Press Release, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo

BUFFALO – The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo scholarship application process for the 2021-22 academic year is now open. Applications are due by May 1, 2021, and must be submitted online.

All students, including Say Yes Buffalo applicants and scholars, that meet the following eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Be a current resident of one of the eight counties of Western New York (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming)
• Have a minimum of a “C” average or a GPA of 2.0 or greater
• Be admitted to a nonprofit 501(c)(3), U.S. Department of Education accredited school for full-time study beginning in the fall 2021 semester.

Scholarship awards typically range from $1,000 to $6,000. Over 200 individuals, families, foundations and organizations have established scholarship funds through the Community Foundation. In 2020, the Community Foundation remained as one of the region’s largest scholarship providers, awarding scholarships totaling $3 million to more than 3,000 Western New York students.

For more information on the Community Foundation’s scholarship program, including application instructions, click here or text SCHOLARSHIP to (855) 213-4426*.  (*By taking this action you are affirming that you will receive recurring Scholarship Deadline alert text messages from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. Please click here for our Privacy Policy. Text STOP to opt-out, HELP for more information. No purchase necessary. Message & data rates may apply.)

House expected to vote to impeach today, with support of some Republicans

The House of Representatives approved a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25^th Amendment, allowing the majority of the Cabinet to remove President Trump from office if they deem he can’t fulfill his duties.

Chris Jacobs

Congressman Chris Jacobs, R-Orchard Park, did not vote in favor of the resolution.

“The Constitution entrusts the Vice President and the Cabinet with the authority to invoke the 25th Amendment, and it is only intended to be used when a President is incapacitated – not as means of punishment,” Jacobs said in a statement. “Congress has no place in this process and the Vice President’s decision not to invoke the 25th Amendment makes tonight’s vote no more than political posturing from Speaker Pelosi. At a time when our nation cannot bear more division, the Speaker should pull consideration of this resolution from the floor and instead work with us to heal the country.”

Pence said he won’t invoke the amendment and urged Speaker Pelosi to focus on ensuring an orderly transition from Trump to President-elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.

“Last week, I did not yield to pressure to exert power beyond my constitutional authority to determine the outcome of the election, and I will not now yield to efforts in the House of Representatives to play political games at a time so serious in the life of our nation,” Pence said in a letter to Pelosi on Tuesday.

Pelosi and many in the House are expected to vote to impeach Trump today for his role in a Capitol riot a week ago and also for pressuring the Georgia secretary of state on Jan. 2 to “find” enough votes to overturn the state’s presidential election. Trump, in a recording of a phone call to Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state, threatens him if he fails to overturn the results, according to the Article of Impeachment in the House.

The Article states that Trump “gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of the government.” The Article says the president threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power and “imperiled” a coequal branch of government.

Some Republicans, including John Katko from near Syracuse, say they will vote to impeach Trump after a Capitol siege left five people dead and forced members of Congress to evacuate from their Chambers while they were preparing to vote to certify the electoral results.

The insurrectionists were Trump supporters and not outside infiltrators, such as Antifa, as some Trump allies have alleged, according to the FBI. Trump addressed the group at the national mall and urged them to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell” after claiming the election was stolen from him.

Katko was the first House Republican to publicly acknowledge he will join House Democrats in voting to impeach.

“To allow the president of the United States to incite this attack without consequence is a direct threat to the future of our democracy,” Katko said in a statement. “For that reason, I cannot sit by without taking action. I will vote to impeach this president.”

Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House, said she would vote to impeach the president.

“There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,” Cheney said in a statement on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a winter weather advisory until 10 a.m. today for Orleans, Niagara, Genesee and northern Erie counties.

There will be freezing drizzle with ice accumulations of a few hundredths of an inch, the Weather Service said.

“Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will result in slippery roads and limited visibilities,” The Weather Service said. “Slow down and use caution while driving.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo delivers day two of his 2021 State of the State Address in the War Room at the State Capitol today. Photo by Darren McGee of the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the need for more affordable high-speed internet.

Families throughout the state were pushed to online learning in mid-March 2020, but students often didn’t have internet access at home for remote learning on computers. In many cases the cost of the service is too much money, Cuomo said today during day two of his State of the State.

The governor said universal broadband is “a prerequisite for success in a remote world.” The service right now is too costly for many families. A basic high-speed internet plan costs, on average, more than $50 a month, the governor said. That isn’t affordable for 1 in 5 families nationwide, he said.

“Without affordable broadband, families are left behind,” Cuomo said. “Social injustice is increased.”

Cuomo is proposing a first-in-the-nation legislation that will require internet service providers to offer an affordable $15 per month high-speed internet plan to all low-income households.

Providers will be required to advertise this plan to reach underserved populations across the state. Cuomo said the state also will partner with Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation to create a new hardship fund to pay for internet subscriptions students and families who cannot afford $15 per month during this crisis.

The state is partnering with Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and chair of the Reimagine NY commission, and commission member Darren Walker, President of the Ford foundation. Richard Parsons, chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation, also is part of the group.

“Without affordable broadband, people are not only disconnected, they are disenfranchised,” Cuomo said.

High-speed internet also is critical to apply for many jobs and to have access to telemedicine, the governor said.

“Without broadband, the public education system that was supposed to be the great equalizer becomes the great divider,” the governor said. “In this new world, remote learning doesn’t exist if the child doesn’t have access. And too often the child left behind in remote learning is poor, Black or Latino.”

The School Administrators Association of New York State praised Cuomo for the proposal. Kevin Casey, director of SAANYS, issued this statement:

“The governor’s Internet access proposal is laudable and needed. We have heard too many stories of students having to travel to parking lots and commercial properties just to be able to attend school that day. The plan to make high-speed service affordable for low-income households will benefit students today and into the future, as virtual learning increasingly becomes part of the educational paradigm.

“SAANYS does caution that although efforts have been made to address infrastructure for Internet access, gaps remain in some areas, affecting thousands of school children. Continued work with providers is needed to ensure that standards and quality are consistent across the state.”

Genesee reports 2 more deaths from Covid; 2 counties have now had 100 residents die from Covid during pandemic

Orleans County chart info hasn’t been updated to include new cases reported since Monday afternoon. The total should say 1,773 in Orleans County.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments announced today they will no longer be reporting mandatory quarantine data “due to the volume and rapidly changing numbers.”

There are 108 new confirmed Covid cases in the two counties since the last update Monday.

In Orleans County, there are 29 new cases for a total of 1,773 cases since March. The data on those cases will be included in the Wednesday news briefing from the Health Departments.

Today’s data is from the 100 cases in Orleans from Friday through Monday morning. Those 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, 80s and 90s.

Of the new cases, 1 is a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina, 2 are inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility, and 1 is an inmate at the Albion Correctional Facility.

Of those new 100 cases, 14 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans is reporting 114 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation.

Orleans has 19 residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

• Holley Central School said a Middle/High School Teacher has tested positive for Covid-19. The last day the teacher was in school was Monday, January 11.

“The Health Department is still processing this case and we will cooperate with them,” said Brian Bartalo, the district superintendent. “If warranted, any official decision on mandatory quarantining of students or staff members will come directly from the health department. If the health department indicates to us that there is quarantining required for the students (Red Hawks) who may have had close contact with this teacher on Monday, we will reach out to those families ASAP. In the meantime, if you don’t hear from the school district or the department of health, there’s nothing for anyone to do at this time.”

• Lyndonville Central School was notified today that a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member was last present on district property on Jan. 8, District Superintendent Jason Smith said in a notice on the school website. Contact tracing was completed in collaboration with the Orleans County Health Department.  As a result, no students were quarantined and one staff member was quarantined, Smith said.

• Medina Central School is reporting a staff member in the high school and a staff member in the middle school have both tested positive for Covid-19. The Department of Health has determined that no further quarantines are required from school contact other than those who have already been notified, Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, wrote in a letter posted on the district website.

In Genesee County, there are 79 new positive cases for a total of 3,135 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.

Of the new cases, 3 are residents at Genesee Senior Living, 2 are residents at the Batavia VA Medical Center, 2 are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center, and 2 are residents at the New York State Veteran’s Home at Batavia.

Genesee is reporting 35 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 21 residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

The county is reporting two more deaths from Covid. They both resided at Genesee Senior Living and were older than 65. Genesee has now had 37 residents pass away from Covid during the pandemic, including 30 since Dec. 1.

The Section VI Executive Council voted today to allow practice for Low-Moderate Risk winter sports to begin as planned on January 18 which for Niagara-Orleans League schools involves boys and girls swimming.

“We’re a go for Monday. We’re all good,” said Roy-Hart Athletic Director John Grzymala who is a member of the Executive Council.

With teams able to start practice on the 18th the N-O has scheduled its first meets for January 28 with Albion vs. Barker, Medina vs. Akron and Roy-Hart vs. Newfane.

The N-O meets this season will be virtual with each team swimming in its own pool with no spectators allowed. Scores will then be compared by computer program to determine the winner of each individual event and the overall team winners.

The league will have a Tuesday-Thursday- Saturday weekly schedule for the remainder of the 10 meet regular season.

There are also tentative plans to try and hold All-League meets at the end of the season.

“We are excited to begin the winter season for the low to moderate risk sports,” Section President Brett Banker said in a press release. “We are very excited for our athletes, coaches and families. Athletes across our region will be able to return to something that is so important to them.”

However, the Executive Committee added the High Risk winter sports of basketball, wrestling and cheerleading remain on pause pending “further direction from Governor Cuomo’s office.”

“We welcome and are ready to begin High Risk sports as soon as we receive approval from Albany,” Banker continues. “Members of the Executive Committee are confident that member schools, athletic directors, coaches and athletic trainers can provide the same safer and nurturing experiences that we did in the highly successful fall season.”

U.S. senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said every village, town and county government would federal funding to help make up for losses in revenue and increased costs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The senators from New York met with reporters in a Zoom conference call this afternoon to discuss the Direct Support For Communities Act. They both said two federal relief packages haven’t provided needed direct aid to the municipalities, despite their fiscal straits caused by Covid-19.

“State and local aid is vital for New York. It is one of my top priorities,” Schumer told reporters today.

He will become the Senate majority leader next week after Joe Biden is sworn in as president. Schumer will replace Mitch McConnell as majority leader. The Democrats have the majority of the Chamber, which will be 50-50 with Republicans and Democrats, but Vice President Kamala Harris gives the Democrats the majority as a tie-breaker.

Schumer said, “It’s absolutely ridiculous” that there wasn’t bipartisan support for state and local governments in the first two relief packages.

Governments in New York have cut 41,000 jobs due to shrinking revenue, at a time when they are called on to provide more services. Nationwide, Schumer said 1.4 million state and municipal positions have been eliminated during the Covid pandemic.

The Direct Support For Communities Act would “save tens of thousands public service jobs,” Schumer said.

“The jobs are in jeopardy as the pandemic squeezed the local governments dry,” he said.

Schumer said President-elect Biden is “very sympathetic to these issues.”

Gillibrand said the Senate will be much more receptive to the aid for states and local governments once Schumer is the majority leader next week.

“With Chuck as majority leader this will be a billion times easier,” Gillibrand said.

The Direct Support for Communities Act would split the money with half to counties and the other to be shared among cities, towns and villages.

“Without this assistance state and local governments will be left with no good options,” she said.

If the aid doesn’t come to the local and state governments, they will have to cut services and raise taxes on residents and businesses already fiscally strained.

“The national recovery will depend on local and state governments being able to function at full capacity,” she said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

GAINES – Carlton firefighters James Fisher, left, and Ryan Woolston are on a roof responding to a chimney fire at a Ridge Road house.

Fisher lowered a chain that knocked loose the hot materials that were clogging the chimney. Woolston is standing on a ladder that is laying down on the roof to help the firefighters keep their footing on the slick roof.

A motorist passing by called 911 when dark smoke was seen coming out of the chimney. The residents inside didn’t realize there was a fire inside the chimney.

Firefighters were dispatched to the house at 1:38 p.m. Albion and Carlton firefighters both responded.

A Carlton firefighter directs traffic at the scene. There was some fog out early this afternoon.

MEDINA – After a work stoppage of almost six months due to the Covid pandemic, restoration again began in late August/early September on the sandstone building at the four corners of Main Street, known as Bent’s Hall.

Local entrepreneur and Medina native Roger Hungerford purchased the building in 2016, with plans to totally restore it.

It has proven a daunting challenge, much more than Hungerford expected.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Here is the balcony in this photo taken this week as restoration nears completion.

The building had been given to the Orleans Renaissance Group by Bank of America when they left Medina. ORG had hoped to take over the opera house on the third floor, but found themselves owners of the entire building, which they soon learned was in danger of collapsing into the street. Saving it would require more resources than they possessed. They realized they had to find an investor and Hungerford was contacted.

In an interview almost a year ago, Hungerford said the project turned into an engineering nightmare.

His thoughts were reinforced by project superintendent Charlie Spencer of Clarendon, an employee of LeChase Construction of Rochester, which was given the contract to restore the building.

Spencer called the job the most challenging of his career.

This is the first floor of Bent’s Hall looking toward what will be the Harvest Restaurant during the early stages of the restoration. The stairs were only temporary to access the second floor while work was ongoing.

The wide stairway which led from the second floor when the Eagles Club was there has been closed off half way down, with a landing which leads to the new stairs down to the first floor. The original Douglas fir floors have been completely refinished.

Work was in full progress in March when the pandemic hit and all work came to a halt.

“When Governor Cuomo issued orders that any unnecessary construction had to stop, we already had,” Hungerford said.

Hungerford said they thought there might be a surge in Covid cases, but they never thought it would be as bad as it got.

He said the work remaining to finish the project was going to be a large expense, and if they had continued to work, there would be no way to immediately use the building and start recouping his costs.

This photo of one of the boxes in Bent’s Hall opera house was provided by Orleans Renaissance Group several years ago. ORG got the restoration of the building started when it was given to them by Bank of America. They soon realized restoration was more than they could handle and sought a buyer, local entrepreneur Roger Hungerford, who is credited with saving the building from ruin.

This is what the boxes look like today in the opera house. This section of the wall is the first to be painted.

In the meantime, two chefs hired by Hungerford to operate the Harvest Restaurant on the main floor of Bent’s, Lionel Heydel and Jose Ocasio, remained on the payroll, working to develop menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Heydel said the restaurant will make a comeback.

Hungerford was hoping work could be completed enough so the Harvest Restaurant could open this month, followed by the 10 unique hotel rooms on the second floor by the end of February or end of March. He was then hopeful the third floor opera house could be completed by the end of April and they could start booking events for fall. But, with the increase in Covid cases, that is no longer a reality.

He is optimistic about the vaccines which have been developed and said they are an amazing medical breakthrough and a great achievement.

Ten themed hotel rooms will occupy the second floor of Bent’s Hall. Some of the rooms lead off this hallway, which ends at the stairs to the third-floor Bent’s Opera House.

This is the same hallway before restoration began, when the opera ticket window was located near the stairs.

With the 30 workmen able to return, finishing work has been progressing nicely, Spencer said.

“We are happy to be back to work, and everything is going pretty well,” he said.

The original floors in the building are all Douglas fir and have been refinished, and all the window casings are either restored or replaced with historic replicas, Spencer said.

Hungerford said all doors and windows have been replaced or renovated, and the pediment on top of the building is complete.

Kitchen equipment is all lined up ready to be installed in the Harvest Restaurant which will be a highlight when Bent’s Hall is ready to open.

Hungerford founded a company he called Talis Historic Restoration to undertake restoration projects. The company will also be continuing work on Stonehurst Mansion on West Center Street and the former Medina High School, which Hungerford has named Mustang City and plans to turn into high-end loft apartments. He said Talis Historic Restoration started with 10 employees and he foresees it growing to as many as 100 when more historic restoration projects begin across the country.

Spencer said while the work is still challenging, the end is in sight. Work now mostly consists of finishing wood trim, painting and installing electrical outlets, lights and kitchen equipment in the restaurant. He anticipates they could complete the work by late spring.

The restaurant will not only have a sizable dining room, but a bar and private dining room with windows into the kitchen. The vault used by the bank will be left as a historic attraction, Spencer said.

Opening the restaurant got support from the village with the recent approval to cut out a section of curb in front where cars/limousines can pull up and drop off diners.

Bent’s Hall on the corner of Main Street and West Center Street is resplendent as restoration work nears completion. The building sports new or restored windows, a striking pediment and repointed sandstone.

Mark Hungerford, left, and Nate Fisher work on the door to the former bank vault, which will be left in the Harvest Restaurant as an attraction.

Medina Railroad Museum is repeat champion

Photos by Ginny Kropf: The Parade of Lights Committee chairs on Monday presented the Medina Railroad Museum with their plaque and a check for $500 for being the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Reverse Parade of Lights on Nov. 29. From left are volunteer Jerry Kwiatkowski, Grace Stewart, volunteer coordinator; Caitlyn Klotzbach, director of group sales for the museum; Rick Henn, president of the MRRM board; and Jim Hancock and Dave Miller with the Parade of Lights Committee. Absent is museum director Janien Klotzbach.

MEDINA – The Medina Railroad Museum was named Grand Prize winner of Medina’s annual Parade of Lights for the second year in a row.

Representatives of the museum were presented with a plaque, which comes with a $500 prize, by Parade of Lights chairs Jim Hancock and Dave Miller. The award was presented on Monday to museum personnel, volunteer Jerry Kwiatkowski, volunteer coordinator Grace Stewart, museum board president Rick Henn and group sales coordinator Caitlyn Klotzbach, all of whom spent many hours decorating their float.

The museum’s entry, which is a replica of a train depot, was originally built as a promotional tool to promote the museum at train shows and other public events. But staff soon realized, with the addition of some lights (quite a few lights) it was a perfect entry in the parade.

Stewart said they spent a lot of days decorating the float, but they had a lot of fun.

“We were working on it right up until the last minute,” Klotzbach said

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Railroad Museum won the top award in the “reverse” Parade of the Lights on Nov. 29.

Klotzbach said they added more lights to the float this year. She counted them and said there were 7,500. They might add even more next year, she said. Their goal is to win the grand prize three years in a row.

Hancock said the judges’ decision was almost unanimous.

“This was a very unusual year, and we didn’t know what to expect,” Hancock said, referring to their decision to have a reverse parade, due to the pandemic.

“We didn’t expect 1,200 cars,” said Dave Miller, who helped organize the parade with Hancock and the rest of the parade committee. “A lot of people were not happy with the long lines.”

“They would have complained a lot more if you hadn’t done a parade at all,” said Grace Stewart, volunteer coordinator at the museum.

“I think it was an overwhelming success, considering all things,” Hancock said. “We had fewer floats, mostly due to the fact schools and some businesses were closed. We had 18 floats, and we are grateful for that.”

Hancock said this year they hope to be back to normal and back on Main Street.

Prizes for the parade are made possible through corporate sponsors and community donations.

The Railroad Museum is currently operating under temporary hours, due to Covid. They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“We are crossing our fingers we will be able to have Thomas this year,” Klotzbach said.

From left, Grace Stewart, volunteer coordinator at the Medina Railroad Museum; Rick Henn, president of the museum board; and Caitlyn Klotzbach, director of group sales and granddaughter of the museum’s founder Marty Phelps, pose with their plaque for being the grand prize winner in the Reverse Parade of Lights in November. This is the second year the museum has won the grand prize with their elaborately decorated train depot.

Program targeted to people with income loss due to Covid

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Dean Bellack, right, director of United Way of Orleans County, met Monday morning with staff from Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern and Community Action of Orleans and Genesee to announce a $100,000 grant from Eastman Savings and Loan to United Way of Orleans County. The money will be divided evenly between GOMOC and Community Action to help people with housing needs attributed to Covid-19. With Bellack are, clockwise from left, Lydia Duncan, client advocate from Ministry of Concern; Nyla Gaylord, director of Ministry of Concern; Annette Finch, director of emergency services at Community Action; Michelle Figueroa, emergency services case worker at Community Action; and Jeanette Worsley, housing stability specialist at Community Action.

ALBION – A $100,000 grant from Eastman Savings and Loan is the latest funding to be announced by United Way of Orleans County, through which the money is funneled.

Dean Bellack, executive director of United Way, met with staff from Community Action and Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern on Monday morning to formally announce the grant, which will be divided evenly between the two agencies to help people with rents, past due mortgages and utilities they cannot pay due to Covid. This money must be allocated between now and June.

United Way will get $10,000 of the grant for administrative costs.

Meeting with Bellack from Community Action were Annette Finch, director of Emergency Services; Michelle Figueroa, emergency services case worker; and Jeanette Worsley, housing stability specialist. From Ministry of Concern were director Nyla Gaylord, and client advocate Lydia Duncan.

Worsley and Duncan will run the program, with guidance from Finch and Gaylord, Finch said.

Finch stressed that people who want to apply for help through this program must present proof of their hardship due to Covid, and/or loss of income due to Covid.

Gaylord said she feels there are many people with higher incomes who are suffering because they have never had to ask for help and hesitate to do so.

Appointments to apply for financial aid from this grant must be made by calling Community Action at 589-5605 and asking for Worsley or Figueroa; or Ministry of Concern at 589-9210 and asking for Duncan. Worsley will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Duncan will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Gaylord said Ministry of Concern also has other money available to help people with car payments and insurance.

“Getting this extra grant is frosting on the cake,” she said.

Finch praised Bellack for his insight in making Orleans County more visible to large corporate donors outside the county.

‘NY has had a tax-and-spend problem and population exodus way before this virus hit it.’ – Assemblyman Michael Norris

Photo from Governor’s Office: Andrew Cuomo delivers his 11th State of the State Address today in Albany.

State legislators and organizations have issued statements to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State Address. Here are some of the responses:

Bob Duffy, CEO and president of Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and former lieutenant governor:

“It has been a long and challenging 11 months for the Finger Lakes region, and yet as the Governor alluded, the fight is not over. We need to conquer COVID-19 and reopen our businesses. We need to address inequities and disparities to ensure safety and opportunity for all. We need to revive and reinvigorate our economy.

“Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce supports the Governor’s ‘Reimagine, Rebuild, Renew’ agenda and its proposals to address the critical issues facing New York, create new opportunities for employment and revenue, and safely reopen and reenergize our regional economy.

“We agree with the Governor that this is a critical time for New York State and the Finger Lakes region to learn and grow from the challenges that we have faced, and take strategic action to prepare for what the future might hold. We look forward to working with the Governor and his team in the coming year to jumpstart New York’s economic resurgence, and create a safer, more just state.”

Peter Baynes, executive director of the New York State Conference of Mayors:

“New York’s cities and villages are suffering through tremendous fiscal pain caused solely by the Covid-induced economic slowdown. NYCOM is happy to hear Governor Cuomo’s call in his State of the State address for additional transportation infrastructure funding and increased efforts to avoid urban decline.

“We also fully support his oft-stated belief that the federal government should not shift its burdens down to local and state governments. Nor, may we add, should state governments push their problems onto the government closest to the people. Therefore, we call on the Governor to release the more than $250 million in municipal aid the Division of Budget has withheld from aid payments included in the 2020-21 state budget. Only by working together will New York State and its local governments be able to crush Covid and renew our economy.”

David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau president:

“New York faces daunting health and economic challenges, many created by the Covid-19 pandemic that continues to impact our rural communities, farm families and employees. Governor Cuomo’s State of the State overview address highlighted many needs including vaccinating our population quickly and effectively while also being creative in boosting our economy.

“Investment in infrastructure and affordable rural broadband are important steps. We also look forward to hearing more from the Governor in the coming days on his plans for green energy, economic development and support of our local food system that was affected greatly this past year. Our farm communities play a valuable role in strengthening this state, and New York Farm Bureau looks forward to working together with the Governor to move New York forward.”

Robert Schneider, New York State School Boards Association executive director:

“We look forward to hearing more about Gov. Cuomo’s proposals for public education in 2021, but we are heartened by his commitment to achieving educational equity in New York. The coronavirus pandemic has furthered the digital divide and exacerbated existing inequities. The governor’s proposed investment to make broadband more affordable is a critical step. With proper funding, schools may be able to provide laptops and tablets for students, but if students don’t have reliable access to the Internet, these devices are of little value.

“It will be important, however, that any plan for bringing more support and opportunities to the state’s most vulnerable students does not drain resources from other students, who also need and deserve our support and encouragement to pursue bright futures.

“The governor is right to emphasize the federal role in helping New York students recover and thrive in the wake of this pandemic and the economic hardships it has provoked. NYSSBA stands ready to work with our state leaders to ensure that all of our schools receive adequate financial support for their recovery, for the sake of all of our students.”

Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia:

“Today during the State of the State the governor talked a lot about his solutions, his ideas, and how he knew better than anybody else the pain New Yorkers have endured. The response was characteristic of the governor’s handling of this pandemic, as he’s now for months clung onto his emergency powers while everyday New Yorkers have been left voiceless as their communities wither. This pandemic is too great a challenge for one man to take on alone, and the people of our state deserve to have their concerns brought to light by the representatives they elected to do so.”

Assemblyman Michael Norris, R-Lockport:

“Here are the real facts before Covid-19 even existed: New York has led the nation in population loss, with over one million people leaving over the past decade for greener pastures, our debt is second in the nation only to California, and our state budget with mounting deficits every year continues to be larger than states like Florida and Texas.

“Now with the COVID-19 crisis, the state faces a $15 billion deficit, small businesses and restaurants have been forced to shut down due to no fault of their own, thousands of workers are unemployed and employers struggling to survive, and many parents are attempting to educate their children from home with no access to broadband.

“Covid-19 has shaken our state and its economy, but New York has had a tax-and-spend problem and population exodus way before this virus hit it. There is no question that the virus has pushed New York even closer to the brink.

“We don’t need any more talk. We need action. We need to get our restaurants and small businesses currently restricted or closed opened safely and provide them real relief to recover. We need to ensure the allocated vaccinations are being distributed promptly. We need broadband access available at every home, business and farm, now. Lastly, we need to be bold and reimagine how we operate this state’s finances so hardworking taxpayers and families are no longer forced to leave because of high taxes and burdensome state regulations.”

State Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, Minority Leader in Senate

“I’m glad to see the Governor is focused on reopening the economy. We’ll see what that looks like. There wasn’t a lot of details to a lot of the proposals.”

“He failed to recognize we had a $6 billion deficit before the pandemic. He talked about the $15 billion and all these other issues, but there was no real mention of the $6 billion hole that we were in absent of the pandemic. I think that is important to take into account and how we are going to address that.”

Will Barclay, State Assembly Minority Leader from Pulaski:

“This year’s State of the State Address should have been a moment focused on New York’s recovery, with specific plans, details and optimism that 19.5 million New Yorkers have been waiting for. While we’re told additional information will be forthcoming, we hope to receive more substance than a compilation of previous briefings and additional finger-pointing at Washington, D.C.

“Fortunately, Gov. Cuomo acknowledged the need for fiscal recovery and greater commitment to infrastructure, improving broadband access and reinforcing the state’s health care preparedness. Certainly, I agree with him on these goals. But he presented far too little on help for small businesses, direct assistance to families, future logistics on state’s slow vaccination roll-out or how he plans to address New York’s mounting debt and precarious budget deficit.

“The governor has chosen to provide three more presentations this week, and I look forward to future proposals containing more substage than we heard today. After all they endured in 2020, New Yorkers don’t need more words from their elected officials — they need immediate action.”

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli:

“Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State message outlined a strong agenda for New York as we navigate through unprecedented challenges. I commend the Governor for his emphasis on beating the Covid-19 pandemic and on improving public health.

“The Governor properly underscored the urgency of federal assistance to address the economic and revenue damage New York has suffered. In the coming days, I look forward to hearing his proposals on other key issues, including racial equality, criminal justice reform and improving the election process.”

Photo courtesy of the Kiebala family: Jack and Cynthia Kiebala of Medina are Buffalo Bills season ticket holders the past 48 years. They were happy to be back in the stands on Saturday with son Andrew and grandson Toby for the Bills 27-24 win over the Colts.

Buffalo Bills fans have been given the OK from the state to attend Saturday’s playoff game versus the Baltimore Ravens.

The crowd size will be limited to about 6,700 fans, the same number as Saturday when the Bills defeated the Indianapolis Colts 27-24 in the Bills first playoff victory in about 25 years.

The Bills didn’t have any fans in the stands for its first eight games of the regular season. The state worked with the team on a pilot for Saturday, and Governor Andrew Cuomo today said the pilot plan was successful.

Fans for this Saturday’s game will be allowed to attend the game only after first obtaining a negative Covid-19 test result and adhering to all public health precautions. Contact tracing will also be conducted after the game and tailgating remains prohibited. This plan was developed cooperatively between the Bills, the New York State Department of Health and BioReference Laboratories.

“It was a great joy to see the Buffalo Bills win their first home playoff game in more than two decades in front of thousands of New York fans on Saturday, and we’re looking forward to extending that winning streak this week,” Cuomo said. “New York’s first-in-the-nation pilot plan to reopen Bills Stadium to fans went smoothly. The success of our pilot plan depends on individual behavior as well as collective measures, and I urge Bills fans to stay safe and follow the rules as we look to another exciting game. Go Bills!”

The continued success of this plan will help inform the re-opening of entertainment venues across New York, Cuomo said.

Once inside the stadium, fans are required to wear a mask at all times and adhere to strict social distancing protocols. Fans who refuse to comply with these protocols will be removed from the stadium. Ushers will also be present throughout the stadium to ensure all fans are in compliance with the public health protocols and rules of conduct.

Buffalo Bills owners Kim and Terry Pegula said, “We felt the energy from our fans last Saturday at the stadium and we know our coaches and players appreciated the support on the field. We have worked with the Governor, his team and BioReference to ensure we will host fans again on Saturday night. They have all been great partners in this process. We want to thank our fans for following the safety guidelines, and remind the fans coming Saturday to please wear your mask, socially distance and follow the rules. Be safe. Be smart. Be loud!”

Genesee passes 3,000 Covid cases during pandemic

In the first update since Friday, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported 100 new Covid-19 cases in Orleans and 170 in Genesee.

Orleans County is only reporting 100 positive cases since late Friday through Monday. The Health Departments expect the data will be updated in tomorrow’s report. There will be no data chart for today.

• Albion Central School reports a hybrid learner from the High School has tested positive for Covid-19. The high school student was last in school on Jan. 5.

Students and staff members deemed to have been in close contact with the student have been identified by the district and will be notified by the Department of Health.

• Holley Central School reports two students have tested positive for Covid-19. The first is a high school student in the Alternative High School program and the second is an Elementary School student.

The last day the Alternative High School student was in person was Monday, Jan. 4, and the Elementary School student was last in school on Thursday, Jan. 7.

The health department has informed the district that students and staff connected to both of these cases will be quarantined. Given the unique setting of the Alternative High School, that program will be fully remote for all students at least until Friday, Jan. 15. The students and staff who will be quarantined for close contact of the Elementary School student have also been notified.

In Genesee County, the 170 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 3,056 positive cases. ( The county’s population totaled 57,280 in the 2019 Census estimate.)

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 is reporting 155 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are 21 Genesee residents who are hospitalized due to Covid.

Of the new cases, 8 are residents at the Leroy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, 7 are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Batavia, and 2 are residents at the Batavia VA Medical Center.

• Health Alert – People should monitor themselves for symptoms of Covid-19 if they were at Tully’s Good Times in Batavia from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 3rd.

If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.

Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.