

“Genesee and Orleans counties will continue to report the Covid-related fatalities as we receive them locally in the narrative and update the total number of deaths on a weekly basis only,” the Health Departments stated. “Today’s data reflects that reconciliation with the State data.”

(The state shows Genesee as having 99 Covid-related deaths and Orleans with 69 Covid deaths.)

Organization donates $5,000 for walking/running trail at Bullard Park

Photos by Tom Rivers: Brian Krieger, executive director of the Albion Running Club, addresses about 120 participants during the Run for Wayne on March 23, 2019. That race and the Strawberry Festival 5K and 8K will now be managed by Wolfpack Multisport.

ALBION – A club that helped motivate people to take up running and also managed local races has dissolved after about a decade.

The Albion Running Club has handed off management of two local races – the Run for Wayne in March and Strawberry Festival 5K and 8K – to Wolfpack Multisport, led by Bert Gallmon. He is planning for the races to continue in-person this year. If that isn’t possible due to Covid, Gallmon said they could be held virtually, with people running the distances on their own and not in a group race.

“We felt it was a good time for new blood to take over the events and grow them,” said Brian Krieger, the Running Club president and chief executive officer.

Before the Running Club closed out its financial books, it wrote a check for $5,000 to the Village of Albion towards a walking/running trail along the perimeter of the park near Sandy Creek.

Brian Krieger and Lindon Morici (center), members of the Albion Running Club, last week presented the $5,000 check to Albion Mayor Eileen Banker for the running and walking trail at Bullard.

Krieger said the Running Club donated about $52,000 the past decade with donations to the Care Net Center of Greater Orleans, Community Kitchen, Albion Free Methodist Church Missions trip, Hospice, Holley Youth Center, Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern, Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, Re-Build Bullard Park, Wayne Burlison Scholarship and several fundraisers for community members.

He thanked many local businesses and sponsors for supporting the events, and the many volunteers who stepped up to on race days or in other ways.

File photos – Sheila Lemcke of Albion was The Strawberry in the 2014 race.

The Running Club also secured grants to buy sneakers for about 100 people and run a “Fit in 50” program with weekly gatherings to exercise and promote healthy living.

The club organized Run for God, a 12-week program that was like a Couch to 5K training plan, taking people who haven’t been running to completing a 5K. About 400 people did the Run for God in seven years. The program includes a spiritual aspect with lessons from the Bible.

“We sparked a bit of a running revolution in Albion from people of all walks of life,” Krieger said. “It’s been an incredible experience.”

The Club formed initially to manage the Strawberry Festival race after Judy Christopher stepped down after leading that event for 19 years. He pushed to make the race a fun event. Krieger would find someone each year to wear a Strawberry costume. Runners get a special prize if they beat “The Strawberry.”

That 5K/8K was one of the biggest road races in the rural GLOW counties, attracting 200 to 300 runners.

Krieger urged people to take the first step in getting active and healthy. He is hopeful some of the Run for God participants will help keep that program going, or set up weekly times for people to run together.

Krieger led the initial Run for God groups with his friend, Wayne Burlison, an Albion elementary music teacher. They organized the Run for God with it usually starting in early March and culminating with people completing the 5K course at the Strawberry Fest the second Saturday in June.

Burlison was also friends with Gallmon, the new race organizer, through their participation together with The Patriots, a drum corps band.

Burlison was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2013 and he passed away at age 36 on was 36 on March 26, 2014.

The “Run for Wayne” honors his memory. The race has been modified to be the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K. This year race is planned for March 27. Gallmon would like to do the in-person race as a group. It had 120 participants in March 2019. Last year’s race was cancelled due to Covid.

These Run for God participants pose for a group picture before the 2013 Strawberry Festival race.

The race could also be virtual only or perhaps be limited to 50 people with others going virtual. Gallmon also said race organizers this year may be looking to have runners go in waves on race day, to spread them out.

“It is a little stressful not knowing,” he said. “I still want to do a live event.”

The Burlison race starts on Clarendon Road near the elementary school and goes to Mount Albion Cemetery and back.

Gallmon runs other events through Wolfpack Multisport, including a triathlon at Silver Lake in Wyoming County. He would like to bring a triathlon to Orleans County in the future.

He praised Krieger and the Running Club for putting on two popular races with the Wayne Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness 5K and the Strawberry Festival 5K/8K.

“With the Wayne race we are honoring his memory and highlighting colon cancer, which is a real problem,” Gallmon said.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Gallmon will be looking to have race committees help with the events in Albion and Orleans County.

For more information on Wolfpack Multisports, click here.

Editor’s Note: Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers was a member of the Running Club’s board of directors.

Press Release, New York State United Teachers

ALBANY – New York State United Teachers today called on the state Education Department to request a federal waiver of grade 3-8 and high school testing requirements — just as New York was granted last year — amid the ongoing challenges students and educators statewide are facing related to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Interim State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, Regents Chancellor Lester Young Jr. and the Board of Regents, the union noted that the pandemic has continued to disrupt the normal education process, as schools have vacillated between hybrid, in-person and remote offerings.

Even as educators have doubled their work to help students keep up with state education standards, it is clear that, “Throughout this school year there has not been a standardized mode of instruction across the state,” the letter states.

“Without standardized instructional modes there should not be a standardized test at the end of the year,” the union wrote. “On top of this, teachers are trying to address the social emotional needs of students caused by the pandemic and racial unrest caused by the death of George Floyd. Given the recent surge, it is unlikely that will change much for the rest of the school year, we urge you to request a federal waiver of the grade 3-8 and high school testing requirements to relieve the current pressure on the school system.”

The union also is calling on the state to delay implementation of the Next Generation Learning Standards until the 2023-24 school year and new tests based on those standards until spring 2024. This would give districts and educators additional time to properly prepare and for students to demonstrate their mastery of the standards.

“While we believe in measuring student success, students should again be afforded opportunities to showcase their hard work without being subjected to the stress of either the 3-8 or Regents exams in the midst of crises on multiple fronts,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “Educators know their students’ needs and how to maximize their potential. Giving them the flexibility to help their students achieve their best without administering these tests is the right thing to do this year.”

“Our students’ social and emotional wellbeing must come first,” NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene T. DiBrango said. “It’s likely that many students will need more time to master new learning standards because of the disruption of the pandemic. We cannot punish them with new standards and tests that most in the education community are not ready to fully implement.”

Photos by Tom Rivers: Mount Albion Cemetery had a light cover of snow on Monday evening.

A winter weather advisory is in effect for Genesee County today until 7 p.m., with 4 to 8 inches of snow expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has also issued a lake effect snow warning until 7 p.m. for northern Erie County with 5 to 9 inches of snow expected.

In Orleans County, only a half inch of snow is in the forecast today. It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 33.

The forecast the next few days in Orleans County includes snow showers on Wednesday with a high near 26 and overnight low of 23.

Thursday there is a chance of snow showers before 1 p.m., then a chance of rain and snow showers with a high near 36. The overnight low will be about 30.

Snow showers are likely on Friday with a high near 33 and overnight low around 17.

Saturday will be mostly cloudy with a high near 22 and an overnight low around 13.

This snow-covered road leads up the east side of the cemetery.

Press Release, Genesee Community College

BATAVIA – Genesee Community College is offering “Major Exploration Days” as a way for interested individuals to learn exactly what the college’s programs are all about.

Taking it a step further, the faculty members from the various programs participate in these sessions so potential students learn what courses they would take, hear about the associated field experiences that are available and develop a clear picture of what their semester could look like.

In addition, these sessions provide opportunities for the students (and any friends or family members who are listening in) to hear about the transfer opportunities GCC has to offer specific to these areas of study. Naturally, Major Exploration Days also include discussions about the vast array of careers and jobs these programs prepare students for.

“I don’t know what I want to do, what would I major in? My recruiting team hears it all the time when we ask someone why they didn’t enroll for classes,” said Lindsay Gerhardt, assistant dean of admissions and recruitment at GCC. “Sometimes, people just need more.”

Each session has been designed to cover a group of academic programs and majors that tend to have some common interest amongst students and some potential career overlap. All of these sessions are open to anyone who is interested in attending GCC. The sessions are free and offered completely online for maximum convenience.

Anyone can attend any or all of these sessions based on the programs of interest:

• Thursday, January 21, will cover Business & Commerce programs, Information Technology degrees and certificates, and a variety of Science & Technology programs! Specific programs include: Accounting, Biotechnology, Business Administration, CIS, CSN, Computerized Drafting and Design, Computer Repair, Fashion, Helpdesk Support, Medical Administrative Assistant, Tourism, Hospitality Event Management, and Web Design.
• Thursday, February 4, will explore programs in Education, Human Services, Law and Criminal Justice! Specific programs include: Alcohol & Substance Abuse Studies, Childcare, Corrections, Developmental Disabilities Studies, Economic Crime Investigation, Forensics, Gerontology, Homeland Security, Paralegal Studies, Policing, Teacher Assistant, and a Teacher Education Transfer Program.
• Thursday, February 25, focuses on Creative Arts, Health & Physical Education and will also include the vast opportunities available under the Liberal Arts umbrella! Specific programs include: Biology, Chemistry, Communication & Media Arts, Digital Art, English, Fine Arts, Fitness & Rec: Personal Trainer, History, Mathematics, Physical Education Studies, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Spanish, Sports Management Studies, Sociology, and Theatre Arts. If you have not yet selected a specific major, this is the session for you!

GCC recommends anyone considering an education or a career in any of these fields to register for any of these sessions by clicking here, emailing admissions@genesee.edu or calling 585-345-6800.