By Kim Pritt, Contributor Posted 8 August 2020 at 3:00 pm
Let’s go on an adventure together … along Route 20 to Cooperstown!
Making travel plans this year has been challenging, to say the least.
Yes, we’re free to go wherever we want, but … there is so much to consider that we’ve never really had to consider before. Am I comfortable getting on a packed airplane? Will I have to self-quarantine when I return? Does my destination have a quarantine requirement? What, if anything, will be open and available to enjoy when I get there?
Is it all worth it?
Maybe it’ll be OK, maybe it won’t, but everyone has to think about their own comfort level when deciding where to go and whether or not to go. It is definitely a very personal decision, and no one else’s opinion really matters.
Seneca Falls, NY – First convention for women’s rights was held on this corner in 1848.
So, I thought I’d write about some local adventures that I really loved. There is so much to enjoy right here in our own state, where we can get into our own vehicles and not worry about all the quarantine issues. We have the Adirondacks, the Catskills, the Finger Lakes, the North Country, and so much more.
I’m always amazed at the beauty and versatility we have right here that we can devote a few days or a week to exploring.
In this article, I want to take you to Cooperstown, N.Y. and the scenic drive along historic Route 20 to get there.
Don’t you dare think, “not interested in baseball, so not interested in Cooperstown!” Yes, it’s the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but there are lots more reasons to take the time to visit Cooperstown and everything between here and there. Let’s get started.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame has been on my bucket list for years. In September of 2013, I finally decided to take an overnight trip to see it. The plan was to get an early start, drive down via Route 20 with some quick photo stops along the way, arrive in Cooperstown around noon to explore and see the Hall Of Fame, do a bit more exploring the next morning, and head back home that afternoon.
Well … I love having the flexibility to change plans on the fly! My estimated 5-6 hour drive (with photo stops) turned into 10 hours because of all the amazing things I took the time to stop and see along the way.
I had a reservation at a lovely bed and breakfast in downtown Cooperstown that was happy to accommodate me for a second night so I could do everything I wanted to do and not be rushed. So, my overnighter turned into a two-night, three-day adventure that I’ll never forget.
Taking the scenic route is the best way to go. The Thruway would have gotten me there quicker, but I would have missed so much along the way. I was on the road by 5 a.m. and stopped for breakfast in Canandaigua at about 7 a.m.
My first photo stop was the Montezuma Winery, because the sign caught my eye. Much of Route 20 runs right through the Finger Lakes region, and there are many spots where it skirts along the top edge of most of the Finger Lakes, making for some awesome views and photo opportunities.
Chittenango Falls
I spent quite a while – a couple hours – in Seneca Falls. The birthplace of women’s rights is a wonderful little town with a strong history about the very first Women’s Rights Convention that took place long before the suffragette movement got into full swing. The National Women’s Rights Hall of Fame was not open the day I was there, but I did find the Women’s Rights National Historic Park. This is a nice park and visitor’s center with tons of information and displays, including a grouping of statues of the pioneers of women’s rights that you can stand among for a photo op.
I took a park ranger-guided tour and learned all about the first convention held on July 19 and 20, 1848; and I went inside the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, which became known as the congregation interested in free speech for all groups.
Next, I stopped in Skaneateles and spent quite a bit of time window shopping and sitting in a little park beside Skaneateles Lake, enjoying the beautiful day and views. Definitely an upscale small town that offered lots of shopping and relaxing options.
I hear they do Dickens Christmas weekends that are pretty amazing – I hope to do that sometime.
After driving a while, I took a short rest stop at Cazenovia Lake. There was a small parking lot right on the shore of the lake with only a row of boulders keeping me from driving right into the lake!
Shortly after getting back on the road, I saw signs for Chittenango Falls. I do love a good waterfall, so I decided to take a side trip on Route 13N – a steep, long, narrow winding road to the parking area for the park, where I then had to take a small hike to get to the falls.
Wow – definitely worth the time and effort! It was beautiful! A few years later, I visited the falls again, but I got there from the village of Chittenango, which was a much easier way to find it and is a great adventure story for another time.
Just about 10 hours and lots of memories later, I arrived in Cooperstown in time to check into my bed & breakfast and walk downtown for some dinner. There are several sweet looking B&Bs in Cooperstown.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame – downtown Cooperstown, NY
I chose Main Street Bed & Breakfast on – you guessed it – Main Street. It was the perfect choice for me – a lovely and very comfortable Victorian home with friendly hosts who made me feel like family. It was within walking distance of most of the things I had considered doing during my stay.
I loved Cooperstown. It is an awesome small town on Otsego Lake with all the small town charm and appeal. Of course, it takes full advantage of the Baseball Hall of Fame with lots of baseball-themed shops, restaurants and attractions, but there is so much to love for anyone regardless of their interest in baseball.
After I explored a little and had some dinner, I went to the Baseball Hall of Fame. It was getting late, so I wasn’t sure how much I could see, but I discovered that the purchase of a ticket that late in the day also included access the next day. I spent about an hour and a half that first evening and barely made it through the first of three floors.
The next morning, I returned and spent another three hours going through the second and third floors, and revisiting parts of the first floor. It was really amazing!
The hall of plaques of those inducted in the Hall of Fame was quite an experience. There were several people wandering through, looking at the plaques, but no one spoke above a whisper – it was a respectful and emotional room. I thoroughly enjoyed all the time I spent there. If you’re going to include this in your trip, you should definitely allow at least 3 or 4 hours to see it all.
Other places I enjoyed visiting while in Cooperstown included Doubleday Field – the birthplace of baseball, Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum, Otsego Lake – I was happy to see a lighthouse, and just spending time wandering around downtown. It was September, so the leaves were turning; and the town is so quaint, it just made for such a lovely time.
Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY
There are two other main attractions in Cooperstown you should consider including on your visit. They are about a mile outside downtown, so you need to drive there, and they are very close to each other.
The first is the Fenimore Art Museum – an elegant folk art museum sitting on the bank of Otsego Lake. They have a lot of wonderful Native American art exhibits and a café, where I had lunch sitting out on the terrace overlooking the lake and gardens. I think I spent about an hour, plus time for lunch at this museum. (Probably should have spent more time.)
The other attraction is the Farmer’s Museum – a recreation of an 1800s village and working farm. I enjoyed that so much, and I even got to ride the beautiful Empire State Carousel – a hand-crafted carousel that highlights New York State with names of many of the small towns, points of interest, and interesting facts. The animals are not your typical carousel animals – they are all the different animals that can be found in New York State. Plan on at least a couple hours or more to do this museum thoroughly.
Looking for a restaurant recommendation in Cooperstown? I especially enjoyed the Pit Under the Tunnicliff. The Colonial brick building is home to the Tunnicliff Hotel, and The Pit is accessed by the exterior stairs to the basement and is a very eclectic pub with delicious food!
Looking for a two or three-day get away? Consider Cooperstown – take the scenic route – you won’t regret it!
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 August 2020 at 1:37 pm
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board approved a certificate of appropriateness for the front façade at 410 Main St.
Rita Zambito, owner of the building, applied for the certificate. Her son , Michael Zambito, is looking to expand the Zambistro restaurant next door.
The façade would be very similar to the current look at Zambistro.
“It will be exactly the same,” Michael Zambito told the Village Planning Board on Tuesday.
The columns and post will stay. Gooseneck lights will be added above the door.
“We want it to look like one solid building all the way across,” he said.
Zambistro last year completed an addition to dining room.
In other action, the Planning Board:
• Approved a permit for Rebecca Smith to operate a home business at 152 Erin Rd. Smith will do tattoos at her home by appointment only. She has been working in the tattoo business for 30 years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 August 2020 at 11:39 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn’t alone among elected officials in New York State seeking federal funding to preserve local services and stave off property tax hikes.
Cuomo on Friday was joined by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in sending a letter to New York’s Congressional Delegation, seeking $30 billion in federal funding over two years for state and local governments.
The New York State Association of Counties also is pressing the federal government to come through with local government aid due to the loss of revenue and rising expenses from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Over the past several months, we have been assured through the many steps of the legislative process that state and local needs would be addressed in subsequent legislation,” according to the letter from Cuomo, Stewart-Cousins and Heastie. “As it appears as we have now reached the end of that road, it is essential that we receive this assistance without further delay.”
They say that revenues to local and state governments have been in “free fall” during the pandemic while government has spent more to fight the spread of the virus.
“The actions you take in the coming days to address many needs of the pandemic can serve to bolster these efforts while transitioning our state to the next and necessary phase of economic recovery,” Cuomo and the Legislature leaders wrote.
The NYSAC group of county officials across the state also issued a “Last Call to Save Local Jobs and Services” on Friday. They are urging President Trump and congressional leaders to reach an agreement on a stimulus bill that includes direct, flexible aid to states and local governments.
Counties are more than halfway through their budget year and facing the increased costs of fighting Covid-19 while experiencing big drops in revenue.
NYSAC says thousands of jobs, vital services and millions of dollars in economic activity are at risk if Congress fails to act. Congress and the president need to act or else there will be further cuts to local governments that could jeopardize efforts to keep Covid-19 under control and slow the economic recovery, NYSAC said.
“For nearly 6 months, counties have been responding to a pandemic that began as a public health crisis and evolved into an economic crisis,” said John F. Marren, president of NYSAC and chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors. “Counties have tightened their belts to do more with less than anyone ever thought possible—leading the local health response to the virus and providing essential services to support our communities. But local governments are out of time and need Congress to reach an agreement to provide direct, flexible aid to local governments before they’re forced to make drastic cuts to jobs and services.”
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is denouncing the recently revealed efforts of New York State Attorney General Leticia James, who is seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA) in a lawsuit that points fingers at the leadership for not following non-profit guidelines.
Hawley calls the move a “callous and politically-charged attempt to sow dissent during an already tumultuous election year.”
The suit currently claims to be looking at civil violations as opposed to a criminal case, but the attorney general is not ruling out that a criminal case may come about in the future. Meanwhile, Hawley continues to fight for the rights and liberties of Americans in the Assembly, and he will be working to ensure that whatever the outcome, honest citizens are not restricted by excessive governmental oversight.
“The NRA has been a valuable ally for Americans wishing to have their 2nd Amendment rights preserved, and it’s why state leadership is so afraid of them and so desperate to have them gone,” Hawley said. “The nature and timing of this lawsuit are so clearly politically motivated that I’m flabbergasted the Supreme Court would even take on such a case. This case doesn’t seek justice; it seeks to upend justice and further strangle Americans’ God-given rights and liberties.”
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
Map from NYS Wildlife Rabies Vaccination Program and NYS Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University.
On behalf of Wildlife Services of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have been notified that they will be distributing the ONRAB oral wildlife rabies vaccine on the western parts of our counties. This program has been in Niagara and Erie counties for several years and has been expanded to include our counties.
This rabies vaccine bait will be air-dropped by a fixed wing plane or a helicopter potentially starting Aug. 11 weather permitting through late August. The ONRAB bait is in a PVC blister pack that contains the rabies vaccine. The bait is coated with a sweet attractant that includes vegetable-based fats, wax, icing sugar, vegetable oil, artificial marshmallow flavor, and dark-green food-grade dye to attract wildlife.
These baits do not contain the live rabies virus and cannot cause rabies. If found near your home, keep children away from it, use gloves or a plastic bag to move the bait to a wooded area where a raccoon, skunk, fox or coyote will be more likely to find it. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after any contact with the bait.
The bait will not hurt your dog or cat as it has been shown to be safe in many different species of animals, including dogs and cats. Eating a large number of baits may cause a temporarily upset stomach for your pet. Do not attempt to remove a bait from your pet’s mouth, doing so may cause you to be bitten and could lead to vaccine exposure. If your pet becomes ill from eating the bait, contact your veterinarian for more information.
The baits are generally eaten within 4 days, and almost all baits are gone in 1 week. If baits are not found and eaten, they will dissolve and expose the vaccine. Sunlight and exposure to air inactivates the vaccine.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 August 2020 at 8:11 am
There will be a second public hearing about the 6,400 nursing home deaths in the state during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first hearing was on Aug. 3 in Albany and included testimony by Howard Zucker, the commissioner of the state Department of Health.
There will be another hearing on Aug. 10. State Assemblyman Steve Hawley welcomes local residents to provide testimony on Covid-19’s impact on residential healthcare facilities and other long-term care settings.
In Orleans County, 54 nursing home residents died from Covid-19, with 30 deaths at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion and 24 deaths at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina.
The joint hearing from Assembly and Senate also is a chance for recommendations for improving systems, protocols and practices to reduce transmission and mortality rates of contagious diseases.
Each citizen who signs up will be allotted five minutes of speaking time, and is reminded that the proceedings are video recorded.
“Many New Yorkers have lost loved ones to the Covid pandemic, with nursing homes being particularly mishandled by state government,” Hawley said. “My staff and I drafted several letters trying to call attention to this issue before more lives were lost. It’s important that every New Yorker who feels comfortable sharing their stories at this event do so. It will provide an opportunity for your testimony to be heard before the state government directly. It won’t bring back anyone we’ve lost, but it will bring hope to the future for those who were left behind.”
The State Legislature is seeking input on the Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes. Legislators want to hear about distribution of medical supplies and personal protective equipment, safety inspections and enforcement during the State of Emergency as well as the practices and procedures of residential health care facilities in responding to Covid-19.
These hearings will seek to identify what steps can be taken to reduce the rate of infection and mortality rate and improve the outcomes and experiences of patients, families, caregivers and providers.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 August 2020 at 7:30 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A crew from Russia reached Orleans County today as part of an epic journey in an 18th century replica boat named Pilgrim. The Densmore Road bridge is in the background.
They are shown approaching the Keitel Road canal bridge in Albion at about 2:30 p.m. They left Spencerport this morning and reached Medina later in the afternoon.
Click here to see a video of the boat approaching and passing underneath the Keitel Road bridge.
According to media reports, including Rochester journalist John Kucko, the boat has already traveled 11,000 miles nautical miles in the past two years.
Sergey Sinelnik is the captain and has long dreamed of sailing around the world. He is leading the crew to Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth is the sister city of his Russian hometown.
The boat passes by the Keitel Road bridge and heads west by farmland in Albion.
The group will push to reach Alaska after being in Minnesota. Then the boat will be taken to Seattle where it will then continue the trip by water. Kucko said the crew has about another year of travelling as part of the journey.
The boat reaches Albion and is between the two lift bridges, with the Ingersoll lift bridge in the upright position. The crew was friendly, waving to the many onlookers getting a glimpse of the boat, which is 42 foot long, 14 tons with three masts.
The Main Street lift bridge goes up for the boat.
Click here to see a video of the bridge and the boat.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 August 2020 at 4:29 pm
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Department is reporting no new cases of Covid-19 in Orleans County today, but there are three more in Genesee County.
In Genesee, the new positive cases reside in Batavia and Pembroke. Two of the positive individuals are in their 20s and one is in the 40s. The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. Genesee has now had 266 people test positive for Covid-19.
Genesee has also had five more people recover from Covid-19 and they have been released from mandatory isolation.
Genesee also has 16 new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
On Thursday, neither Genesee or Orleans had someone hospitalized with Covid-19. That changed today with one resident from Genesee in the hospital due to Covid-19.
While Orleans doesn’t have any new confirmed cases today, the county has added 16 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.
• Schools: Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all school districts in NYS can reopen based on the metrics set forth by the state, the local health departments reported.
In order to reopen, regions must be in Phase 4 and the daily infection rate must remain below 5% using a 14-day average. If the infection rate increases, the guidance will change accordingly. “If you have specific questions about the school reopening plan, please contact your respective school district,” the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said today.
• State-wide update: New York has 714 new cases of Covid-19 statewide. There were 714 positive tests out of 70,170 test results, for 1.0 percent testing positive.
The state is reporting 5 deaths from Covid-19 on Thursday, 579 patient hospitalizations (up by 9), 139 in ICU (up by 7) and 66 intubated in ICU (down 3).
“Our performance is extraordinary in this sea of spread around us,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “Our numbers are great because we’re doing what we need to do – the quarantine procedures are all in place and we’re enforcing compliance. But we cannot become complacent, especially as infection rates continue to surge. We must protect the progress we’ve made in New York, and it’s going to take the work of all of us to keep wearing our masks, socially distancing and staying New York Tough.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 August 2020 at 1:30 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – Rita Helsdon serves up an order of French fries from the French fry booth at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Heldson has been volunteering in the booth the past 35 years at the fair. However, this year the fair was cancelled due the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions on large gatherings.
The Cornell Cooperative Extension has welcomed fair food vendors back today and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There was a fair food fest on July 3-5. This time there are five different food vendors out of the eight.
Jane Read, pictured in back, has been the lead organizer of the French fry booth for 40 years. She said she missed seeing the people when the fair didn’t happen as scheduled last week.
“We missed seeing all of our friends who we see every year at the fair,” she said.
Frank Boeck of Rod’s Sugar Waffles in Wilson makes one of those treats today. There weren’t sugar waffles at the first fair food fest. The Extension wanted a waffle vendor this time and was able to connect with Rod’s, which is owned by Boeck’s son, Ryan. That vendor normally doesn’t come to the Orleans County 4-H Fair but welcomed the chance to go to an event.
Many of the fair food vendors have been sidelined with so many festivals and fairs cancelled this year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 August 2020 at 11:59 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says all public school districts in the state are authorized to reopen in the fall because all 10 regions of the state are well below the state’s Covid-infection limit.
The governor said schools wouldn’t reopen if the infection rate reached a 5 percent positive rate in tests for Covid-19. The state has been averaging about a 1 percent positive test rate. That is fairly consistent among all 10 regions. Orleans County is in the Finger Lakes Region. The test results show a positive rate of 1.1 percent on Monday, 0.5 percent on Tuesday and 0.7 percent on Wednesday.
If the rate jumps to 9 percent during the school year, Cuomo said schools would likely be closed.
“If the infection rate spikes, the guidance will change accordingly,” Cuomo said in a Tweet. “School districts are required to submit plans to NYS for review.”
As schools reopen, Cuomo said the state is requiring all school districts to:
1) Post their remote learning plans and their testing/tracing plans online
2) Set dates for 3-5 discussion sessions with parents and community (prior to Aug. 21)
3) Have at least one separate discussion with teachers alone
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 August 2020 at 9:48 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
RIDGEWAY – Casey Burch, 10, of Gasport is fishing on Thursday evening at Glenwood Lake with her family.
Her grandfather, Leon Green, said Glenwood is a nice spot to catch black bass, walleye, catfish, suckers – “mostly everything.”
This group of kayakers was out on Glenwood Lake in a class run by the Orleans County YMCA. The five-week class meets on Thursday at 6 p.m. Thursday was the first week of the class. They will be at different bodies of water in Medina.
These buddies were out on the lake, enjoying the sunshine and weather.
The forecast for the next few days includes a mostly sunny day today with a high of 78, followed a high near 80 and sunny on Saturday, and high of 85 and sunny on Sunday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2020 at 5:33 pm
Cuomo says each district needs to include parent, teacher input in reopening plans
Gov. Andrew Cuomo will make a much-anticipated announcement on Friday whether schools will have the option of reopening for in-person classes this fall.
The governor has said one threshold for reopening will be a region’s positive testing rate can’t exceed 5 percent. Statewide and in the Finger Lakes Region the rate has been about 1 percent.
If schools reopen, Cuomo has said the state will close schools for in-person classes if the positive testing rate hits 9 percent later in the school year.
“We’re not going to open any school unless the viral transmission rate says we have the virus under control,” Cuomo said today on a conference call with reporters. “If the viral transmission rate increases significantly then we will close the schools but there is more to this equation than just the viral transmission rate.”
The governor said the rate varies across the state, and not all regions have the same opinions from teachers and parents about reopening.
“Just as you see the situation in schools across the country has variation, the situation across the state there are variations,” he said.
Parents will ultimately decide whether to send their children to school, Cuomo said. School districts should be actively engaging parents in the discussion of reopening schools.
“if the teachers say ‘I’m not coming back’ or the parents say ‘I’m not sending my child,’ then whatever the school district says is irrelevant,” Cuomo said. “And I field calls from teachers and parents all day long. I’m telling you, they have significant questions.”
The governor said parents and teachers are concerned as they watch other schools open in the country and then see Covid-19 outbreaks.
“So I once again say to our 700 school districts across the state, please be consulting and communicating with the parents and the teachers because they are the vital stakeholders,” he said. “Not only are they vital stakeholders, they are the ultimate determination. So please, be consulting with them. Talk to them because if they’re not comfortable with the plan nothing is actually going to counteract their feelings. If a teacher doesn’t show up, you can’t open the class. If the parent doesn’t send their child, there is no child to educate.”
School superintendents say districts need more funding to meet safety requirements, precautions against Covid-19
The New York State Council of School Superintendents issued a statement today in anticipation of the governor’s announcement. The superintendents said engaging with parents, teachers and other stakeholders “is a standard operating procedure for New York’s public schools.”
The superintendents said they regularly consult with the community in how schools are run, including with the annual budget vote.
“Work on reopening plans required superintendents to quickly become knowledgeable on entirely new health and safety topics, and to lead boards and other stakeholders to a common understanding of facts, requirements, options, and the reality that seldom could any one choice satisfy everyone,” the group said.
The districts all were required reopening plans to the state last Friday, and those plans needed to include safety precautions for in-person classes and how the district would offer remote learning.
“Now superintendents and their colleagues must work to assure that all the pieces are in place to fulfill what has been planned—assigning teachers and other staff, configuring classrooms, planning bus routes, acquiring personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, assuring support for students with the greatest needs, and more,” the superintendents said. “And all this must be done with one more overhanging strand of uncertainty—how will it be funded, especially with the threat of massive state aid cuts if Washington does not come through with the supports that schools and states must receive?”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2020 at 4:19 pm
Orleans and Genesee counties both don’t have any new cases of Covid-19, and both counties don’t have a resident in the hospital from the coronavirus.
Genesee County is also reporting one more person has recovered from Covid-19.
Orleans has 10 more people on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states while Genesee County has 12 more precautionary quarantine.
• Statewide there are 703 new Covid-19 cases in the state out of 72,370 test results for a 0.97 percent positive rate.
The state is reporting three deaths from Covid-19, 570 hospitalizations (up by 6), 132 in ICU (down by 2), and 69 who are intubated (no change from previous day).
“There’s no secret to how a virus spreads – this is mathematics, this is science and this is a function of our behavior, which we see reflected in the daily numbers,” Cuomo said. “New Yorkers worked hard to change our behavior and bring the numbers down to the levels we have been holding at through our phased reopening. We are now focused on protecting that hard-won progress. We are fighting against the national surge of cases with our quarantine efforts, but we need local governments to be more active in enforcing compliance.”
• More from Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:
• Travel Advisory: Travelers from the following states with high coronavirus rates will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Those violating could be subject to a judicial order and mandatory quarantine and potential fines.
• Traveler Health Form: For all out-of-state travelers from NYS restricted states, whether arriving by land or air, must self-identify by completing a traveler health form or be subject to a $2,000 fine. Click here for the traveler health form.
• Gathering sizes: According to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.45, all non-essential gatherings of up to 50 individuals of any size for any reason (graduation parties, celebrations, weddings, or other social events at public facilities or private venues) unless otherwise designated (ex. Religious gatherings), are now allowed for those regions in phase 4. So long as appropriate social distancing, wearing cloth masks/face coverings over their mouth and nose, and cleaning and disinfection protocol requirements are followed.
• Be alert for scam artists: The Genesee and Orleans County Health Department staff will always identify themselves, their position, and the reason for their visit or phone call. All staff have county provided identification badges that have their pictures. In the event you are approached by someone stating they are from the health department without a clear reason for their visit or phone call, do not let them in your home and do not give them any information and call 911.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2020 at 3:50 pm
Photo from GoFundMe: Hudson Leroy Sanders
BARRE – An online fundraiser on GoFundMe has been established to help the family of a boy who drowned in a swimming pool accident on Wednesday in Barre.
Hudson Leroy Sanders was 16 months old. First responders attempted to save him with CPR.
“This terrible accident has left the family devastated and absolutely heartbroken,” Lacey Johnson and Anna Flugel write on GoFundMe. “As you can expect the family is in complete shock and are grieving the loss of their beautiful blue eyed, blonde hair little boy.”
People are welcome to donate to help cover the funeral expenses for the boy and to help support the family during this tragic time.
BATAVIA – For the third consecutive year, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has been named one of the “2020 Best Companies to Work for in New York State.”
GCASA was selected as the 11th best company to work for in the state in the medium employers’ category (100-249 employees).
The agency was honored on Wednesday afternoon during a virtual celebration conducted by The Rochester Business Journal, Best Companies Group and the New York State Society for Human Resource Management.
All told, 75 companies earned places on the 13th annual Best Companies to Work for in New York list, including 21 in the medium employers’ division. The other 54 honorees were in the small and large employers’ categories.
“Being honored for three years in a row – and now moving up to 11th place in the medium size category – is a testament to our employees and the contributions they make each and every day to make GCASA a great place to work,” Executive Director John Bennett said, noting that the agency was in the small employers’ group the first two years.
Bennett was quick to point out that the results are determined by employee opinions.
“The best part about this honor is that it is driven by all of you – GCASA employees,” he said. “The 80-plus question surveys you completed in the fall were the driving force behind us making the list of best companies.”
Created in 2007, these awards are part of a distinctive program that evaluates and ranks the best places of employment. This statewide survey/awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor businesses whose practices benefit the state’s businesses, economy and workforce.
To be considered for participation, organizations had to fulfill specific registration eligibility requirements, then participate in a two-part survey of employee satisfaction and engagement, as well as workplace practices and policies.
Best Companies Group, an independent firm that manages Best Places to Work programs on state, regional and national levels around the world, conducted the survey, then evaluated the results and determined the winners.
A special publication will profile all 75 winning organizations and their unique employment perks. It will be distributed at the event and sent to higher education institutions and thousands of human resources professionals and organizations across New York State.
GCASA Human Resources Director Kim Corcoran applauded the staff for going above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have a great, talented staff that always endures stressful times during our nation’s opioid epidemic – and then even more so specifically during this unprecedented period,” she said. “It’s a testament to how our staff can pull together and continue to provide necessary services in our community. It’s just what they do!”
GCASA, located at 430 East Main St., Batavia, and 249 East Ave., Albion, has been serving Genesee and Orleans Counties for more than 40 years. Services include prevention education and outpatient and residential treatment for individuals with substance use disorders; and an employee assistance program.
For more information about the Best Companies to Work for in New York program, or to find out about participating in the 2021 program, visit www.BestCompaniesNY.com.
