Senator has been strong advocate in pressing for federal aid for states, municipalities

Press Release, New York State Association of Counties

The New York State Association of Counties on Friday recognized U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and his partnership with President-Elect Joe Biden on a new Coronavirus Stimulus Package that will move the economy forward and help the states and local governments that have been on the front lines of this pandemic since last March.

Sen. Charles Schumer

President-Elect Joe Biden on Thursday announced his plans for a new coronavirus stimulus package that includes funding for states and local governments. The Biden plan reflects proposals put forth by Senator Chuck Schumer throughout the pandemic.

“New York’s local governments are incredibly fortunate to have such a fierce ally as our senior senator and incoming Majority Leader, ”said NYSAC President Jack Marren, chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors. “From the beginning of this pandemic, Senator Schumer has fought to ensure states and county governments have what they need to battle this pandemic, and this proposal is a direct result of his dogged advocacy on our behalf.”

The Biden plan comes a day after Senator Schumer introduced the bi-partisan Direct Support for Communities Act, which provides local governments with direct federal relief that can be used to pay for essential services, retain frontline workers, and offset lost revenues and increased costs from the Covid-19 emergency.

“This bill provides the direct, flexible and unrestricted aid counties need to make up for the unprecedented revenue shortfalls brought on by the pandemic, said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “Without this direct aid, counties will be hamstrung to do the essential work necessary to end the pandemic, including setting up Covid-19 vaccination sites, providing contact tracing and testing, and delivering essential services to children, families and seniors who have been struggling during the pandemic.”

Since March of last year, counties across New York have seen their revenues plummet by an estimated $1.5 billion. Sales tax losses could reach $325 million for counties through 2021, state revenue cuts represent a $645 million loss, potentially increase to $965 million through 2021, and Native American gaming revenues and hotel occupancy taxes amount to almost $220 million in losses for counties through 2021.

“Leading the response to this pandemic, and now the vaccine effort, is possibly the most important thing counties may ever do and it’s critical that we have the resources to do it effectively,” said New York State County Executives Association President and Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. “We don’t have a second to lose, Congress must pass this bill and send it to President Biden during his first 100 days so we can end this pandemic, get our economy moving again, and get us all back to the cherished activities that fill our lives with meaning.”

Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association

ALBANY – The union represented corrections officers in state prisons on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and the Department of Civil Service.

The lawsuit alleges that, through policies and their actions, DOCCS and Civil Service have improperly withheld paid leave for NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association members who have been placed on more than one mandatory quarantine or an extended quarantine beyond 14 days for exposure to or infection with Covid-19.  DOCCS has only provided, at most, one 14-day block of paid leave to NYSCOPBA members who have been quarantined.

NYSCOPBA President Michael B. Powers issued this statement:

“Our members are essential staff and must come to work every day, without exception. Our members cannot work from home like so many others, and our members are often directed to work mandatory overtime.

“Our prisons are at constant risk for Covid-19 outbreaks, so our members face constant risk of becoming infected every time they walk into their facilities. Then, when many of them inevitably become exposed to or contract Covid-19, they are placed out of work, through no fault of their own. They have no control over this.

“Since the pandemic has raged onward since March, our members are now being placed on second or even third mandatory quarantines, having been exposed to Covid-19 again and again while on duty. Many of our members have contracted Covid-19 at work, have been unable to return to work in 14 days, and have been out on their own pay after that.

“They should not be punished by being forced to use personal leave or to go without pay when State law provides paid leave for them without charge to their accruals. This lawsuit will hopefully achieve our goals and put an end to this once and for all.”

Kast Farms, Lake Ontario Fruit have been innovative leaders

By Doug Farley, Director, Cobblestone Museum

GAINES – What we know today as Kast Farms, Inc., headquartered on Densmore Road in the Town of Gaines, also has had significant farming interests in the Hamlet of Childs for decades, including farm land on both sides of Ridge Road and adjoining Route 98.

With roots to 1885, the progenitor of the Kast family farm was John T. Kast, who married Ruth (Chapman) Kast in 1915. Ruth’s family members were also farmers, going back another generation to her father, Adelbert Chapman.  John T. and Ruth Kast had son, J. Stanley Kast, who took over the farming interests from his parents in the 1950s.

Stanley, born in 1917, recently celebrated his 103rd birthday. He is still a source of information for the family farm today. Stanley’s son, David Kast, became a partner with his father in 1966. In 1989, Stanley passed the full ownership reins to his son, David Kast and wife Kathy, who are both very involved in the family farm today, along with their sons John & Brett. David and Kathy’s daughter Laura teaches school in Batavia.

The Kast Farm was recognized as a “Century Farm” by NY Agricultural Society in 2015.  In addition to farming, David, Kathy and sons have remained active in many farm, church and civic organizations.

Kast Farms is highly diversified, farming over 4,000 acres, growing apples, sweet cherries, green beans, sweet corn, field corn, winter wheat and more recently, malting barley. David said, “We’re pretty progressive, willing to try new methods and technologies.” Perhaps that willingness to innovation resulted in the farm being chosen to receive the “I Love NY Farmer Award” in 2006. Gary Davy is the farm’s general manager today.

Brothers John and Brett Kast also received the “Next Generation Farmer Award” in 2018. John & Cheryl and Brett & Amanda Kast are seen here. They represent the fifth generation to operate their family farm.

Dave Kast purchased over 100 acres of land on the west side of the Hamlet of Childs in the 1960s from Robert Schwartz. He continued to pick the fruit there for several years, and then made a decision to remove the orchards. The older trees in Childs had become more of a liability than an asset. David said, “Bob Kirby farmed next door to us, and he was in the process of bulldozing his orchard there, so I asked him to keep going and take down our trees, too.”  Kast Farm continues farming in Childs with owned and managed properties as seen in this aerial photo.

In the 1980’s, David Kast said he made the fortuitous decision to sell 10 acres of land in Childs to support another “new-concept.” At that time, local apple growers had pretty much maxed out the capacity of their primary buyer/packer, George LaMont. George, and his brother Roger, ran one of the area’s main packing/storage facilities for apples on their Densmore Road farm for many years.

By the end of the 1970s, that operation was not able to keep up with production and the demand for sales. George approached about a dozen local farmers to see if there was an interest in forming a partnership for the purpose of expanding fruit packing and storage in the area. The decision that they reached resulted in the formation of Lake Ridge Fruit Company, LLC in 1982 with 11 original partners from the local farming community.

The siting of the plant in Childs resulted in convenient access to highway transportation and plenty of room for future expansion. Lake Ridge Fruit formed the operating company Lake Ontario Fruit to expand their sales force to market their apples to a larger geographic area.

Photo Courtesy: Photos by Bruce & Assoc.

The original partners in Lake Ridge Fruit were: Pete Nesbitt (Pine Hill Farm), Roger LaMont (LaMont Farm), Francis Kirby, Ralph Brown, Bob Kirby, David Kast, Don Nesbitt & Fred Nesbitt (Silver Creek Farm), George Kirby, Bob Brown, George Lamont, John Kirby and General Manager Bill Gerling. David Kast served as President of the association for about 20 years.

The current ownership group pictured here are (left to right) John Russell, Robert Brown II, Jason Woodworth, Steve Nesbitt, Mike Zingler, Kaari Stannard, George Lamont, Patrick Wodworth, Rod Farrow and Eric Brown. Not pictured are Scott Henning, Robert Brown III and Jose Iniguez. It is with great sadness that the team noted the passing of George Lamont in 2020, a man who first saw the vision for the apple plant and worked to make it a reality.

Lake Ontario Fruit, Inc. has grown into one of the largest apple packing and storage operations in the Northeast. The apple plant packages over a million bushels of fresh apple each year. Bins of Gala apples are shown here.

The consortium is led today by John Russell, President/CEO and Partner. Russell is a natural for this position, coming from a highly respected farming family in Niagara County. He said, “Many of our member-growers have recently planted more acreage of popular apple varieties, such as Honeycrisp and SweeTango. Prior to the last expansion, Lake Ontario Fruit needed to rent additional storage facilities at other locations, but all apples are now stored at our own facility.”

Photo Courtesy: Photos by Bruce & Assoc.

Multi-million dollar expansions were made to the original plant in 2010 and 2013, bringing the total square-footage under roof to 185,000 square feet.

Modern packing equipment is a boost to the local economy that employs about 100 workers in the peak season. Many local and national supermarket chains carry Lake Ontario Fruit apples including Wegmans, Wal-Mart, Tops, and Aldi’s. You can find Lake Ontario Fruit apples in supermarkets under the “NY Apple Sales” label or the newly added “Yes! Apples.” John Russell added, “Apples are all we do and our future is bright. Many of our local apple growers have moved into newer varieties to meet growing consumer demand. We stand by our moto: Great People, Great Apples, Great Future.”

Orleans also reports 29 new Covid cases, while Genesee has 55 more

Orleans County today is reporting three more Covid-related deaths, with two at the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina and the other a community member over age 65.

Both residents at Orchard are over age 65. That facility has now had 26 residents pass away due to Covid during the pandemic. The county has 67 deaths total from Covid, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

In Orleans County, there are also 29 new Covid cases to report today for a total of 1,862 positive cases since March.

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 and 70s. Of the new cases, 7 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting that of the new cases 2 are residents of Orchard Rehabilitation and

Nursing Center, and 2 are inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility.

The county also is reporting today that 38 more individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation.

Orleans currently has 18 residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Albion Central School reports today that one remote student from Middle School has tested positive for Covid-19. Due to the fact the student is remote, there is no need to contact trace any additional staff or students, the district officials stated on its website.

Medina Central School is reporting one high school student has tested positive for Covid-19. The district is in process of notifying the families of anyone who may have come into close contact with the student.

In Genesee County, there are 55 new positive cases to report today for a total of 3,288 confirmed cases since 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).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Genesee County did a drive-through testing clinic on Thursday. Of the 600 tests, 42 tested positive, including 38 from Genesee County.

Genesee also has 72 more people recovered and removed from the isolation list.

There are 9 residents from Genesee currently hospitalized due to Covid.

• Data Update – There will be no reporting or map update on Monday, which is the Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday. Check the state site for updates. To review the raw positive data for each of the counties, click here.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced his proposal to prevent individuals with active warrants for a felony or serious misdemeanor offense from purchasing guns as part of the 2021 State of the State agenda.

Under the Governor’s proposal, New York State will close a federal loophole that was created when the Trump Department of Justice reinterpreted an existing firearms law to mean only individuals who have fled from one state to another for the purpose of evading prosecution while subject to an active or imminent arrest warrant would be prevented from purchasing a firearm, while those subject to an arrest warrant who remain in state are free to buy guns.

With this action, someone who is subject to an outstanding warrant for a felony or serious misdemeanor offense, but who has not crossed state lines to evade arrest, would once again be flagged in the National Instant Background Check System and be prevented from purchasing a gun.

“As Covid-19 continues to exacerbate the gun violence epidemic in America, the state of New York is continuing to build on the strongest gun safety laws in the nation and putting more safeguards in place to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals,” Cuomo said. “We will do everything in our power to protect our communities and combat this violence and destruction in all of its forms.”

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York has passed the strongest gun safety laws in the nation, including the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act in 2013, which prevents criminals and the dangerously mentally ill from buying a gun by requiring universal background checks on gun purchases, increases penalties for those who use or possess illegal guns, and imposes the toughest assault weapon ban in the country.

BARRE – Bruce Landis, an Albion photographer, won first place at the 2021 Professional Photographers of America International photo competition with this photograph titled “Aloha New York.”

Plane owner and professional pilot Chris Caruana from Grand Island was flying out of the Pine Hill Airport.

The photo by Landis, one of the images selected from over 5,000 entries, will be on (virtual) display during the 2021 Professional Photographers of America annual convention from Jan.17 to Jan. 19. This is Landis’ third similar award received for airplanes in flight.

He is the owner/photographer of Photos by Bruce and Associates on Ridge Road in Albion.

Photo and information from Albion Central School: Albion High School Principal Jenn Ashbery, second from left, accepts $1,000 for the high school from representatives of Crosby’s in Albion.

ALBION – The high school today received a grant of $500 from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Program. Reid Petroleum and Crosby’s matched this with an additional $500 for a total of $1,000 to be used to support math and science education.

As noted on their website, “Exxon and Mobil are fueling young minds and helping create aha moments through the Educational Alliance. Since its inception, we’ve committed over $34 million to this national program, which funds math and science programs at schools in need. It’s part of our ongoing effort to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education within the communities we serve.”

The Albion funds will be put to use in support of STEM instruction at the high school.

“We are appreciative of the additional opportunities this presents for our students,” High School Principal Jennifer Ashbery said.

Last year, the funds were used to purchase MakerBots, which introduces students to the technology involved in 3D printing and helps encourage students to develop innovative solutions and designs.

In the coming weeks, Ashbery plans to meet with teachers in order to decide how these new funds will be used to support math, science and engineering for our students.

Press Release, Assemblyman Mike Norris

Assemblyman Mike Norris (R,C,I-Lockport) is proud to share that following the launch of his new legislation known as the New York Business Emergency Relief Act, the Assembly Minority Conference announced today it has chosen to include the entirety of the plan in its omnibus 2021 pro-business package, Jump-Start New York: A Plan for Economic Recovery.

“I am proud to work together with my colleagues to get New York back to work,” said Norris. “This bill would get people back to work, and our larger plan helps protect businesses and jobs for the future. It’s a real, substantial plan to get our economy back on its feet. After months of a shutdown, unemployment, uncertainty and talk, New Yorkers need and deserve action. I hope our colleagues across the aisle will take action on this plan to help us move New York’s economy forward.”

Aiming to help employers who were forced to close through no fault of their own, the New York Business Emergency Relief Act of 2021 would provide businesses that were deemed “nonessential” with direct aid grants to offset lost income as a result of the governor’s executive orders.

These businesses could include small retailers, historic sites, barber shops, gyms and movie theaters, among others. Funding for these grants would come from redirecting unused state settlement funding awarded to the state or repurposing economic development funding from programs like START-UP NY, a program that many even questioned the effectiveness of to begin with.

In addition to the New York Business Emergency Relief Act of 2021, Jump-Start New York: A Plan for Economic Recovery includes 17 other economic development initiatives, and proposals which would restore legislative authority and remove the governor’s temporary expanded powers and calls for federal actions such as direct aid to schools and local governments. Further, the plan would expand local authority in times of emergency and create a Joint Senate/Assembly Emergency Operations Committee to provide direction and oversight during future state emergencies.

The plan also would allow nursing home residents to designate a loved one to be their “essential person” that would be able to visit and check up on them, even during times like those our state has experienced during the past year.

Other economic development proposals in the plan include repurposing the Regional Economic Development Councils, reevaluating red and orange zone designations, increasing rural internet access, supporting the agriculture industry, waiving certain licensing or fees, providing aid to landlords, extending or waiving certain regulations and providing tax credits. A full copy of the plan can be viewed by clicking here.

HARTLAND – The Greek Cuisine Restaurant located at 7790 Ridge Rd. in the Town of Hartland was damaged in a fire this morning.

The Niagara County Sheriff’s office said firefighters were dispatched to the restaurant at 6:51 a.m. There was an active fire in the kitchen and the building’s fire suppression system was activated.

The fire was subsequently extinguished by members of the Gasport, Hartland and Wright’s Corners Volunteer Fire Companies. The building additionally sustained heavy smoke damage throughout due to the fire.

The restaurant was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and an estimated value of loss is not available at this time. An investigation by the Niagara County Origin and Cause Team is continuing.

“We will be closed until further notice due to recent events,” Greek Cuisine posted on its Facebook Page. “Although this has set us back we hope we will be able to pull through and make a comeback. We at Greek Cuisine want to take the time to thank everyone for your support.”

LYNDONVILLE – The school district will hold a virtual forum on  Jan. 19 to hear from parents about the district’s plan for spending the remaining $25,000 from the Smart Schools Bond Act.

Lyndonville school officials want to use the $25,000 to create a replacement cycle for Chromebooks.

The forum will be from 5 to 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 19. To sign up for this virtual forum on Google Meets, email aslack@lcsdk12.org to confirm your participation.

Lyndonville was approved for $733,151 as part of a $2 billion Smart Schools Bond Act, which was passed by NY voters in 2014. (In Orleans County, the five school districts were approved for about $7 million combined in technology aid with $2,238,441 for Albion; $1,311,463 for Holley; $967,959 for Kendall; $733,151 for Lyndonville; and $2,000,222 for Medina.)

The state has approved several projects for Lyndonville as part of the Smart Schools Bond Act, including $89,900 in February 2020 for classroom technology. The state approved $315,600 in July 2017 for “connectivity” with new routers, network improvements, switches, wireless access points, and classrooms hardwired for computers. Those improvements put in computer infrastructure to allow Lyndonville to add laptops, desktop computers, computer servers and more white boards.

The state Education Department in August 2016 also approved $165,000 for Lyndonville with classroom technology, including interactive white boards, said Jason Smith, the school district superintendent.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Volunteers, nearly all for the first time this morning, help distribute food in Albion from the parking lot at the Main Street Thrift Store.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program nation-wide. It is expected to continue locally through February.

The schedule for the rets of January includes:

• January 22nd, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 NYS Route 31, Knowlesville, entrance is on Taylor Hill Road and not on Route 31. The line on Taylor Hill will need to go south away from Route 31.
• January 29th, Community Action Store, 113 South Main Street, Albion

John Kurtz of Albion, left, carries a box of food with produce, meat and dairy this morning. Jesse Underwood of Clarendon is at right. He volunteered as a member of ABATE, a local group of motorcyclists.

Cars started to line up around 6, about two hours before the event started.

Kurtz and Underwood were among a new group of volunteers at the event coordinated by the Orleans County Office for the Aging and Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

“There are a lot more people in need right now,” Underwood said.

Leslie Spofford of Clarendon also volunteered for the first time this morning at a food distribution, which has been happening most weeks locally since April. Spofford had the day off from her job as Runnings in Brockport and wanted to help.

By 7:30 this morning the line of cars was down three streets in Albion. This shows vehicles on East Park Street. They were also waiting on McKinstry and Chamberlain streets.

About 300 boxes of food are given away at the events. The start times are approximately 8:30 a.m. (If the Foodlink truck is there and unloaded, the event may start sooner.) Organizers are ask people not to line up before 8 a.m. due to possible winter weather conditions.

The Oak Orchard Harbor and Johnson Creek in Carlton, near Lakeside Beach State Park, are both on a state list to be dredged.

The state has a $15 million regional dredging initiative the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI).

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday said dredging harbors along Lake Ontario remains a priority. Dredging started at Little Sodus Bay, a navigation channel in Cayuga County used by boaters to access Lake Ontario from Little Sodus Bay.

File photo: The dredging barge is near the breakwall at the end of the Oak Orchard channel when the harbor was dredged in August 2014 for the first time in 10 years.

The dredging project will remove built-up sediment from the bottom of the waterway to allow for continued safe passage of watercrafts to support the tourism economy and preserve wildlife in the region.

The Oak Orchard Harbor dredging is scheduled to start in June 2021 and the Johnson Creek Harbor will get attention in July 2021, the state has previously said.

“We’re building the resilience of communities along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to prevent flooding and ease maintenance of vital navigation channels for years to come,” Cuomo said. “This dredging project is essential to protecting not only New Yorkers who live and work in shoreline communities but also the wildlife in the coastal habitats of the region, while also boosting tourism by ensuring safe recreational access for boaters.”

To date, the State has completed four REDI dredging projects, and removed approximately 15,000 cubic yards of sediment, to provide recreational boaters with safe access to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

The completed dredging projects include Port Bay, Blind Sodus Bay and East Bay in Wayne County, and Sandy Pond Inlet in Oswego County. Through Phase I and II, the dredging initiative is tackling the necessary dredging of 20 harbor navigation channels. Upon completion of the project, over 100,000 cubic yards of sediment is anticipated to be dredged, Cuomo’s Office said.

Future regional dredging initiative sites include:

• Oswego County: Salmon River/Port Ontario
• Niagara County: Olcott Harbor, Golden Hill State Park
• Orleans County: Oak Orchard Harbor, Johnson Creek
• Monroe County: Sandy Creek, Braddock Bay, Long Pond Outlet, Irondequoit Bay
• Wayne County: Bear Creek Harbor, Pultneyville
• Jefferson County: Clayton French Creek Marina, Henderson “The Cut”
• St. Lawrence County: Ogdensburg “City Front Channel,” Morristown Navigation Channel

During Phase III, the State will provide counties with the information they need to update, expand, and implement an existing Regional Dredging Management Plan to keep the channels operational over time.

In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Cuomo created REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region.

Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns.

The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties in the REDI regions. The remaining $235 million has been allocated towards local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission, Cuomo’s Office stated.

“Addressing the damage and erosion from high water events and wave impacts are essential elements of Governor Cuomo’s REDI initiative that is creating stronger communities along Lake Ontario’s shoreline,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos.

With neighboring states already well underway with their full winter sports seasons athletic administrators across the state and state legislators this week stepped up pressure to get Governor Andrew Cuomo to allow the “High Risk” winter sports of basketball and wrestling to begin their seasons.

State Assemblyman Colin Schmitt from New Windsor introduced legislation to “compel the New York State Department of Education and the NYS Department of Health to allow interscholastic sports to be cleared to play this year using proper COVID-19 safety protocols.”

Assemblyman Schmitt stated that “interscholastic sports are an integral part of the school experience and a way to maintain a semblance of normalcy in an upended world.”

Schmitt continued that “currently some sports are being played in New York while others like basketball, football, ice hockey and more are not allowed, despite a majority of states, including neighboring New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut allowing basketball competition to begin this week.”

He added ” New York’s student-athletes should have equal opportunity to safely compete in all sports just like students in a majority of states in our nation. Medical and scientific data prove interscholastic sports using the proper protocols is safe during Covid-19.”

The New York State Athletic Administrators Association likewise sent a very pointed letter to the governor imploring Cuomo to “reconsider the decision to forego “high-risk” sports for the Winter and potentially for the remainder of the school year to permit play to begin immediately so these athletes can salvage a small season as some end their high school athletic careers.”

The letter continued “as a professional association, we ask for this with the knowledge that those sports are not only safe to run, but will be overseen by Athletic Administrators that have worked tirelessly to develop protocols to deal with the COVID-19 virus should there be an isolated case.  There are many documents authored by groups concerned directly with maintaining a safe environment for students, staff, and the surrounding communities and should be considered as a guide to the opening of a full sports program.  We have followed the NFHS, CDC, and DOH guidelines to the letter to begin our limited seasons and now feel confident that after seeing how the rest of the country has celebrated successes, it is time for New York to lead again.”

Additionally the letter stated to the Governor that ” you will note that many states have conducted research on the rate of transmission directly correlated with the number of cases and subsequent quarantines causing cessation of contests.  In every study there were less than 1% new cases and a much lower percentage resulting in suspensions or cancellations of contests.  There is no valid, scientific reason to assume that interscholastic sports are dangerous at any risk level. In fact, those state’s health departments seem to vary on which sports are actually “high-risk” and those that are not.  New York, for some reason, has a much different, subjective assessment in place.”

The letter continued that “furthermore, surrounding states have seen the necessity of keeping school sports programs operating and have identified mental health and increasing the socio-economic gaps as potential factors in cases of student depression and lower grades while engaged in some form of virtual learning. Student health and growth academically, emotionally, and physically are what is a part of every child’s life and we are the experts that contribute to that growth.  The Educational Framework for Athletics, a New York State Education Department document, is the lifeblood of our association and we see the benefits of our programs far beyond the classroom.”

In addition another lawsuit is being planned by the Buffalo law firm of HoganWillig demanding that the state to allow youth and high school “High-Risk” sports to begin playing. That is the law firm  which  this week successfully sued New York State to allow Erie County restaurants which are in an “Orange” zone to resume serving customers inside under “Yellow zone limitations of 50 percent capacity.

Time though is now certainly a factor in getting approval for the High Risk winter sports to begin as the so-called “Fall 2” season for the postponed High Risk Sports of football, volleyball and competitive cheerleading is scheduled to begin on March 1 to be followed by the regular spring sports season starting in mid April.