By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 January 2021 at 3:08 pm
Charles Schumer, the Democratic Party leader in the U.S. Senate, is calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office after a mob took over the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
“What happened at the U.S. Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by President Trump,” Schumer said today. “This president must not hold office one day longer.”
Schumer said Vice President Mike Pence and Cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment to have Trump out of office today.
“If the Vice President and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress must reconvene to impeach President Trump,” Schumer said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also wants the 25th Amendment invoked against Trump “for committing an unspeakable assault against our nation and our people.”
If the VP and Congress don’t act, Pelosi said Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment.
Congressman Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, also is joining the calls for Trump to be ousted from office, and not wait until Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20.
“We have reached a dangerous point in our democracy,” Higgins said in a statement today. “The President’s incendiary words and actions have directly resulted in the domestic terrorist mob scene that caused damage to our Capitol building – an attempted to halt the transition of power. Make no mistake, his actions would be to disrupt the transition of the President-elect.”
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigned from the Trump Cabinet today. Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s former chief of staff, also resigned from a diplomatic post, citing the president’s role in the Capitol siege. Stephanie Grisham, First Lady Melania Trump’s chief of staff, quit on Wednesday after the storming of the Capitol.
Trump’s Twitter and Facebook accounts have both been suspended. The White House issued this statement on behalf of the president today: “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 7 January 2021 at 2:55 pm
Contributed Photos – In action here from the Bills basketball team’s 1981 contest against the Lyndonville faculty Bills All-Pro linebacker Jim Haslett moves in to defend as Mark Hughes passes the ball up court.
Local sports fans will have a featured attraction on TV on Saturday afternoon as for the first time in many years the Buffalo Bills will host a playoff game facing the Indianapolis Colts.
However, for many yearslocal sports fans had the opportunity to see and meet some of their favorite Bills players, not on the football field but on the basketball court.
Packed gyms were the normwhen the Bills basketball team came to town to play a benefit game. From the mid 1960’s until the mid 1990’sMedina, Albion, Lyndonville and Middleport were frequent stops on the Bills cagers late winter/early spring schedule of games around Western New York.
And the list of Bills players who competed locally over the years is an impressive one including Jim Kelly, Cornelius Bennett, Jim Haslett, Lou Piccone, Joe DeLamiellure, Shane Conlan, Jerry Butler and Darryl Talley.
Some of the squads who provided the opposition during these benefit contests included the Medina, Albion and Lyndonville faculties, the Medina All-Stars, the New York Correctional Officers, the Medina Jaycees, the Orleans All-Stars and the Mr. Ed’s team from Middleport.
The contests often included trick plays, such as a field goal attempt for a basket and audience participation hijinks, especially when Lou “Conehead” Piccone was on hand.
However probably the most popular part of the event was the post game autograph session where fans could get the opportunity to get an autograph, take a picture with and talk to some of their favorite Bills players.
From that same game at Lyndonville Bills side receiver Lou Piccone drives for a layup against Wes Bradley.
In a game at Medina, Lou Piccone lines up to try a three-pointer – field goal style. Keith Moody is the holder while blocking on the line, from left, are Dennis Johnson, Rod Kush, Ken Jones (checking signals), Dee Hardison (being blocked by Jim Hancock) and Joe DeLamielleure.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 January 2021 at 1:41 pm
‘Her heart was very much with the poor. She’d do anything for the poor.’
ALBION – The death of Sister Marian Adrian comes as a shock to those who knew her and a great loss to the community.
Sister Marian Adrian
The Orleans and Genesee County areas will remember Sister Marian as the advocate for migrant workers and a stout supporter of the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern.
Sister Dolores Dowd of Albion, a fellow sister of the Grey Nuns, called Sister Marian “a good and loyal friend.”
“Her heart was very much with the poor,” Sister Dolores said. “She’d do anything for the poor.”
Sister Marian died Dec. 14 at her retirement home in Philadelphia, where she moved in 2015 to join her sister Grey Nuns in retirement.
“Sister Marian was a passionate advocate for migrant workers and rural poor living in Orleans and Genesee counties, and was instrumental in the growth the development of the Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern from the 1970s on,” said Nyla Gaylord, the current director of GOMOC. “As a Grey Nun, she frequently had the opportunity to speak at Catholic churches in the Buffalo area. The passion with which she spoke made an enduring impression on those who heard her and many responded by becoming faithful donors.
Gaylord spoke to Sister Marian on the phone just two weeks before her death to tell her about a donation GOMOC had received because of a talk Sister Marian had done years ago.
Nyla Gaylord, executive director of the Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern, visits Sister Marian Adrian at her apartment near Philadelphia in 2017.
“She was so effective as a fundraiser,” Gaylord said. “She kept in touch with her students and was a great correspondent. More than 30 years ago she spoke at a church in Clarence, and one of the congregation who heard her just sent us a generous donation.”
Gaylord also shared a story about another $1,000 check they received from a man whose wife had just died. In going through her checkbook, he found she had been supporting the Ministry of Concern, so he sent another check in his wife’s memory.
“Sister Marian was a perfect example of the Bible verse in John 4:37, which reads, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ We are reaping today the seeds she sowed, which is enabling Ministry of Concern to continue its work.”
A wise investor, Sister Marian’s legacy gifts to the Ministry of Concern have established a strong foundation of resources that will help ensure the long-term continuation of this organization, Gaylord said.
Sister Marian was born in 1930 in Buffalo, an only child. She graduated from Holy Angels Academy, where she taught from 1954 to 1969. She earned a bachelor of arts in mathematics from D’Youville College in 1951, a master’s degree in philosophy from Catholic University in Washington, D.D. in 1960 and received her Ed D in science from Buffalo State in 1977. She held New York permanent certification in general science and physics, as well as mathematics. She is credited with several publications on science and relationships.
Sister Marian first came to Albion to visit and saw a child with no shoes walking in the snow. That touched her and set the path her life would follow. She became acquainted with the Rev. Tim Hoyt from Holley, who worked with migrant workers.
“She made a profound impact on people’s lives by sharing reality with them, particularly the young women at Holy Angels Academy,” Gaylord said.
Sister Marian started a summer mission program where the young ladies from Holy Angels would come to Albion to work with the migrants. This was before the War on Poverty and before any government funding for migrant workers. The young ladies who spent the summers here paid their own expenses.
Sister Marian was extraordinary for her time, Gaylord said. She taught math and science when women then didn’t go into those fields. She taught at Albion for 22 years and then became director of the GOMOC from 1991 to 2006. After stepping down as director, she supported the agency as director of development, director of communication and director of education, until retiring in 2006. She continued to volunteer for another year until her retirement.
As one of the founders of the Ministry of Concern, Sister Marian’s purpose was to give people “a hand-up rather than a hand-out.”
Gaylord called Sister Marian “an extraordinary woman who exemplified the mission of her order: “to be signs of God’s constant and unconditional love for every person.”
Sister Marian’s burial will be private due to restrictions caused by the pandemic. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Arrangements were completed by the Beck-Givnish Funeral Homes in Philadelphia.
MEDINA – Orleans/Niagara BOCES Art teacher Tom O’Brien is known for working on murals and public art in the Buffalo area. Over the past few years he has also been working with the Buffalo Bills for the “My Cause, My Cleats” charitable campaign in the NFL.
“I had an artist friend of mine approach me to see if I wanted to work with some of the players on the designs,” O’Brien said. “I started out working with Robert Woods and then the following year I worked with Josh Allen and some of the other players. I also work with the coaches and their wives. It’s a lot of fun collaborating with them and I am humbled that they allow me to part of it.”
“My Cause, My Cleats” is in an initiative in which players design cleats to support a charitable cause of their choosing. The cleats are then auctioned off, with proceeds going to that charity.
O’Brien says he has gotten to hang out with the players or the coaches in the locker room during the practices or would have lunch with them to discuss ideas for their cleats. Now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Zoom calls are the norm.
“They will meet with me two to three days and we exchange ideas about what their cause is and I try to use my skills to give them what they want,” O’Brien said.
Asked about the fantastic season they are having, he says it is hard not to be a fan.
“I have so much respect for them as people and of course I am so proud of them and the year they are having,” he said. “I have to thank them for all they do for the community and the causes they highlight. They are a wonderful group of people. I am very proud to be part of the Bills Mafia.”
Mr. O’Brien also has his own fans – his students at the Orleans Learning Center and Newfane Learning Center.
“I love being a teacher and working with these kids,” he said. “I work with a great group of educators and I am really happy to be working at Orleans/Niagara BOCES.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 January 2021 at 9:03 am
MEDINA – 2020 may have been a challenging year, but it was, nevertheless, one in which the Butts-Clark American Legion Post received extraordinary support from the community to accomplish several goals.
Commander Glenn Whitmore and vice commander Steve Johnson have joined to say thank you to the businesses and individuals who helped the Legion in any way last year.
Steve Johnson holds a picture of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post building when it was a stone structure in 1914, where William Gallagher rented wagons and carriages.
When Medina Mayor Mike Sidari was given two artillery shells by the Leo Dolan American Legion Post in Lockport, he asked members of the American Legion in Medina if they could do anything with them.
Medina members decided they could and set forth in what would become a true community project.
First, Phinney Tool and Die (Whistler) fixed the caps on the end of the projectiles. Ed Wojtkowski of Gasport Welding and Fabrication made bases for them out of stainless steel.
The late Joe Perry, superintendent of the Medina Department of Public Works and a member of the American Legion, agreed to mount them.
Lyons Collision painted them. Landscaping was done by Dave Walker, a Vietnam veteran.
All this was done free of charge or at reduced prices, said Steve Johnson, vice commander of the Medina post.
The shells are now part of the permanent Vietnam memorial at the north end of the Legion building.
Next on the Legion’s agenda in 2020 was painting of their building.
“We were given tremendous price breaks in our endeavor,” Johnson said.
Bids went out for painters, and Craig Royal got the job, with Scott Grimm and Jeff Gay, who scraped and patched the exterior. Because it was for veterans, Royal agreed to do the work for the cost of the materials.
“We got two coats of paint for the price of the materials,” Johnson said.
Steve Johnson, vice commander of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post, commander Glenn Whitmore (standing) and Peter Huth discuss the many organizations and individuals who donated time, labor and services to the Legion in 2020.
The post had not been painted since Garrick Insurance was located there. The American Legion has been there 30 years, Johnson said.
The building has been there since before 1914. A picture on the wall in the Legion shows the building in 1914, when it was sandstone and occupied by William Gallagher, who rented wagons and carriages.
At some time in history, concrete was applied over the sandstone, and before painting could begin last year, Glen Giltner gave them a price break on repairing the concrete.
Finally, John Doyle agreed to seal the blacktop parking lot at cost.
They also received special considerations from Cusimano’s Pizza.
In addition, the late Joe Perry contacted National Grid and got them to remove a tree which was leaning on the building. After that, the village removed the stump and brush.
The side entrance was sided by Lakeview Sheds, who did a tremendous job, Johnson said. The Mennonites also gave them a break on the labor.
When they replaced the heating and air conditioning recently, they got special consideration from Todd Houseman Heating and Air Conditioning in Oakfield.
“If we’ve missed thanking anybody, I apologize,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t have done this without the support of all these people in the community.”
Johnson said before any of the work could be done they had to get approval from the village for improvements to the exterior, due to the historic designation of Main Street.
One big, very important step remains, Johnson said. And that is to obtain permission from the village to have a 26-foot long furled American flag painted on the south end of the building. It will be a commanding sight to those driving down Main Street, the veterans said.
The Butts-Clark American Legion Post has 170 members, but only about 10 are really active.
The post hasn’t been able to be open during most of last year, due to Covid-19 restrictions and concerns and post meetings were canceled for five months.
They still have 15 or so turn up on Tuesday mornings for coffee and donuts, while practicing social distancing.
Every Tuesday, when there is a funeral at the National Veterans’ Cemetery in Pembroke, the Orleans County Honor Guard, which includes members from the Medina Legion and VFW posts, participates by providing a 21-gun salute. Jim Freas is in charge of organizing that.
The Legion and VFW are always looking for new members and any veteran is encouraged to contact either or both organizations about joining.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2021 at 9:14 pm
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has deployed 1,000 members of the New York National Guard to the nation’s capital for up to two weeks “to aid and facilitate in the peaceful transition of presidential power.”
Cuomo said he acted at the request of United State National Guard officials in response to a mob overtaking the Capitol this afternoon.
“This deployment will not impact our state’s ongoing efforts to contain and combat the Covid virus,” Cuomo said. “For 244 years, the cornerstone of our democracy has been the peaceful transfer of power, and New York stands ready to help ensure the will of the American people is carried out, safely and decisively. God bless our brave men and women in uniform, and God bless the United States of America.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2021 at 5:00 pm
Genesee reports 2 more deaths for 28 since Dec. 1
There are 87 more confirmed Covid-19 cases to report today in Genesee and Orleans counties, including 26 at nursing homes in Batavia and Le Roy, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported in an afternoon daily news briefing.
In Orleans County, there are 34 new positive cases of Covid, bringing the total to 1,535 positive cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and the 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, 6 were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
Orleans today also is reporting 42 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There 17 Orleans County residents hospitalized with Covid, down from 19 on Tuesday.
The G-O Health Departments said 1 individual has been removed from yesterday’s total due to the person not being a resident of Orleans County.
Albion Central School reports today that three staff members have tested positive for Covid-19. Two work in the Elementary School and the other works district-wide.
They were last in school on Dec. 23. Due to the 48-hour lookback period, the Department of Health determined there was no need for contact tracing or the quarantine of additional students and staff members, the district stated on its website.
Holley Central School is reporting an elementary teacher has tested positive for Covid-19. The last day the teacher was in school was Monday.
“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.”
Medina Central School on Monday reported several cases from winter break. Anyone associated with these cases due to school contact has already been contacted, Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said in a letter.
The positive cases include a student and a staff member in the high school, three students and one teacher in the middle school, two students and two teachers in the elementary school.
In Genesee County, 53 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 for a total of 2,759 positive 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 also is reporting today that 47 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 25 residents hospitalized with Covid, up from 21 on Tuesday.
Of the new cases, 16 are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Batavia, 7 are residents at the LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, 2 are residents at Genesee Senior Living in Batavia, and 1 is a resident at the New York State Veterans’ Home at Batavia.
Genesee is reporting two more deaths due to Covid, for 35 during the pandemic and 28 since Dec. 1. The deaths reported today include a resident of Genesee Senior Living and a resident at Leroy Village Green. Both of the individuals were over 65 years old.
“We will not be releasing any further information to protect the privacy of the individual and their family,” the G-O Health Departments said. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of these individuals during this difficult time.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2021 at 4:01 pm
Supporters of President Donald Trump pushed through barriers and security to breach the U.S. Capitol building today at about 1 p.m., stopping the count to certify the electoral vote for Joe Biden.
The breach by the protestors prompted members of Congress to be evacuated.
Area elected officials have issued the following statements:
State Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda: “As a veteran, I’ve proudly fought for American’s right to protest peacefully. There is nothing peaceful about the chaos in Washington today. This is NOT who we are.”
Congressman Chris Jacobs, R-Orchard Park: “I condemn the violence and destruction that is taking place in our nation’s capital in the strongest possible terms. While our country cherishes peaceful protest, this current behavior is unacceptable and has no place in a democracy. I urge all protestors to immediately and peacefully leave the Capitol building and the surrounding area and to follow the instructions of law enforcement personnel.”
Congressman Joe Morelle, D-Rochester: “I am safe and sheltering in place while the Capitol is on lockdown. There is no place in our democracy for this violence. It must stop.”
Congressman Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo: “The US Capitol is a sacred space — a building at the literal center of our capital and central to our democracy. The actions of protestors today, egged on by the outgoing President to disrupt the certification of electrical votes of what is a ceremonial formality, should be seen by all Americans as a challenge to the legitimacy of our democracy. This is domestic terrorism and it has no place in America.”
Congressman Tom Reed, R-Corning: “Violence such as what we are seeing at the Capitol is absolutely unacceptable. We must de-escalate the situation immediately. We are Americans and do not do this.
“My heart breaks for our nation right now. Our country and its beautiful democracy is better than this. Our Constitution calls for the civil transition of power and though we may not agree with the election results, we must agree to always act with honor and civility towards all. We believe in the right to peacefully protest, but we must emphatically reject these horrible instances of physical attacks on our governing institutions and let democracy proceed.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo: “The cornerstone of our democracy is the peaceful transfer of power. We must call this what it actually is: a failed attempt at a coup. This is the final chapter of an incompetent, cruel, and divisive administration that has trampled on the Constitution and the rule of law at every turn, and we won’t let President Trump, the members of Congress who enable him, or the lawless mob that stormed our nation’s Capitol steal our democracy. The election results are clear and the will of the American people will be carried out.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia: “We have our First Amendment for a reason, violence is never acceptable regardless of what you believe politically. We are a people of one nation, regardless of political beliefs.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement regarding the objections to the certification of the Electoral College.
“There is no question the presidential election was contentious and conducted under trying circumstances, leading several states to make unprecedented changes to their electoral systems without the authorization of their respective state legislatures as the Constitution dictates. This troubling fact, along with countless reports of election irregularities, has left many Americans with valid concerns about the integrity of the November 3rd presidential election because these concerns have yet to be properly adjudicated.
“I have a duty to represent my constituents and a constitutional duty to ensure the security and integrity of our elections. I do not take this decision lightly, but for these reasons feel it necessary to object to the certification of the electoral votes from contested states.
“The American people must have confidence in their elections, and I intend to work to restore that trust. As such, I will support efforts to achieve a full review of the actions taken by states that have led to the widespread distrust that now exists. I feel it is imperative to allow for this crucial national conversation to be debated in public on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Governor will include the proposals in State of the State
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a proposal to legalize and create a comprehensive system to oversee and regulate cannabis in New York as part of the 2021 State of the State.
Cuomo also will propose legislation to authorize mobile sports wagering as part of the 2021 State of the State.
Under the Governor’s proposal, a new Office of Cannabis Management would be created to oversee the new adult-use cannabis program, as well as the State’s existing medical and cannabinoid hemp programs.
Additionally, an equitable structure for the adult-use market will be created by offering licensing opportunities and assistance to entrepreneurs in communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. Once fully implemented, legalization is expected to generate more than $300 million in tax revenue.
“Despite the many challenges New York has faced amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, it has also created a number of opportunities to correct longstanding wrongs and build New York back better than ever before,” Cuomo said. “Not only will legalizing and regulating the adult-use cannabis market provide the opportunity to generate much-needed revenue, but it also allows us to directly support the individuals and communities that have been most harmed by decades of cannabis prohibition.”
The Governor’s proposal builds on years of work to understand and decriminalize cannabis for adult use. In 2018, the Department of Health, under Governor Cuomo’s direction, conducted a multi-agency study which concluded that the positive impacts of legalizing adult-use cannabis far outweighed the negatives. It also found that decades of cannabis prohibition have failed to achieve public health and safety goals and have led to unjust arrests and convictions particularly in communities of color.
In 2019, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to decriminalize the penalties for unlawful possession of marijuana. The legislation also put forth a process to expunge records for certain marijuana convictions.
The new proposal reflects national standards and emerging best practices to promote responsible use, limiting the sale of cannabis products to adults 21 and over and establishing stringent quality and safety controls including strict regulation of the packaging, labeling, advertising, and testing of all cannabis products.
Cannabis regulation also offers the opportunity to invest in research and direct resources to communities that have been most impacted by cannabis prohibition.
Operator of online sports wagering needs to partner with a licensed casino
With the proposal for mobile sports wagering, the New York State Gaming Commission will issue a request for proposals to select and license a sports operator or platform to offer mobile sports wagering in New York.
This operator or platform must have a partnership with one of the existing licensed commercial casinos. The Commission will also require any entity operating mobile wagering apps include safeguards against abuses and addiction.
“At a time when New York faces a historic budget deficit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the current online sports wagering structure incentivizes a large segment of New York residents to travel out of state to make online sports wagers or continue to patronize black markets,” Cuomo said. “New York has the potential to be the largest sports wagering market in the United States, and by legalizing online sports betting we aim to keep millions of dollars in revenue here at home, which will only strengthen our ability to rebuild from the Covid-19 crisis.”
The sports gambling market is evolving rapidly. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court in Murphy v. NCAA overturned a federal law prohibiting most states from authorizing sports wagering. Sports wagering is now legal online in 14 states, including the bordering states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, while it is only legal in New York at the four Upstate commercial gaming facilities and Native American gaming facilities.
An industry study found that nearly 20 percent of New Jersey’s sports wagering revenue comes from New York residents, costing the State millions of dollars in lost tax revenue, Cuomo’s office said.
Press Release, New York State Association of Counties
With New York State reaching grim milestones in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, county executives from around the state held a press briefing on Tuesday where they pledged to help the state increase their vaccine distribution efforts.
“Since the beginning of this pandemic, county leaders have been the onsite generals in this battle against the novel coronavirus,” said Stephen J. Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. “Now, they are sitting on the bench waiting to get into the vaccine game so that they can do their part in the next phase of this pandemic. To be successful in this vital task, county leaders are now looking for information and data so that they can answer questions and help coordinate the distribution of the vaccine in their communities.”
“At the end of the day, the response to a public health concern begins and ends with local health departments. We have the plans in place, we just need to be empowered to activate them and implement them. We also need access to data so that we can track who is accessing vaccines and where we need to direct resources,” said NYSCEA President and Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. “This will be the most important role we’ve ever undertaken. As someone who’s lost a loved one to this, I think it’s my mission as a local elected official to make sure we have the most robust, aggressive and efficient vaccination program in America, and I strongly believe we can achieve that if all levels of government work together.”
“We’re on the front lines with the on-the-ground knowledge. We see the people critical to the function of county government who are getting sick and need the vaccine now – police, firefighters, emergency management, 911 dispatchers,” said Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus. “We’re ready and able, we just need the green light to do what we need to do to start making a difference.”
“Our hospital network was not set up for what is going on here, that’s why the county health department should have been used. They’re making the best of a bad situation, but the fact of the matter is we’re wasting resources by duplicating efforts,” said Chemung County Executive Chris Moss. “If we don’t have better data sharing and coordination with the state, this just isn’t going to work.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2021 at 8:56 am
Independence, Green, Libertarian and Serve America Movement all knocked off the ballot
Four political parties in New York State – Independence, Green, Libertarian and the Serve America Movement – did not have enough votes in the last general election to remain a political party with a ballot line.
The state used to have a 50,000-vote threshold to allow ballot status for political parties. But that was changed to a 130,000-vote minimum in December 2019. The presidential election in November was the first with the new higher threshold.
The four parties all missed the mark and don’t have ballot status. The Orleans County Board of Elections has sent letters to registered voters in three of the parties (Green, Libertarian and Independence) advising them their parties no longer have ballot status and won’t be able to participate in a primary going forward. (The Serve America Movement doesn’t have registered voters in Orleans County.)
In Orleans County, the Board of Elections sent letters to 863 registered voters in the Independence Party, 120 in the Libertarian Party and 63 in the Green Party.
Those voters can remain in those parties but their enrollment will be changed to either OTHER-INDEPENDENCE, OTHER-LIBERTARIAN or OTHER-GREEN.
Registered voters in those parties could have the parties appear on the ballot but they would have to submit petitions and meet a signature threshold to have a candidate run as an independent, which would appear on the bottom of a ballot, and not be listed with candidates on parties with ballot status.
The parties with ballot status include Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Working Families. If registered voters in Orleans County from the Green, Libertarian and Independence want to switch to a party with ballot status and participate in a potential primary in June, they need to send a change of enrollment form to the Board of Elections by Feb. 14. Any enrollment change received after Feb. 14 will be effective on June 29.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 January 2021 at 8:24 pm
Norris: Little chance legislation would even be brought to floor for a vote
State Assemblyman Michael Norris, R-Lockport, said his office has received hundreds of phone calls and emails from constituents concerned about legislation in the Assembly, calling for people to be detained who are potentially dangerous to public health.
Norris said the chances of the legislation passing are “extremely slim.” There is one Assembly sponsor and no matching bill in the State Senate, Norris wrote on his Assembly Facebook page.
His staff member, Alex Quinn, relayed Norris’s comments this evening in a conference call with elected officials in Orleans County.
Norris is “adamantly opposed” to the bill – A.416 – introduced by Nick Perry, D-Brooklyn. The issue has been highlighted in recent days by many Republican state legislators, including Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia.
“This bill is unconstitutional on its face and disregards all basic concepts of due process that make us free in this country,” Hawley said in a news release on Monday. “Protecting the health of our neighbors is a noble goal to be certain, but this bill forfeits our constitutional liberty in a way we can never allow.”
Norris said there are thousands of bills introduced in the State Legislature every year, and this bill has very little chance of being passed or even being brought to the floor for a vote.
“I am happy that so many people are engaged and making their voices heard,” Norris wrote on Facebook. “As your representative, I am proud to oppose this bill!”
The Poynter Institute’s Politifact researched the issue and found the legislation was first proposed in 2015 during the Ebola outbreak. It has not gained any traction in the Assembly and has never been heard in committee, Politifact stated, calling it “a dormant, years-old bill.”
Politifact said the legislation has been the subject of rapidly spreading conspiracy theories with some people claiming it’s a scheme by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to throw people into detainment camps.
The legislation was drafted during the Ebola outbreak in 2015, before a vaccine for that disease was approved, Politifact stated.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 January 2021 at 4:31 pm
Hospitalizations due to Covid rise in both counties
The two counties of Genesee and Orleans are reporting 116 more confirmed cases of Covid, and both counties are seeing an increase in hospitalizations due to Covid, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.
In Orleans County, there are 25 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported today, bringing the total to 1,502 positive cases since March.
The new 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, only 1 was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Departments reported.
Orleans also is reporting 20 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
The county has 19 residents currently hospitalized with Covid, up from 16 on Monday..
In Genesee County, there are 91 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 for a total of 2,706 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, 1 is a resident at the LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, where 90 residents have now tested positive for Covid during the pandemic.
Genesee also has 35 more of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized with Covid, up from 11 on Monday and 4 last Wednesday.
Genesee also is reporting two more deaths from Covid, both nursing home residents. One was a resident of Genesee Senior Living and the other lived at Leroy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility. Both of the individuals were over 65 years old.
Genesee has now had 26 residents die since Dec. 1 due to a Covid-related illness.
• Health Alert – People should monitor themselves for symptoms of Covid-19 if they were at Denny’s Restaurant in Batavia from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 or Dec. 30.
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.
• Vaccine Information: Limited clinics are now open for only those in the Priority Group 1A. As of this release the following are included in this group:
All outpatient/ambulatory frontline, high-risk health care workers of any age who provide direct in-person patient care, or other staff in a position in which they have direct contact with patients (i.e. intake staff) will be eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. This includes but is not limited to individuals who work in private medical practices, hospital-affiliated medical practices, public health clinics, specialty medical practices of all types, dental practices of all types, dialysis workers, diagnostic and treatment centers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, phlebotomists, behavioral health workers, and student health workers.
All frontline, high-risk public health workers who have direct contact with patients, including those conducting Covid-19 tests, those handling Covid-19 lab specimens and Covid-19 vaccinations.
Home care workers and aides, hospice workers, personal care aides, and consumer-directed personal care workers,
Staff and residents of nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and adult care facilities.
The vaccine availability is limited and determined by the state. For more information on when it will be available for the general public, keep checking the Genesee and Orleans County Health Department websites or the NYS Department of Health website.
Press Release, Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt
As the Legislative session is set to begin this week, Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) and members of the Republican Conference today unveiled a comprehensive vision to Reset New York.
The plan includes several components to address mounting economic and fiscal challenges facing the State – many of which were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic – and to help forge a better path forward for all New Yorkers.
“Under New York’s one-party control, we have seen a dramatic and unwelcome shift in our state’s priorities,” Ortt said. “Democrats displayed no interest in rebuilding our local economy, lessening the financial burden on our middle class, or stemming the ever-increasing outflow of New York residents fleeing our state. They sought to release dangerous criminals into our communities, undermine our law enforcement, and waste millions of dollars on progressive agenda items. The Covid-19 pandemic has only highlighted the need for immediate action on the unresolved challenges facing our small business community and New York’s hardworking taxpayers.”
The Senate Republicans’ plan includes proposals that prioritize restarting our local economies, rethinking how New York State operates, and renewing a commitment to New York State’s residents to ensure strong, robust communities.
Restart our Local Economies by:
Safely reopening our small businesses to help them get back on their feet and offer gainful employment for residents;
Helping our schools and colleges stay open; and
Investing in our physical and human infrastructure to rebuild our state’s competitiveness.
Rethink how New York State Operates by:
Ending New York State’s unaffordability problem, which has been made worse by the pandemic;
Taking on State government’s culture of overspending and restoring fiscal responsibility; and
Reasserting the Legislature’s constitutional authority as an equal branch of government.
Renew our Commitment to Residents by:
Fostering the growth of vibrant local communities;
Developing a robust economy with diverse opportunities; and
Creating safer neighborhoods with common sense public safety measures.
“New York government is failing its people,” said Deputy Leader Andrew Lanza of Staten Island. “Broken policies have made New York more expensive, less safe and have diminished the quality of life for our residents. We need to change course before it is too late.”
